A plumber’s marketing budget varies by location, goals, and philosophy. However, when it comes down to resource distribution, many plumbers are engaging in self-defeating behaviors. Spending $30,000 on paid ads is not smart when you understand the whole story of digital marketing. Reports suggest organic results get 75% of the clicks while paid ads get only 25%. So even though you think you’re ranking on top of Google, only 25% of the users are even going to consider clicking. That’s when you must re-think your marketing investments. Listen to today’s podcast to get a better understanding of where resources should be distributed for your company.
Paid Ads Shouldn’t be Your Whole Budget
Google Ads, formerly Google AdWords remains a top choice for plumbers marketing online. Paid ads can work if properly executed, but generally speaking, they are more expensive than their results would merit. We had a client who came to us with a $30,000 marketing budget. Their only investment was paid advertising. They didn’t pay for organic SEO and didn’t rank for any good keywords. They weren’t paying for leads either or working on branded signals through social media and other channels. While this type of setup might seem tempting, the results will disappoint you. Let’s take a look at other marketing channels that can provide better ROI for plumbing pros.
Organic SEO
Since reports indicate organic clicks are 75% of all clicks, plumbers should go towards the majority. Most users are going to click on organic (either map pack or traditional links) over paid ads. Furthermore, consumers who click on organic are typically better prospects. They’ve done more research and have a better understanding of their plumbing needs. For this reason, all plumbers should invest some budget in organic SEO services. There’s limited downside to organic SEO aside from it taking a while to show up. The money you lose on PPC will outweigh any delay in returns from SEO campaigns that focus on organic clicks.
Web Design
A website budget is often overlooked in today’s microwave society. Converting traffic into leads relies on proper calls-to-action and lead magnets. It also depends on the aesthetics and user experience that the website projects. Plumbers should look into website design services that include schema markup and click-to-call functionality. Mobile users will have the option to click on phone numbers and be connected to your cell phone. Obsolete designs discourage lead generation and damage brand image. Not all marketing is based on immediate results. Long-term and scalable solutions are the ultimate separator for successful plumbers.
Branded Signals
The most overlooked aspect of SEO is branded signaling. Since it’s a somewhat vague term, many contractors don’t fully grasp what it means. Word of mouth was always a great marketing tool for contractors but the same concept has now been digitized. Google can detect brand signaling through a variety of sources including online review platforms, social media, and check-in technology from software like BrandREVU. Essentially, Google wants to validate your brad’s credibility. The strategy of “tricking” Google no longer works, and it’s not something plumbing pros should aspire to do anyway. Long-term investments help grow your business into a force.
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