For the busy plumber or plumbing business, with a steady flow of customers and a respectable local reputation, building and updating a website can often be the last thing on the mind. However, for those looking to take the next step, drive up their customer base and grow their local reach, it pays for people to be able to search for you online.
Thanks to mobile, finding services online is changing. People search on the move, and want quick answers to their queries. So, the next time someone searches for “best plumber near me”, how can you make sure your business is in the mix?
Google has been building up its regional search results optimisation for a number of years, which means that it pays to tailor your website to suit their capabilities.
Master the 3-pack
A quick search on Google Maps for a nearby tradesman throws up three key results for each business it brings to the screen. The simple showing of opening hours, contact details, and reviews are the three key introductory results which Google will pull from your website. This is called the ‘3-pack’.
So, how do you get on the list? The starting point is to make sure you have an up-to-date listing on Google My Business – it’s absolutely free but could turn out to be lucrative. Making sure that you have all the possible information here, plus a link to your website and contact numbers, will make you more searchable elsewhere on the Google search engine. A simple solution to make sure you are found through search engines, provide special listing tools. With these, your company is listed in the most important online business directories with your company profile and pictures. This wide online presence will create a trustworthy and reputable online persona.
In addition, a significant way to establish your online reputation is by collecting customer feedback and reviews. The more customer voices and ratings you are gaining the more important you are considered by Google. Some new online marketing tools offer corresponding recommendation features, where you can keep an eye on your social media and online directory pages, and engage with your customers within a single application.
Optimise your own page
You’re searchable on Google Maps and other relevant online directories, you have the 3-pack mastered and you manage your online customer ratings, so now attention must turn to your own website. This can sometimes require a technical eye, but there are some rules that can be followed in the first instance. The most important factors are: a good site structure including sitemap, logical navigation and internal linking, and a clear structure of your webpage URL.
When it comes to the text, makes sure it’s clear and consistent. Is your company name written in exactly the same way each time? Are all your services clearly listed out? Make sure any valuable information for customers is easy accessed and written clearly and concisely. So called SEO ranking tools are a professional help to improve the website ranking. These easy-to-use solutions provide step-by-step guidance to increase the visibility and search results of your website in search engines.
Let Google know you’re local
Technology might be getting cleverer, but is it obvious to Google or Bing that your business is actually from the region you say it is? To guarantee this, make sure that your site mentions your address and contact details as often as is reasonably possible. An Ideal domain name has your city or region included, for example www.plumber-london.co.uk. You may also have a “How to get in touch” section at the bottom of every single page, or talk about your region in a series of blogs, news articles, press releases, review sites, and business sites.
The company name, correct address, consistent writing style, and telephone number are critical for success. Additional criteria for local citation are the correct assignment of categories, photos, business hours as well as a complete profile and customer reviews on portals or Google Places.
These are just three starting points for maximising your business model. For small and medium-sized businesses, these tweaks to an online presence can make the world of difference. So next time someone searches for a local plumbing company, make sure that it’s you that they find.
Patrick Schaudel is Head of Product Management eBusiness at 1&1 Internet, Europe’s largest web-hosting providers and experts in online marketing, SEO and eCommerce for small and medium-sized businesses.
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