A Step by Step Guide to SEO for Plumbers to Rank Higher on Google

As plumbing business owner, you always want to spread your plumbing services online and offline. More than 135,000 people search for “plumber near me” every month. Therefore, you need a strong online visibility for your plumbing business. That’s why SEO for plumbers will be a great help for your plumbing company to attract potential customers. You can maintain transparency in your services and gain authenticity with proper search engine optimization techniques.

Most of the plumbing companies find it difficult to get organic search traffic. As per the research, the plumbing industry is expected to expand from $1,610.4 billion in 2024 to $1,722.65 billion in 2025, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.0%. Therefore, if you want to stand out in this competitive market, you need to focus on your online presence. First, you have to maintain your plumbing website with various plumbing SEO techniques.

You can rank your plumbing website on the first page of Google search with the right SEO strategy. In this guide, you’ll have a brief idea of how you will research keywords for your website and develop content. You can get detailed technical SEO guidance on how to optimize your Google Business profile for a local business directories. You can discover how you can earn reviews with various tactics and develop a powerful plumbing business online.

What is SEO for Plumbers?

SEO for plumbing services is about implementing optimization solutions that enable your plumbing website to achieve top rankings on SERPs. The optimization efforts enhance the online visibility of your business in the online space. SEO boosts engine rankings of plumbing websites. 

It involves optimizing the on-page and off-page elements of a plumber’s website. The optimization activities include keyword research & incorporation into the content. Along with keywords, the use of meta tags and content optimization also matter. 

Effective SEO for plumbers is incomplete without local search optimization. Building citations and managing online reviews also play a huge role in developing a well-rounded strategy. These steps are crucial for attracting customers in specific geographic areas.

Why Do Plumbers Need Search Engine Optimization ?

Search engines like Google and Bing are the primary platforms that people use to look for products and services online. It is the same for plumbing services.

Appearing on the first page of Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs) increases your chances of getting more conversions. To strategically grow your plumbing business, implementing effective plumbing marketing strategies is essential. A complete Plumbing marketing guide involves a combination of online and offline methods tailored specifically to the plumbing industry. It helps you establish yourself as an industry leader in the plumbing market.

Here are a few reasons why SEO is important for plumbers:

• SEO for plumbers increases the online visibility and presence of your online business.
• SEO helps drive more traffic to your website.
• Higher search engine rankings result in more potential customers.
• Being cost-effective, SEO for plumbers is ideal for small to medium-scale businesses that want to grow their customer base.
• SEO for plumbers helps build brand awareness, garner customer trust, and establish brand authority for plumbing business owners.

How To Optimize On-Page SEO For Plumbers ?

On-page SEO involves optimizing individual web pages to rank higher in search engines. For plumbers, it’s crucial because it helps local customers find their services when searching for “plumber near me” or “emergency plumbing.”A prominent on-page SEO increases visibility in local search results, drives more qualified leads, and helps plumbers compete effectively against other local service providers in their area. Followings are the main components you need to optimize for better on page SEO.

1. How to Choose the Right Keywords

Keywords are the most important part for your ranking in search engine results pages. If you want your plumbing business to rank higher, then you first need to do a thorough keyword research.

What are Keywords?

If you need any products or services, what will you do first ? You open Google and write for the specific service pages or product name. So the term you use is called keywords in the digital marketing world. Therefore, you have to find out the relevant keywords for your plumbing website content. Then you put these keywords into your SEO content strategy.

There are various types of keyword tools you can use, like

• Semrush
• Answer the public
• Moz
• Google keyword research
• Ubersuggest

These tools will give you the sorted keywords you can use for your plumbing website content-

How Do You Find The Best Keywords For Your Business?

• Match search intent- First thing you need to know is what your target audience is searching for. Once you know your user’s intent, you can plan which type of keywords to add.
• Then, you can put together all the relevant keyword lists in one place.
• Most importantly, take a look at what your competitors are using. You can search their domain and retrieve their relevant keywords, then incorporate them into your website. This will help you to stay ahead of your competitors.
• You can go through Google’s “Related searches” and “People also ask” sections.

What Kind of Keywords Are Best for Plumbers?

Informational Keywords: The intent of these keywords is to give information to your users.This target audience is looking for answers or learning. Although they may not need a plumber just yet, they will remember you if they read your blog or watch your video.

For example:

• “What is the best plumbing and drainage cover?”
• “Which is the best plumbers websites?”
• “is plumbing and drainage cover worth it?”

Commercial Keywords: They are almost ready to hire any plumbing company. You want your business to show up when they’re comparing options.

For example:

• “Best plumber near me”
• “Affordable plumbing service in [City]”
• “Top-rated plumbers for water heater installation”

Transactional Keywords: These are money keywords. The person is ready to hire. You want to target these for ads, homepage, or service pages.

For example:

• “Emergency plumber 24/7”
• “Schedule pipe repair service.”
• “Call a plumber in [City] now.”

Navigational Keywords: This means that people already know about you, possibly from work you’ve done in the past, ads, or contacts. You want to show up with good reviews and contact info when they search your brand.

For example:

• “ABC Plumbing Services website”
• “Call Joe’s Plumbing.”
• “ABC Plumbing reviews”

Step-by-Step Guide to Keyword Research Using Ubersuggest

Let’s explore how you get your relevant keywords for your plumbing company-

Step 1: Set Up Your Ubersuggest Account

• Register an Account:
  • First, open Ubersuggest and sign up for a free or paid account(a paid account provides more features, while a free account permits fewer searches).
• Pick Your Location and Language:
  • Choose the location (e.g., United States) and language that you want to specialize in for local SEO.

Step 2: Start Keyword Research

• Enter your main Keyword:
  • Go to the left column and select the “keyword Research“-> add main keyword -> select language and location -> search
  • You may use the keywords “best plumbing services,” “plumber near me,” or “drain cleaning.”

• Choose Your Domain (Optional):
  • You can also enter your website domain to analyze its performance and discover which keywords it’s currently ranking for.

Step 3: Analyze Keyword Overview

Then click “Keyword overview” and you get the following interface.

• Search Volume:
  • This indicates how many searches a keyword receives monthly.
  • Tip: For a plumbing business, choose keywords with moderate to high search volume, but ensure they are local and relevant to your services.
• SEO Difficulty (SD):
  • This metric tells you how difficult it is to rank for the keyword. A lower SD (around 10-30) means it’s easier to rank for.
  • Tip: If you’re just starting, focus on keywords with lower SEO difficulty but still relevant to your plumbing services.
• Paid Difficulty (PD):
  • This metric shows how competitive it is to advertise for that keyword through Google Ads.
  • Tip: If you’re using paid ads, look for keywords with a balance of high volume and moderate paid difficulty to get the most ROI.
• Cost Per Click (CPC):
  • This metric tells you how much advertisers are willing to pay per click on a keyword for Google Ads.
  • Tip: High CPC keywords are often valuable for paid search campaigns. If a keyword has a high CPC (e.g., “emergency plumbing services”), it suggests that people are willing to pay more for leads related to this search.
• Trends:
  • Ubersuggest also shows how search volume has changed over time. Look for keywords with stable or increasing search trends.

How To Stay Ahead Of Your Competitors?

Go to left side corner, under “keyword research” get “Keywords by Traffic” to search for what your competitors use on their websites. You can see which keywords get the most traffic to a certain website by looking at Keywords by Traffic.

For example: If 10,000 people visit a plumbing business’s website every month, “Keywords by Traffic” will show you the search terms they used to find it.

Keywords by Traffic-> enter your competitor’s domain -> select region -> search.

Now, you have these details about keywords and their search volume and difficulty.

You can sort by volume and difficulty.

Now you have all the relevant keywords that your competitors use and you don’t. So what are you waiting for? Put these keywords on your Plumbing website and get more relevant traffic.

2. How Do You Develop Content For A Plumbing Business?

Some people want to grab informational content like “how to stop water leaking in toilets” and “how to turn off water in emergencies”. You can develop informative, knowledgeable content for your website instead of just asking for a “hire us” approach. When you generate relevant content, it will automatically raise SEO performance. Your website will rank higher in Google’s search results. Most of the plumbing businesses employ this content marketing approach nowadays.

Why is E-E-A-T important?

E-E-A-T is the acronym of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Google prefers this kind of content and ranks it higher in search pages.

• Experience: You’ve actually done what you’re writing about.
• Expertise: You are well-versed in the topic.
• Authoritativeness: Others respect you as an expert.
• Trustworthiness: People can rely on your information.

It’s important to have high E-E-A-T because Google puts it first in search results. More people will find your business online if your website has these features. You can easily attract organic traffic to your website.

What Type Of Content Is Most Effective For Plumbing Businesses?

The following are some important aspects of content you may cover –

1. How-To Articles- This is the most relevant type of content. Your target audience will appreciate this article. Here you can address some issues related to the plumbing.

Examples:

• “How to unclog your kitchen sink”
• “5 easy steps to stop a toilet from running”

2. Service Pages- In this guide, you can talk about what services you offer. You have to write very clear and in-depth details about your offerings.

Examples:

• “Drain cleaning in Los Angeles”
• “24-hour emergency plumbing service”

3. Local Content- You can write region-specific content. It will boost your local SEO for plumbers. You can improve SEO efforts with the following examples of topics. Moreover, you can write about local plumbing issues.

Examples:

• “Top Plumber in Miami Beach: 24/7 Emergency Service You Can Trust”
• “Affordable Plumbing Services in Brooklyn – Quick & Reliable”
• “Expert Drain Cleaning in Chicago – Local Plumber Near You”
• “Leaky Faucet? Seattle’s Go-To Plumbing Experts Are Here”

4. Customer Stories & Reviews- This is the most important part of content marketing. You have to put your customer reviews. This will enhance your reliability and demonstrate the trustworthiness of your plumbing company. You can boost your search rankings with these reviews. Always revert to your customer reply. It will show how responsible you are towards your clients.

5. Video-First Content Creation

Moreover, you can develop visual content as well. You create videos of your plumbing services.

Types of Videos to Create:

1. How-To Guides: “How to unclog a toilet” (builds authority)
2. Before/After: Give a picture of the before/after services done by your plumbing company.
3. Emergency Tips: “What to do when pipes burst”
4. Customer Testimonials: You can also request video testimonials from your satisfied clients.
5. Behind-the-Scenes: This will enhance the transparency and legitimacy of your brand.

Video SEO Optimization:

• Create detailed video descriptions (300+ words)
• Use closed captions for accessibility
• Include video timestamps for key topics
• Embed videos on relevant service pages
• Moreover, you have to develop a video sitemap

AI-Optimized Content Structure

The AIDA Framework for Plumber Content:

• Attention: Hook with common plumbing problems
• Interest: Explain the technical aspects simply
• Desire: Show transformation/solution benefits
• Action: Clear next steps and contact information

Where to Share Your Content?

Your Website- First, you have to share all written content, like blogs, videos, and pictures, on your website. It will increase your search rankings and attract organic search traffic.

Social Media- Share content on platforms where your customers hang out:

• Facebook: This is the most relevant platform for longer posts and customer photos. You can join local community groups. There, you may find various questions related to plumbing service so that you can address them.
• Instagram: This social platform is best for sharing your before/after photos and short videos. Moreover, to get more benefit, you can use local hashtags like #YourCityPlumber.
• YouTube: Upload how-to videos. Many people search YouTube for repair tips.
• Nextdoor: This app connects neighbors. So share tips and answer questions in your local area.

Google My Business- You can post updates, photos, and tips here. This helps you show up when people search for “plumber near me.”This is the best local SEO strategy you have ever implemented.

3. Meta Descriptions TitleTags

 Meta description is the summary of your whole content. The perfect word count you can use is 155-160 characters. Then the meta title is the short heading of your content. It should be 55-60 characters. Moreover, you have to add your main keyword in this section to gain more relevant traffic.

Good Example: “Need emergency plumbing in Chicago? Our licensed plumbers provide 24/7 service for all your plumbing needs. Call now for fast, reliable service!”

4. Header Tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.)

• H1: Main page title (only one per page)
• H2: Major sections
• H3: Subsections under H2
• H4-H6: Further subdivisions

Image Alt Text

• Describes what’s in the image
• Helps visually impaired users
• Helps Google understand images

Good Examples:

• “Plumber using wrench to fix kitchen sink drain”
• “Before and after photos of bathroom pipe repair”

5. URL Optimization

URL-Uniform Resource Locator, optimization generates clean, descriptive web addresses that enhance search rankings and user interaction. For plumbers, customized URLs help search engines interpret page content and make links more reliable to potential customers.

How to optimize URLs for plumbers:

• Use descriptive keywords: /emergency-plumber-chicago instead of /page123
• Include location: /plumbing-services-denver
• Keep URLs short and readable
• Use hyphens to separate words
• Avoid special characters and numbers
• Include service types: /water-heater-repair or /drain-cleaning-services

6. Internal Linking Structure Optimization

Internal linking improves user navigation and distributes authority among the pages on your plumbing website. For plumbers, it’s important because it helps search engines figure out the hierarchy of your site and keeps people interested for longer.

How to optimize:

• Link service pages (drain cleaning, water heater repair) to your main services page.
• Add plumbing-related blog posts to service pages.
• Use descriptive anchor text like “emergency plumbing services” instead of “click here.”
• Link to related subtopics from your hub pages.
• Ensure every page is reachable within 3 clicks from the homepage.

What Are The Components For Off-Page SEO For Plumbers ?

Off-page SEO refers to optimization activities performed outside your website to improve search rankings, primarily through building backlinks, online reviews, and local citations.You need to focus on following aspects to develop a prominent off page SEO.

1. How To Do Link Building?

As its name suggests, it occurs when another website uses a link that points to your site. It’s like online marketing or word of mouth for Google. The number of sites that use your links indicates how relevant and authentic you are. This is the most influential strategy to boost your search rankings. It’s kind of like getting “votes” online that make your plumbing website more well-known and trustworthy.

How to Do Link Building (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Create Good Content First

You need to develop writeable and approachable content for others. That’s how your content will be selected by other websites. Use proper keyword research(as mentioned before), meta descriptions, and inbound links to attract new customers.

Step 2: Use Ubersuggest to Find Competitor Backlinks

• Go to https://app.neilpatel.com/ubersuggest
• Type a competitor’s website (like another plumber in your city)
• Click Search
• In the left menu, click “Backlinks.”

Domain Authority (DA)-This is a number (from 1 to 100) that tells Google how strong or trustworthy they think your website is.

• Higher = Better.
• DA for new sites is low at first, around 1–10.
• DA scores of 90 or more are very high for big sites like Google and YouTube.

Think of DA like your website’s reputation score.
More good backlinks = higher DA = more Google trust.

How to use it:

• Check your UberSuggest DA.
• Getting more good backlinks will help it grow.
• Compare yourself to other plumbing sites that have the same or a slightly better DA.

Referring Domains- A referring domain is a website that links to you.
Even if it gives you 10 links, it still counts as 1 referring domain.

Think of referring domains like “different people” recommending you.
10 people (websites) = 10 referrals
1 person (site) saying it 10 times = still 1 referral

How to use it:

• Try to get backlinks from different websites, not just the same one.
• Aim to grow the number of referring domains over time.

What is the Number of Backlinks?

This refers to the total number of links pointing to your website.

Example:

• One blog gives you 3 links = 3 backlinks
• Another website gives you 2 links = 2 backlinks
• Total = 5 backlinks from 2 referring domains

How to use it:

• More backlinks = better (if they are from trusted sites).
• You need to focus on the real, quality backlinks, not fake or spammy ones.

Page Authority is a score (from 1 to 100) that shows how important your single web page is—not the whole website, just that one page.

• Google will put that page higher if the number is higher.
• The number of good backlinks to that page will tell you.

Why it’s important:
If you want one page to pop up on Google (like “Emergency Plumbing in Houston”), then improve your page’s authority with good backlinks.If your “About Us” page has PA 30, and a blog has PA 10, the “About Us” page is stronger in Google’s eyes.

Anchor text is the clickable words used in a link.

• Google can figure out what a related page is about from these words.
• Your target audience will find out where the link leads them.

Step 3: Reach Out for Links (Email or Message Them)

You can connect with other related industry professionals to get quality backlinks-

You can collaborate with these following –

• Local blogs (example: “Miami Home Tips”)
• Local news websites
• Real estate or handyman blogs
• Home improvement forums

Step 4: Where can you Get Listed for your plumbing business?

You can add your plumbing business to local directories to get new clients. These are easy backlinks.

Top directories:

• Google Business Profile
• Yelp
• Angi (formerly Angie’s List)
• HomeAdvisor
• Thumbtack
• Houzz
• YellowPages
• Facebook Page
• BBB (Better Business Bureau)

Step 5: Write Guest Posts (Optional but Powerful)

This can be influential in getting more links. You will write blogs for another website and link your own site to them.

Why is it beneficial?

• You write: “5 Common Plumbing Mistakes Homeowners Make”
• You post it on a local home blog or real estate site
• Inside the article, you say:
  “For expert help, call ABC Plumbing in Houston.”

2. Social Media Marketing And Engagement

Social media marketing helps plumbers to demonstrate their skills and quality of work, which increases their exposure and reliability. Facebook has almost more than 3.1 billion users, and most of the people are now searching for services on social media. So you need to have a strong social media presence.

How to do it ?

• Post before/after photos of completed jobs.
• Share quick maintenance tips and seasonal advice.
• Respond promptly to comments and messages.
• Use local hashtags and geotags.
• Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews.
• Post consistently on Facebook, Instagram, and Google My Business.
• Share emergency availability updates.
• You can engage with local community groups and neighborhood pages.

3. Influencer Outreach And Partnerships

 Influencer outreach helps plumbers develop reliability and reach new audiences through reliable endorsements. Moreover, to uplift your online presence, you can collaborate with local home improvement influencers, DIY bloggers, or real estate agents who can authentically recommend your services.

How to do it:

• Identify local micro-influencers in home renovation/real estate niches.
• Offer free services in exchange for honest reviews/content.
• Collaborate on educational content about plumbing maintenance.
• Partner with home improvement stores or contractors for cross-promotion.
• Engage with their content before reaching out.
• Provide value first, not just promotional requests.

How To Do Local SEO For Plumbers?

If you want to dominate your local search or grab local new customers you need to create  a google business profile. It is one of the most influential SEO strategy for plumbing companies to attract organic traffic. Google My Business Profile is a free tool that helps local businesses manage their online presence across Google Search and Maps.

How To Create Google Business Profile For Plumbing Business?

Step 1- Visit Google Business Profile – Go to business.google.com and sign in with your Google account.

Step 2-Add Business Information – Enter your plumbing company name, address, phone number, and service area.

Then choose your plumbing business type-

Add your authentic plumbing business address to get found by your target audience.

Then you can incorporate your office address from this google maps. It will help your customers to find you flawlessly.

After then add your official phone number and website if you have.

Step 4-Verify Your Business – Google will send a verification postcard to your business address (takes 1-2 weeks).

Step 5-Complete Your Profile – Add business hours, services offered, photos of your work, and a compelling business description with relevant keywords.

A well-optimized Google Business Profile significantly increae your local search rankings and organic traffic. It appears in local map packs when customers search for plumbing services nearby. Regular SEO audit should include reviewing your profile performance, updating information, and responding to customer reviews.While Google AdWords can provide immediate visibility, a strong Google Business Profile offers long-term organic benefits.

Reputation Management To Improve Local SEO For Plumbing Business

Reputation management helps plumbing companies build trust and rank higher in local search results. It is an important part of plumber SEO.You can emphasize to uplift your online reputation to help your plumbing business grow and stand out from other plumbing companies nearby.

Why it is important for plumbing SEO services ?

• Positive reviews help your plumbing business rank higher on Google.
• Good ratings attract more customers searching for local plumbing services.
• A strong online reputation builds trust with new clients.

How you can improve your online visibility ?

• Ask happy customers to leave reviews on Google and other business directories.
• Respond to all reviews, both good and bad, in a polite way.
• Keep your business information the same across all business directories.
• Share reviews on your website and social media to show customer trust.
• Monitor your brand name online and solve complaints quickly.
  

What Are The Technical SEO Considerations ?

Imagine your plumbing business is like a house, and technical SEO is like making sure all the pipes, electrical wiring, and foundation work perfectly. When everything works smoothly behind the scenes, customers can easily find and use your services! Technical SEO helps Google (and other search engines) easily understand and recommend your plumbing website to people searching for plumbers in your area.

1. Website Architecture Optimization (Building Your Website Like a Well-Organized Toolbox)

Think of your website like organizing a toolbox. You want wrenches in one section, screwdrivers in another, and pipes organized by size. A well-organized website helps both customers and Google find what they need quickly.

How to Create a Perfect Website Architecture:

Step 1: Plan Your Main Categories (Like Toolbox Sections)

• Services (Drain Cleaning, Pipe Repair, Water Heater Installation)
• About Us
• Service Areas
• Contact
• Blog or professional tips you’d like to share.

Step 3: Use Descriptive URLs- URL is an acronym for Uniform Resource Locator. This is the web address to help you on the internet to find something, like a webpage, picture, or file. Basically, this is the address of your website. So this should be short and simple. Try not to attach any semicolons or numbers.

• Good: yoursite.com/services/drain-cleaning
• Bad: yoursite.com/page1.html

Step 4: Internal Links are very important: Internal links help you to connect with different pages on the same website. This will help your target audience to easily navigate through your content and find the required information they want. Moreover, search engines can understand your web pages and their content with the help of internal linking.

• You have to provide the link related to your authentic services
• Add “Related Services” sections
• Develop breadcrumb navigation (Home > Services > Drain Cleaning)-If you use clickable links like “Home > Plumbing Services,” breadcrumb navigation will show users where they are on a website. It will help users understand where they stand on your whole website and how they can navigate back to previous pages. Furthermore, search engines also get help from breadcrumb browsing.

2. The Website Has To Be Mobile-Responsive

Most of the people use phones to search for local businesses. So your website should run well on mobile devices or tablets as well. You also need to design your layout for mobile users.

How to Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly?

You can go through the following steps to make your website mobile-friendly-

Step 1: Use Responsive Design

• Your website should be adjustable for any screen size
• Then you need to take extra care of font size and colour schemes. Your font size should be adjusted on any screen without zooming in or zooming out.
• The buttons should be designed in a way that users can easily tap on them.

Step 2: Test Your Mobile Site

1. Go to Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test: search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly
2. Enter your website URL
3. Click “Test URL”
4. Then you may fix any errors.

Step 3: Mobile Optimization Checklist

• The text size should be at least 16px.
• Moreover, the basic button size must be at least 44px wide and tall.
• There is no need for horizontal scrolling
• Pop-ups don’t block content
• Make a simple layout that your user can easily find their required information.
• Then you can update your Click-to-call action.

Step 4: Test on Real Devices

• Moreover, you can examine with various phones and tablets
• You can tell your friends/family to try your website on their mobiles
• Most importantly, check loading speed on mobile data (not just WiFi)

3. Website Speed (Making Your Site Load Lightning Fast)

Suppose you’re searching for some emergency plumbing services, and the website takes a long time to load. Would you prefer a website like this? No right. If your website takes more than 3 seconds to load, 40% of visitors will leave. Then make your website load faster than one thinks.

How to Speed Up Your Website:

Step 1: Test Your Current Speed

1. You can try PageSpeed Insights: pagespeed.web.dev
2. Enter your website URL
3. Click “Analyze.”
4. Note your scores for Mobile and Desktop

Step 2: Optimize Images (The Biggest Speed Killer)

• One thing to keep in mind is that a high-resolution, large picture can slow down your website. Resize images before uploading (max 1920px wide for most sites)
• Therefore, you can use the WebP format when possible
• You may compress images with TinyPNG.com
• Add alt text to every image (describes what’s in the picture)- Search engines can’t read your image, so add alt text to make Google understand your pictures.

Step 3: Choose Fast Web Hosting

• You should avoid cheap hosting (under $5/month usually means slow)
• Look for hosting with SSD drives
• You may select hosting with servers near your customers
• Consider managed WordPress hosting for ease

Step 4: Minimize Plugins and Add-ons

• Most importantly, you should remove unused plugins/widgets
• You need to keep only essential features
• Then update plugins and fix all broken links.

Step 5: Enable Caching

• Install a caching plugin (like WP Rocket for WordPress)
• Caching stores copies of your pages so they load faster
• Think of it like having pre-made sandwiches ready instead of making each one from scratch

Step 6: Optimize Your Code

• You need to minimize the use of CSS and JavaScript (removes extra spaces and code)
• Use tools like the Autoptimize plugin
• Then you may combine multiple CSS/JS files into fewer files

4. Website Security

Would you leave your physical shop unlocked? The same principle applies to your website. Hackers can steal customer information or compromise your site’s security.

How to Secure Your Website:

Step 1: Install SSL Certificate (The Digital Lock

SSL, or “Secure Sockets Layer,” is a type of security technology that encrypts the data packets sent between a web browser and a server so that they can talk to each other safely. SSL secures passwords, credit card numbers, and personal data. If you don’t have SSL, your data can move without encryption, so hackers can steal your personal information.

1. Contact your hosting provider
2. Ask them to install an SSL certificate (often free)-
3. Make sure your URL shows “https://” not “http://”
4. Look for the lock icon in the browser address bar

Step 2: Use Strong Passwords

• At least 12 characters long
• Mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols
• Different passwords for every account
• You can create passwords with free tools like LastPass or 1Password

Step 3: Keep Everything Updated

• Update your WordPress or website platform at least once a month.
• You can modify plugins and themes frequently.
• Set up automatic changes if possible.

Step 4: Install Security Plugin

• Wordfence (for WordPress sites)
• Sucuri Security
• These block malicious login attempts and scan for threats

Step 5: Regular Backups

• You have to back up your website weekly (minimum)
• Store backups in a different location from your website
• Test backups occasionally to make sure they work
• Many hosting companies offer automatic backups

Step 6: Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

• Adds an extra security layer
• Requires phone/app code in addition to password
• Enable on all important accounts

5. XML Sitemap Creation

In XML format, an XML sitemap is a file that lists all the pages of a website. This makes it easier for search engines like Google to find and index information.

Search engines can find and crawl your website pages with XML sitemaps flawlessly. They can upgrade SEO efforts with this site map. This is especially important for large sites or new web page that search engine bots might otherwise miss.

How to Create and Submit an XML Sitemap:

Step 1: Generate Your Sitemap

For WordPress Sites:

1. Install Yoast SEO or RankMath plugin
2. Go to SEO → General → Features
3. Enable XML Sitemaps
4. Your sitemap URL will be: yoursite.com/sitemap_index.xml

For Other Sites:

1. Use XML-Sitemaps.com (free for small sites)
2. Enter your website URL
3. Click “Start.”
4. Then, download the generated sitemap.xml file
5. Upload to your website’s root folder

Step 2: Submit to Google Search Console

1. Go to search.google.com/search-console
2. Add your website property
3. Go to “Sitemaps” in the left menu
4. Enter your sitemap URL
5. Click “Submit.”

Step 3: Submit to Bing Webmaster Tools

1. Go to bing.com/webmasters
2. Add your site
3. Submit your sitemap URL

Step 4: Keep Sitemap Updated

• Most of the SEO plugins are updated automatically
• Check monthly that the sitemap includes new pages
• You should delete the irrelevant webpage.

6. Robots.txt Setup (Give Instructions to Search Engine Robots)

One way to tell search engine crawlers which pages on your site they can and cannot access and index is to put a text file called Robots.txt in the root area of your website.

Robots.txt helps control how search engines browse your website. It reduces server load, prevents private page indexing, and directs users to important content. This improves SEO performance and protects sensitive areas while making sure search engines focus on your valuable pages.

How to Create and Optimize Robots.txt:

Step 1: Create Your Robots.txt File

1. First you have to develop a new text file called “robots.txt” (exact spelling)
2. Then, upload it to your website’s root folder (yoursite.com/robots.txt)

Step 2: What Each Line Means:

• User-agent: * = Instructions for all search engines
• Allow: / = Allow access to the entire website
• Disallow: /folder/ = Block access to specific folder
• Sitemap: = Tells robots where to find your sitemap

Step 3: Test Your Robots.txt

1. Go to Google Search Console
2. Click “robots.txt Tester” (under old tools)
3. Test different URLs to make sure they’re allowed/blocked correctly

Step 4: Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Don’t block your entire website (Disallow: /)
• Don’t block CSS/JavaScript files (makes site look broken to Google)
• Don’t use robots.txt to hide sensitive information (it’s publicly visible)

7. Structured Data (Teach Google About Your Business)

The information in structured data is set up in a way that makes sense. For example, data in spreadsheets, databases, or tables is structured data because each piece of data has a clear label and category. It will give search engines a clear indication of what the content is about and how it should be organized.

How to Add Structured Data for Plumbers:

Step 1: Choose Relevant Schema Types

• Local Business (information about local plumbers)
• Service (give a detailed description of the plumbing business offers )
• Ask for your client Reviews
• FAQPage (Frequently Asked Questions)

Step 2: Use Schema Markup Generator

1. Go to schema.org/LocalBusiness
2. Or use Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper
3. Fill in your business information

Step 3: Add Schema to Your Website

• Add to the website’s <head> section
• Or use a plugin like Schema Pro (WordPress)
• Moreover, you can use Google Tag Manager

Step 4: Test Your Structured Data

1. Go to search.google.com/test/rich-results
2. Enter your website URL or paste your code
3. Fix any errors Google finds

How to Track the Success of SEO for Plumbers?

Once you have implemented the SEO strategies mentioned in this guide, all you have to do is sit back and monitor the performance of the SEO campaign. Based on how well your plumbing SEO strategy is performing, you can decide on the future course of action.

Setup Google Search Console

Google Search Console helps you see how the search engines see and rank your website. GSC tells you the keywords that are getting the most views and clicks from potential customers.

It helps you keep track of the webpage rankings as well as to see the pages that are getting the greatest number of visitors over a specific period of time. 

Use Google Analytics

Google Analytics shows you how potential customers find and use your website. You can use Google Analytics to see the number of visitors to your website in real time.

You can see the time they spent on your website as well as the number of web pages they viewed. Google Analytics also tells you how your potential customers are finding your business i.e., through organic search, paid ads, and social media.

How Do SEO Companies Improve Your SEO Performance?

Though you can manage your SEO tactics on your own. However, to get better results, you can hire an leading SEO company. The SEO professional will improve your search results. They can guide you about on page SEO strategy and improve your rankings on Google. The expert SEO professionals will create a perfect SEO plan according to your business needs. They will improve your local search results. Although SEO is a long-term process, you can not get results within a short span. So you have to be consistent in this SEO world to get the highest benefit from it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Words

SEO for plumbers is essential for business owners who want to expand their plumbing operations and streamline their growth. SEO gives you the edge that you need to get ahead of your competition in your target market.

So, make sure to add SEO to your marketing mix when planning the digital marketing strategy for your plumbing business.

Additional Resources:

• 11 Proven Methods of Lead Generation for Plumbers
• Why PPC for Plumbers is a Game-Changer for Your Business?