From 2 Calls to 50: A Local SEO Strategy for a Plumber
Client: A single-location plumbing contractor in a competitive suburb.
Challenges We Faced
The client was a skilled plumber but was losing all “emergency” business to larger franchises:
No “Map Pack” Ranking
They were invisible on Google Maps for “plumber near me” and “emergency drain cleaning.”
Unoptimized GMB
Their GMB profile was unclaimed, had wrong hours, and only 2 reviews.
Generic Website
Their site had one “Services” page listing everything, so they didn’t rank for specific jobs like “water heater repair.”
Zero Leads
They relied 100% on expensive shared leads (Angi/Thumbtack) and got zero organic calls.
Inconsistent NAP Across Directories
Their Name, Address, and Phone (NAP) were listed differently on multiple local directories, which confused Google and prevented the business from ranking locally.
Get More Emergency Calls
“Is your phone silent? Our SEO for Plumbers strategy puts you in the Map Pack for ’emergency’ searches.”
Our Approach – How We Solved These Challenges
Google Business Profile Management
We claimed and optimized their GMB, adding 24/7 hours, photos of their trucks, and a Q&A section.
We launched a review campaign, texting past customers for feedback.
Service Page Optimization
We built 10 new pages, one for each specific service (e.g., “Tankless Water Heater Repair,” “Sewer Line Replacement”).
We optimized these pages with Local Keyword Research targeting their specific city.
Off-Page SEO (Local Link Building)
We built citations on local directories and sponsored a local youth sports team to get a high-authority local link.
Technical SEO
We made the site mobile-friendly and added a sticky “Call Now” button for mobile users.
Results
| Metric | Before | After | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Click-to-Call” Leads (GMB) | 2/mo | 55/mo | +2650% |
| Map Pack Rankings (“plumber near me”) | #25 | #3 | +22 spots |
| Total Organic Traffic | 50/mo | 850/mo | +1600% |
Free Local SEO Audit
“Not sure why you aren’t ranking? Claim a Free Local Audit and let our home services seo company find your gaps!”
Advice for Marketers & Brand Owners
- Niche down your pages. Don’t just have a “Plumbing” page. Have a page for every single service you offer.
- GMB is your lifeline. For emergency services, your Google Map listing is more important than your website.
- Get reviews. Reviews are the #1 ranking factor for the Map Pack. Ask every happy customer.
Extra Factors That Made It Work
- The Review Management strategy took them from 2 to 45 reviews in 6 months.
- The sticky “Call Now” button on mobile drastically improved conversion rates.
- Targeting specific neighborhoods in their service pages helped them rank for “plumber in [Neighborhood].”
