Plumbers are considered essential businesses and are still able to perform critical services during the COVID-19 crisis. Most plumbers are not marketers, they are focused on providing repair service when a homeowner’s water supply or pipes has problems. So, marketing, especially digital marketing, can be intimidating. Here are a few tactics for plumbing companies to keep in mind when starting a PPC campaign.
Make Sure Tracking Is in Place
Before you start, make sure you are able to look at the traffic you generate in Google Analytics. While Google Analytics can be intimidating, try to keep it simple. Use the same login to create your Google Ads account as is being used in Google Analytics. If you don’t have Google Analytics set up, do so and use the same Google account for both. This will allow you to easily create tracking that separates Google Ads traffic from other traffic channels so you can track your marketing dollars.
Evaluate Your Geography
In the geo-targeting settings in your campaign settings, be sure to be exact about the geography you want to target. If you serve multiple areas, keep that in mind when determining where you want your ads to appear when people do searches. Think beyond the immediate city you are located in if you travel for jobs. Geography can be your key advantage in this form of advertising.
Start Slow
Start with a limited budget. In looking at the average cost per click for plumbing terms, an example top of the bid range is around $6.00. Since you are charged that amount every time a prospective customer clicks on your search ad, this can add up quickly. So when setting your daily budget, be sure to start low and slow and then progress from there if you are seeing success. From there you can add to your daily budget and track that back to your monthly budget.
Keyword Selection
Think Beyond Plumber
So while it may seem sensible to immediately bid on the term plumber, keep in mind the other keywords users may type in when in need of your services. For example, the term “drain cleaning near me” has an average bid of $4.70. Terms like “leaking pipes,” “kitchen sink leaking,” and “pipe leak repair” have far less keyword demand and competition, so they are much cheaper to bid on. Keep in mind that you will want to test bidding the problems and ailments that your customers have, not just the term plumber.
DIY Keywords
An important thing to remember for selecting keywords, try to avoid showing up for DIY searches. Many people attempt plumbing on their own. While it may be an interesting idea to test DIY keywords, you want to be focused on those that specifically are looking for a professional. Avoid terms that start with “how-to,” or “parts.”
Ad Copy
Google Search Ads give you the ability to communicate your message within a defined character count across 3 main headlines and 2 supporting messages. An example search ad looks like this:
When writing these ads out, keep a few things in mind:
Saying you provide affordable and quality service like the example above is good standard language. But be creative, especially in these trying times! Perhaps offer a percentage off your services. Or stress that you provide 24/7 emergency service. Additionally, stress that you serve a specific geographic area within your ad so that the searcher knows you are local and can help them quickly.
Extensions
Within your ad options, Google presents extensions that extend the screen real estate of your ad. One of those extensions available is to show your phone number. Given the common emergency nature of those searching for plumber services, such as cracked pipes, leaking water, etc., adding a call extension into your ad gives the searcher a quick way to call you, especially when on mobile.
Wrapping Up
Advertising for your plumbing business is hard and it can be expensive. Google Ads provides a great platform for plumbers as homeowners encounter plumbing problems and turn to Google to find help. Start slow, make sure your tracking is in place, pick your geography, be smart about your keyword selection, and test your ad copy.
Questions? We’d love to help you set up your paid search campaign or assist with SEO for your plumbing business. Give us a call at 877.204.0234 or fill out our contact form to get in touch.
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