When a pipe bursts or a drainage system gets blocked, property owners with these issues’ first call to action is usually to get in contact with a plumber to help alleviate the problem.

For first-timers experiencing a plumbing issue, they may not have a readily available contact on hand that they can immediately call to resolve the issue. In most cases, they turn to Google as their primary search engine to find local plumbers or plumbing businesses that can solve their problem.

This consumer behaviour presents a goldmine opportunity for plumbers to be the first point of contact that these prospective customers will see when they make a search query.

As a plumbing company (or plumber contractor), optimising your business to be the first to appear in these search engines can spell the difference between you earning a customer or having them slip away to a competitor’s hands. And thankfully, Google makes this easy with its built-in ad platform, Google Ads.

If you want to win more local jobs as a plumber, then you’re in the right place. This article will serve as a good guide to help you win more local jobs using Google Ads. Let’s get started.

What is Google Ads, Exactly?

Imagine a homeowner suddenly noticing their sink overflowing or their toilet incessantly clogging up after every flush.

They’ll open their phone, enter Google, then likely put keywords resembling “plumber near me”. Within seconds, they’ll be provided a list of several businesses and plumbers that could potentially save the day.

With dozens of plumbing services within most cities in Australia, being the chosen one can feel like it’s something attributed to chance – but that cannot be further from the truth.

Google has a paid advertising platform that allows businesses to promote their service (in this case, a plumbing company’s brand) by putting them at the top of Google’s search results. This is, of course, Google Ads.

Google Ads, previously known as Google AdWords, lets companies reach potential customers using Google’s suite of products, most notably Google Search and YouTube.

It works through a pay-per-click model, where advertisers only pay when a user clicks their ad. This can be further subcategorised into specific bidding models, namely cost-per-thousand impressions, cost-per-view, and cost-per-acquisition.

For massive brand campaigns, Google also offers Reservation Bidding. In this payment scheme, you pay a fixed rate to lock in guaranteed ad impressions for a specific timeframe.

The major advantage of Google Ads is that you’re not putting an ad in front of random people; rather, you’re targeting specific keywords and locations, allowing your ads to reach people who are actively looking for a plumber.

Moreover, when someone makes a relevant search, your plumbing business has a chance to appear near the top of the results and get that potential customer’s attention before they scroll further down.

Businesses can also set their own daily budget with no minimum spend requirement, giving plumbers total flexibility in how much they’re willing to allocate for their marketing budget.

That said, if you want to ensure that you’re advertising your plumbing business optimally, it’s best to consult with digital marketing professionals like Prosperity Media to oversee the campaign and give you tailor-made advice for your company.

Where Can Ads Appear?

While Google Search is the most popular place for ads to appear, it’s not limited to just that space. Your ad can appear across different parts of Google’s advertising network.

This includes:

• Google Search
• Google Maps
• Google Display Network
• YouTube
• Google Shopping

That being said, Google Search is considered the best place for plumbers to allocate their funds, with Google Maps being a close second. This is because campaigns here are more likely to reach potential customers compared to other ad networks.

Choosing the Right Keywords

Keywords are the words that potential customers type into Google when looking for a plumber. Choosing the right ones can help your ads reach people who need your service, maximising the conversion per click or impression.

For instance, you can consider focusing on service-based keywords like “24-hour plumber” or “emergency plumber” to reach customers who need immediate assistance. Getting service-specific, like “blocked drain plumber”, can also be an excellent strategy. You could also include location-based keywords that target your suburb (or neighbouring suburbs), town, and region.

You should also add negative keywords to ensure that your campaign budget isn’t wasted on irrelevant searches. For example, you can consider excluding employment searches or unrelated products like tools and parts to perform DIY plumbing at home.

By picking the right keywords and integrating the optimal keyword strategy, you can make the most of your Google Ads campaign.

How to Write Compelling Ads

Getting your plumbing business to the top of the page is not the be-all and end-all. In truth, you’ll have to maximise the ad space that you’re buying—and that’s where your ad copy can make a big difference.

A good plumbing ad should indicate to the customer what you offer and why they should pick you over the competition. In particular, here are some tips to write a compelling ad:

• State your plumbing service: Mention what type of repair work your business offers, whether that’s leak repair, drain repairs, emergency plumbing, or something else. Keep it specific and indicate whether you provide urgent, same-day assistance.
• Give customers a reason to choose you: Mention your experience and show your availability. Provide some ad incentives like free quotes and warranties to help your ad gain interest.
• Include a clear call to action: Tell customers to call your business if they need immediate assistance. Use an action verb like “Call today” or “Book a plumber now” to spell out what the customer should do next.
• Make contact points clear: Place a readable email, phone number, or contact point for the viewer to see easily.

By writing compelling and clear ads, you can maximise the odds of customers actually picking up their phone to call your number. This will mean you get to enjoy more business opportunities, increasing your revenue potential overall.

We hope that this article will help you get more plumbing leads and win more jobs. All the best in running your plumbing business!