Most marketers know that plumbing is one of the more competitive niches in the local SEO game. There is a very good reason for this; plumbers have a higher return on investment per customers than say a small restaurant or coffee shop. Some plumbing jobs can bring in thousands of dollars especially on the corporate scale. In this article we are going to discuss how to rank a local plumber in a highly competitive niche in a very simple but easy to execute plan.

On Site Optimization for Plumbers
Although optimization for plumbers is similar to other industries, with recent changes it requires to be more tactful and utilize different capture forms. Utilize your highest traffic keywords in your home page copy a few times so Google can decipher what your website is about. On the home page you should use a lead capture form due to the nature of plumbing jobs. Lead capture forms are generally based off of an email system to forward information to the business from the customer. However, because some plumbing is on an “Emergency” basis, you need to high a contact phone number in an easy to locate area on the home page.

Citations are Huge for Plumbers
Google places and citations are huge for local businesses such as plumbers. In the majority of cities, if you do a search for a plumber the top results or middle results will all be local listings. Make sure your local listings for the business are filled out correctly and you distribute the information to as many citation websites as possible such as Yelp, CitySearch and more. Also check out your competitor’s citation sources using tools such as MajesticSEO, Ahrefs, or Open Site Explorer. Look for plumbing related citation websites or any that you may have missed and fill them out. These types of links are paramount for ranking a plumbing website.

Target Wide Variations of Keywords
Plumbing is an industry where a lot of keyword variations come into play. Examples of this would be users searching for variety of problems such as “Clogged toilet”, “Sinks won’t turn on”, “Faucet is leaking” and so on. Utilize Google keyword tool to research these keywords and don’t be afraid to get creative. However, don’t put too much effort into keywords that don’t have any search traffic. When targeting these keywords, use the phrases on different pages of the website and on a small percentage of your back link anchor text. Remember, the more anchor text diversity the better when it comes to Google’s algorithm.

Use a Variety of Link Building Techniques but Keep it White Hat
A local plumber website is one that you can rank without having to use any sketchy or black hat tactics. The majority of your competitors will be ranking using the following link types: Citations, Directories, Press Releases, Guest Blogs, Web 2.0 Properties, PDF Submissions, Maps, and other niche related links. Although these link types may be more time consuming, you will want to focus on quality written articles and avoid spun garbage.

If you use the tactics outlined in this article you can rank a local plumber in almost any city with enough time and resources.

Attached Images:

•  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/660452

This article was provided by on behalf of Spartan Plumbing, a Tucson based plumbing company that provides services in residential and commercial plumbing services.