How to generate hundreds of plumbing leads each month with Google Business

If you are not familiar with Google Business, it’s a free service from Google, and every plumbing company should be using it.

A Google Business Profile (GBP) enables you to share your business information with Google, which can help improve your visibility on Google. Ultimately, a Google Business profile can help generate more plumbing leads and customers at a very low cost.

A well optimized and properly managed Google Business Profile (GBP), can generate hundreds of plumbing leads each month. Don’t believe me? Here are some results from individual plumbermarketing.ca customers:

• Q1 2022 - 628 leads generated from Google Business. That is an average of 209 leads per month. This represents 59% of all leads generated for the quarter.
• Q2 2022 - 677 leads generated from Google Business. That is an average of 225 leads per month. This represents 62% of all leads generated for the quarter.
• Q3 2022 - 624 leads generated from Google Business. That is an average of 208 leads per month. This represents 60% of all leads generated for the quarter.

As you can see, Google Business is great for generating plumbing leads. If you are not using Google Business yet, you should be. If you are using Google Business but you’re not generating results like above, you can. In either case, I’ll now provide the insights you need to put your pluming business on the path to greater Google Business results.

Understanding how consumers find plumbers on Google.

When consumers need a plumber, many begin by performing a search on Google. Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of a consumer and pretend we need to find a plumber in Toronto, Ontario. We do a search on Google For “Toronto Plumbers”.

What we are presented with is called the search engine results page, or SERPs for short. The SERPs contain a few different types of results.

The first type of result you may see at the top of the SERPs are local service ads, or LSAs for short.

After the local service ads, you’ll typically find Google Ads.

After any Google Ads that are displayed on the search engine results page, you’ll find Maps listings. These are Google Business Profiles.

You might be questioning how effective Google Business Profiles can be, given they are third on the search engine results page. The short answer is very effective. While Google LSAs and Google Ads work well, a Google Business Profile can generate a lot more leads for a lot less money.

In addition to consumers finding plumbers in the maps section of a Google search results page, they can also find plumbers by performing a search in Google Maps.

Now that you have a basic understanding of how consumers use Google to find plumbers, let’s look at how you can use a free Google Business Profile to put your plumbing business in front these consumers.

How to Claim and Verify your Google Business Profile

The first step on the path to Google Business success, is claiming and verifying your profile. To get started visit business.google.com.

When you claim your Google Business Profile, Google will contact you to verify that the information you have submitted in your profile is accurate. There are a few different ways Google may contact you, but typically they will send you a verification code by postal mail, or by phone.

Once you’ve claimed and verified your profile, it’s time to move onto the following steps. Following these steps will help improve your visibility on Google, so you can out-compete the competition and win more plumbing leads and customers.

How to manage your Google Business profile

Google has made significant changes to how you manage your profile. Instead of managing your profile through a dedicated website, now all you have to do is search for your business name and you can manage your profile information right on the search results page. If you don’t see your profile at the top of the page, you may need to scroll further down the page.

You need to be logged into your Google account to be able to manage and edit your Google Business Profile.

Now that you know where to go to manage your profile, let’s look at what you need to do to properly optimize and use your profile.

Optimize your Google Business profile Information

The first thing you need to do after claiming and verifying your Google Business Profile, is optimize your business information. The Info section of your GBP allows you to share information about your plumbing business with Google, who in turn shares it publicly with consumers on Google Search, Maps, and other products.

Ensuring your profile information is complete, is critical to your Google Business success. To update your business information, go to your profile on Google and click the “Edit profile” link.

When you click the “Edit profile” link, a pop-up window will appear and you will be presented with a list of options to update or complete.

To properly optimize your Google Business Profile information, you need to complete all of the following fields:

1. Business Name - Enter your business name as it appears in the real world. Do not add keywords to your name unless they are part of your actual name. If you decide to change your name, you will need to reverify your profile.
2. Business Category - Select the category that best matches your business. If you select multiple categories, the category in the first field will be your primary category. As a plumbing business, your primary category should be “Plumber”.
3. Description - Provide a description of your business up to 750 characters in length. Do not include URL’s or HTML code. Focus on details about your business as opposed to promotions. Include your history, what sets you apart, and what you offer- anything that’s helpful for consumers to know.
4. Opening Date - Provide the date you opened for business. 
5. Phone Number - Provide the phone number(s) of your business, so consumers can connect directly to you from your Google Business Profile. You can provide a primary phone number and additional phone numbers. If you are using call tracking, make sure to set your call tracking number as the primary phone number (we’ll discuss this in more detail when we look at how to track your GBP leads).
6. Website - Provide the URL to your website. This will enable consumers to visit your website directly from your GBP.
7. Short Name - This feature is no longer available for new profiles. If you have an existing Google Business Profile with a short name, you can continue to use it. However, new profiles will not have this option.
8. Business Location - If you have a physical location customers can visit, enter your complete address. If your address doesn’t have a street number, or if the system can’t find the correct address, you can pin your Business Profile directly on the map.  If you do not have a physical location customers can visit, leave the address field blank. As a plumbing business, it is to your advantage to include an address, as this can help improve your visibility on Google and provides consumers with a better experience. If you ever change your address, you will need to reverify your profile.
9. Service Area - Providing service areas lets consumers know the geographic areas where you provide your plumbing services.  You can have up to 20 service areas. The boundaries of your overall area should not extend further than two hours driving time from where you business is based. To use service areas, you must be a service-area business (a business that provides service at the customer’s address, and not at your business address), or a hybrid business (a business that provides service at both the customer’s address and the business address). If your business does not have permanent on-site signage, it’s not eligible as a store front and must be listed as a service-area business. 
10. Business Hours - Set your business hours to let consumers know when you are available. Set hours for each individual day of the week. If you provide service 24 hours a day, set your hours to “Open 24 hours”. Google may display your hours on search result pages to let consumers know when you are open and closed each day.
11. Holiday Hours - If you have special holiday hours that differ from your regular business hours, set them here so consumers know when you are open and closed.
12. From The Business - Select any pre-defined options that apply to your business. These options are predetermined by Google and may be presented in Google search results.
13. Accessibility - Let consumers if your business is accessible to disabled persons. These options are predetermined by Google and may be presented in Google search results.
14. Crowd - Select any options that apply to your business. These options are predetermined by Google and may be presented in Google search results.
15. Planning - Select any options that apply to your business. These options are predetermined by Google and may be presented in Google search results.
16. Service Options - Select any options that apply to your business. These options are predetermined by Google and may be presented in Google search results.

Google is constantly updating Google Business, so things may change from the time I write this to when you view it. Regardless of how things change, the general takeaway is to complete all relevant options accurately.

Add services to your Google Business profile

Now that you have your business information optimized, it’s time to add your services to your profile. To add and manage your services, click the “Edit services” option in your profile.

When adding a service, you’ll have the option to provide the name of the service, the price, and a description up to 300 characters in length. Take your time to complete all fields, including an accurate description of the service. The description is a great opportunity to convey to consumers how your service can help them, and may help with your Google rankings.

Be sure to add all of your services. As a best practice, review your services on a monthly or quarterly basis and update appropriately.

Share photos on your Google Business profile

Now that you have optimized your business information and added your services, it’s time to add photos to your profile.

There are three types of photos you can add to your Google Business Profile:

1. Logo: Help consumers recognize your business on Google. For businesses that have basic information, such as a phone number or hours of operation, the Business Profile highlights the logo.
2. Cover Photo: Set a cover photo at the top of your profile that best represents your business. In some instances, this action doesn’t guarantee the cover photo will show up as the first image for your business.
3. Business Photos: Add different photos to highlight features of your business to attract and inform customers. There are different types of business-specific photos you should consider adding to your profile including: exterior and interior photos of your physical location, product photos, job-site photos featuring your work, and team photos.

Photos are a great way to reach and engage consumers. While you may be familiar with Google search, you may not be familiar with Google image search. People search for images on Google all the time, and the more images you have, the more opportunities there are to be discovered online.

What type of business photos should I share?

While there are a few different types of business photos you can publish, you should make sure you have photos of…

• Your office (if you have a physical location). Take photos of the interior and exterior your office or warehouse. 
• Your trucks and branded vehicles. 
• Your employees. Having photos of your employees is a great way to connect with consumers. Employee photos put a face to your business and give consumers a sense of who they are working with.
• Your work. Get your plumbers in the habit of taking before and after photos of all work you do. These photos can be really valuable content marketing assets. 

How do I optimize my Google Business Profile photos?

Optimizing your images is very important. While Google is getting better at understanding what an image is about, it’s still not perfect. The more you can help Google understand what an image is about, the better.

By properly optimizing your images, you improve your chances of consumers discovering your plumbing business on Google. To optimize your images, be sure to do the following:

• Name Your Photos - Do not use the default photo name from your camera. Rename your photos with keyword rich text that describes what the photo is about.
• Resize Your Photos - Today’s cameras and smartphones produce high quality photos that result in large file sizes. Large file sizes can take a while to load online, providing consumers with a poor experience. You should resize all of your photos to reduce the file size so they load quickly online. This is especially important if you plan on using any of your GBP photos on your website or elsewhere online.
• Choose The Right Format - Photos should be in either JPG or PNG format. JPG is great for photos and PNG is ideal for computer generated graphics.
• Include Metadata - Whenever you take a photo with your camera or smartphone, metadata is included in the file, which includes information such as the device used to take the photo, the date and time the photo was taken and the location of where the photo was taken. This information may help boost your rankings, so be sure to export your photos with metadata.

How often should I post photos to my Google Business Profile?

When you claim and verify your Google Business Profile, you should initially upload a couple dozen photos. Ideally you should upload new photos every month, at a minimum. 

Publish updates to your Google Business profile

Now that you’ve optimized your business information, added your services and uploaded photos, it’s time to start publishing updates (formally known as posts).

Google Business Updates are similar to social media posts such as a Facebook post, with a few exceptions. Google Business Updates are limited to 1,500 characters per post and may include an image and call to action button.

Google Business Updates are displayed on your Google Business Profile for consumers to view. Publishing updates is a great way to differentiate your profile from competitors, as many plumbing companies do not publish posts regularly. Posting updates regularly may also help improve your visibility on Google.

What type of updates should I publish to my Google Business Profile?

There are three types of Google Business Updates you can publish…

1. Updates: Provide consumers with general business updates or educational information such as tips, insights or frequently asked questions. For most plumbing business, this will be the primary type of update you publish.
2. Offers: Create an offer to attract consumers to your business.Events: Let consumers know about events you are hosting. This could be for the opening of a new office, or workshops you provide to the public.

How often should I Publish Updates to my Google Business Profile?

At plumbermarketing.ca, we’ve found that posting on a regular and consistent basis is critical to Google Business success. Because many plumbing companies do not post on a regular basis, this is a great way to differentiate your business and help improve your visibility on Google.

At a minimum you should post once per week. While you can post more often, we’ve found that once per week works well for most plumbing businesses. If you’re having trouble improving your visibility on Google, you may want to try posting more regularly, but, most plumbing companies should find posting once per week works well.

Get reviews on your Google Business profile

Now that you’ve optimized your business information, added your services, shared photos, and are publishing updates once per week, it’s time to get reviews.

Getting reviews on your Google Business Profile is one of the most important things you can do to outcompete the competition and boost your visibility on Google. With that said, reviews alone won’t work on their own. You need to ensure you properly manage all aspects of your profile.

Every time you complete a job you should ask your customer for a review. Not everyone will provide a review, but if you ask every customer, you’ll get a steady flow of reviews on your profile over time.

It’s important that you solicit legitimate reviews. Do not ask employees or friends, or family to leave reviews in the hopes of boosting your profile. Google is getting better at detecting fake reviews and can suspend your profile if you do not follow their rules.

How many reviews do I need on my Google Business Profile?

The number of reviews you have will influence your visibility on Google. While there is no set number of reviews you need, you should aim to have more reviews than your competitors.

Do a Google search for plumbers in your geographic area. Look at the top listings in the maps section and see how many reviews each business has. The number of reviews on their own won’t determine the ranking order. However, the more reviews you have, the better. So check how many reviews your competitors have and try to double it.

How can I get more reviews for my Google Business Profile?

If you think getting reviews is hard work, it can be.

A plumbing company we work with has gone from less than 100 reviews to nearly 800 reviews in less than two years. Want to know how they did it? The owner called every single customer to ensure they had a great experience and asked them to provide them a review. This was a lot of work, but it is paying off. This particular plumbing company has more reviews than most of their competitors, follows the strategy you’re learning here, and is consistently ranked in the maps listings for dozens of keywords related to their business.

One of the keys to getting reviews is making the process as simple as possible. One way you can do this is by providing customers with a link to leave a review on your Google Business Profile.

To get your Google Business Review link, click the “Ask for reviews” link in your profile.

When you click the “Ask for reviews” link, a popup window will open with your link, which you can copy and share with customers.

Now, when you share your review link with a customer, and they click it, they will be taken directly to a review popup window in your Google Business Profile, where they can rate your business and leave a review.

TIP: Include your review link in your email signature, electronic invoices and statements, and on your website.

Bonus: how to track and measure your Google Business results

Your Google Business Profile may be free, but it still requires an investment of marketing resources to get the most from it. As such, you need a way to measure the results you get from Google Business.

While Google Business offers Insights, within the platform, to help you measure your results, the information they provide is limited and typically siloed from your other tracking efforts. To provide you with a simple and easy way to track all of your marketing results including Google Business, I suggest you use a lead tracking platform such as WhatConverts.

The advantage of using a platform like WhatConverts is that it enables you to track your leads from all sources - both online and offline - such as phone calls, emails, chats, even printed materials.

Most leads from your Google Business Profile will come from phone calls. As such, it is critical that you track phone calls from your Google Business Profile. While Google has a way for you to track phone calls within the platform, I recommend you setup call tracking through a third-party such as WhatConverts.

To setup call tracking on your Google Business Profile, you’ll need to register a phone number through your call tracking app. You’ll then need to set the call tracking number as the primary phone number in your Google Business Profile. You can list your regular phone number as a secondary phone number in your profile.

Key insights and takeaways

While we didn’t cover every available Google Business feature, we covered all of the features most plumbing companies will ever need. Here’s a recap of what you need to do to generate plumbing leads with your free Google Business Profile.

• Claim and Verify Your Profile: If you haven’t already claimed and verified your free Google Business Profile, do so now. You can get started at business.google.com
• Optimize Your Business Information: Be sure to update your profile with complete and accurate business information. Complete all available fields and options that are relevant to your plumbing business. Review your business information on a monthly or quarterly basis, as Google may automatically update it with information from third-party sources.
• Keep Your Services Up To Date: Add all of the services you offer to your profile, including the name, price, and description. Google may automatically update your services with information from third-parties, so it is important that you review your services for accuracy on a regular basis - monthly or quarterly.
• Share Photos: Optimize and publish photos to your Google Business profile on a regular basis. Ideally, you should aim to add new photos every month.
• Publish Updates: Produce and publish high value updates/posts to your Google Business Profile every week. Create a content calendar to help ensure you post consistently.
• Get Reviews: Every time you complete a job, ask for a review. Make it easy for customers to leave a review by providing them with a link to your Google Business Profile.
• Measure Your Results: Use third-party lead tracking software, so you can quickly and easily measure your Google Business results. Review your results on a weekly or monthly basis. Over time, don’t be surprised if 50% or more of your leads come from your Google Business Profile.

Want help managing your Google Business Profile?

If you would like help managing your Google Business Profile(s) for your plumbing business, contact plumbermarketing.ca. Our Advisors can provide you with the resources and insights you need to succeed with Google My Business.