14 Ways to Get Plumbing Leads in 2024

There’s always a high demand for reliable plumbers who provide quality work. But with hundreds of plumbing services operating in the same areas, the competition often boils down to who can reach customers more effectively. Getting plumbing leads is challenging when you’re always on the move, serving clients.

You can always rely on lead generation companies to buy leads. But in this article, you’ll learn other digital marketing tactics to help you get plumbing jobs. Let’s get started with the basics.

What is Plumbing Lead Generation?

Plumbing lead generation involves strategies that attract potential customers via online or traditional marketing channels. While most leads book service requests on the spot, others take their time to evaluate your business and look at other companies first before booking a service request. 

Either way, creating a successful plumbing lead generation strategy is crucial to pulling in high-quality prospects who are more likely to become paying customers. 

Types of Plumbing Leads

There are two types of plumbing leads: residential and commercial. Residential leads are individuals who need plumbing services for their homes, while commercial leads are businesses that require plumbing services for their office spaces.

Within these two categories, there are also different types of leads. Let’s look at them:

• Emergency plumbing leads are the prospects needing immediate assistance, 
• While installation leads are the kind of customer that needs a new plumbing system installed,
• Repair leads are generated when a customer needs a plumbing issue fixed, 
• And maintenance leads include customers who need their plumbing system inspected and maintained.

Overall, every plumbing business needs effective lead generation, especially in highly competitive local markets. 

Now, let’s look at the first digital marketing tactic to generate high-quality plumbing leads.

1. List Your Plumbing Business in Local Directories

Online directories connect potential customers with local businesses and service providers. You can get your plumbing business listed on these platforms to be seen by users. 

Use Google to find local business directories that your target market uses. 

For example, if you operate in New York, enter a query like “local business directory NY.” 

The first directory you can consider is Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). Building your Google Business Profile (GBP) lets you appear in Google Maps and local search queries, such as “near me” searches. 

Once listed, you can customize your Google Business Profile page, collect customer reviews, and communicate with plumbing customers directly. Make your listing more professional by adding photos, service quotes, and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). 

2. Optimize Your Plumbing Website for Conversions

Getting visitors to your website is just the beginning. You should also create conversion-optimized landing pages for each specific service type you offer. 

Dedicated landing pages work best with copy tailored to your target audience’s needs and expectations. 

Consider the following strategies:

• Start with a relatable situation. Use relatable storytelling to capture your audience’s attention and keep their eyes glued to the page. 
• Address their pain points. Highlight problems they might be having and let them know they’ll find the solutions on that page.
• Describe your service in a concise yet authoritative manner. Wrap up your landing page with a clear description of why they should work with you (mention the risks of doing it alone, your technicians’ top qualities, any special offer, etc.). 

Don’t forget to use a compelling Call-To-Action (CTA) and conversion elements, such as a CTA button and contact form. Feel free to borrow ideas and inspiration from our plumbing website portfolio.

3. Get Instant Traction with Google Ads

Google Ads is an online advertising platform that adds your specific page as a “sponsored” listing for relevant searches. 

There are two main challenges in running a successful advertising campaign: identifying profitable target keywords and creating ad copy.

Profitable PPC (Pay-Per-Click) keywords are used by homeowners searching with their wallets out — ready to make a purchase. 

A perfect example would be “near me” keywords and phrases that signal urgency, like “emergency plumbers near me Brooklyn.”

In the plumbing industry, viable PPC keywords have a Cost-Per-Click (CPC) of around $20 to $75, depending on your location. Without a meticulous keyword strategy and expertly crafted copy, you could blow through your budget without generating a single lead. 

If you need leads now and are inexperienced with planning advertising campaigns, you can hire a full-service PPC agency to do the heavy lifting. This includes creating top-notch ad copy and researching PPC keywords that can get paying customers while staying within budget.

4. Start Local SEO

While PPC advertising is great for short-term growth, local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) will keep your lead generation wheels turning in the long run. 

Getting listed in business directories details is a step in the right direction. Your website also needs consistent NAP (Name, Address, and Phone number) details and SEO keywords in the right places.

Insert your NAP in crawlable text areas, like your page footer, header, and contact page. These details should be the same as the business information you put in online directory listings. 

As for SEO keywords, plumbing businesses only need to focus on local keywords tied to their service areas. Some examples are “plumbing services Delaware,” “emergency plumbing service Canton,” and “Bedford plumbing services.”

Use these keywords to create and optimize your local service pages — AKA location-specific landing pages with copy tailored to local readers.

Ensure your local keywords appear in important content elements, like headings, FAQs, and the main content body. 

Another must-have component of a local SEO strategy is to build citations to your website with consistent name, address, phone number, and website (NAP + W) of your plumbing company — matching the one you’ve set in your GBP. Here are a couple I recommend:

HomeAdvisor

Powered by Angi (formerly Angie’s List), HomeAdvisor is the go-to platform for millions of customers looking for professional service providers. 

Joining HomeAdvisor’s “Pro Network” is straightforward. Simply plug in your zip code, create your account, and start attracting quality leads who urgently require plumbing services. 

Apart from lead generation, you can also process bookings directly from within HomeAdvisor. The platform also offers lead management tools for tracking conversations, grouping contacts, and connecting with customers via phone or email. 

Yelp

Yelp is a popular, community-driven business directory and review platform rolled into one. The community aspect, including the intuitive review system and activity feed, is a powerful lead generation channel for plumbing business owners. 

Take advantage of features like license verification, special offers, and quotation tools to spur your lead generation efforts. Just remember that certain Yelp features are locked behind a paywall. 

Some business directories also charge a small monthly fee. In most cases, these directories have more users and features that increase your visibility, like highlighted placements and clickable contact options.

5. Explore Organic SEO

Apart from basic local SEO tactics, plumbing businesses also need link building, heaps of SEO-friendly content, and an SEO strategy to tie everything together. Of course, you also need to invest plenty of time in your SEO campaign for your efforts to work.

For example, Miami-based GWS Pressure Cleaning hired us to cover all their SEO needs. We increased their organic traffic by 621.05% after 13 months, helping them get 30% more calls and form submissions.

It’s not an overnight job, but the results will pump customers into their business for months or years to come.

If you plan to do plumbing SEO yourself, remember the following tips:

• Invest in an SEO tool like Ahrefs or Semrush for keyword research, competitor analysis, and SEO analytics.
• Consistently publish quality content around your target local keywords. 
• Submit guest posts on home improvement, DIY, and repair websites (with backlinks to your landing pages).
• Diversify your keyword strategy with question-based keywords and low-hanging fruits (keywords you rank for in Google’s top 11-20 results).

6. Establish a Social Media Presence 

Social media platforms are reliable in raising brand awareness, attracting followers, and generating traffic. Even TikTok can help any plumbing contractor build a viewership with the right strategies. 

Naturally, you can leverage your social media presence to supercharge your lead generation efforts. 

For example, Facebook lets you add a CTA or “action button,” contact information, and your website URL. These elements enable plumber leads to reach out, inquire about your services, or book service requests directly. 

Remember, the success of organic lead generation on social media relies on your business page’s reach. Below are tips to grow your follower count and maximize your exposure:

• Join social media groups. Participate in plumbing-related social media groups by answering questions and sharing resources.
• Consistently share valuable content. Share valuable information your target audience will appreciate, like plumbing tips, DIY tutorials, bathroom remodeling ideas, and plumbing hacks. 
• Engage other users. Respond to comments, react to users’ posts, and re-share content to get in their notifications. 
• Promote special offers. Share discounts, free consultations, and other special promotions to get more eyeballs on your business page. 
• Diversify your content strategy. Content types like videos, albums, and “Stories” are generally more effective than articles in driving user engagement.

7. Build a List for Email Marketing

A portion of your website visitors won’t book a service request — at least not during their first visit. 

Turn them into subscribers with an email capture strategy. This way, you can keep them informed them of your services or future offers. 

Below are proven ways for plumbing businesses to get customer email addresses: 

• Use a contact form. Set email addresses as a required field in your contact forms.
• Encourage customers to contact you via email. Insert your business email address where customers can easily see it, like your site header, footer, and contact page.
• Provide value in return. Offer first-time customers a discount, free resource, or free consultation in exchange for their email address. 

Email marketing is also an effective way to build customer loyalty and generate repeat business. 

Launch a newsletter campaign — starting with a lead capture strategy for your email list. The Plumbing Works does it well with a premium membership offer, including free preventive maintenance, priority booking, reduced emergency fees, and a 10% discount on all services. 

8. Get More Google Reviews

Google reviews make your plumbing business more appealing in search engine results. 

Your star rating, contact information, and service area will also be visible to potential customers. To get those star ratings up, ask customers to submit Google reviews after a job well done.

Aside from positive reviews, customers can add photos of your plumbing works. In turn, these will help convince prospective leads to give your business a shot.

Here are simple tips to get more Google reviews for your plumbing business:

• Send customers a review request with a link to your Google Business Profile.
• Offer incentives like gift cards and discounts in exchange for Google reviews.
• Share a link to your Google Business Profile on your website.

Also, consider sending review requests on social media. Like Google reviews, networks like Facebook include star ratings — displayed on your business page to attract new leads. 

Highlight these on relevant landing pages to boost buyer confidence — or share them on social media to pull in more leads. 

9. Publish “Helpful Content” for Your Plumbing Audience

To reap the full benefits of social media, regularly publish valuable content on your website and share it with your followers. Not only will this help you generate user engagement, it will also gradually increase your search engine rankings. 

In the latest SEO update, Google recommends publishing “Helpful Content” created with a people-first approach. 

The rules are simple: provide your audience with a satisfying experience with content that solves their problems. 

For plumbers, this means publishing content that answers questions and teaches valuable information — helping customers make better decisions. Or perhaps, providing DIY instructions on simple solutions.

10. Launch a Referral Program

A traditional method of getting referral leads is to ask customers firsthand. Online, you can encourage more referrals by offering incentives.

Some ideas include discounts, gift cards, free inspections, and branded merchandise.

Plumbers can implement a simple tracking system for referrals using manual verification. This works for new and small businesses with a manageable amount of customers. 

Referral programs can also be automated using platforms like Friendbuy and Referral Candy. These automatically assign referral codes to customers and streamline the redemption process for rewards.

11. Experiment With Social Media PPC Ads

Unlike traditional banner ads, platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram feature native ad placements to avoid disrupting the user experience. These pertain to ads that look like regular posts, making them less intrusive and more engaging than banner ads.

For Instagram and Facebook Ads, campaigns can be tailored to your specific lead generation goals — be it to get more calls or capture leads via contact forms. 

Social media advertising tools also come with robust audience targeting features. Target users based on their interests, age, and location with pinpoint accuracy. 

Since social media ads use a PPC model, it’s important to develop captivating copy, media assets, and conversion-optimized landing pages to make your budget count. You also need a deep understanding of the best social media networks for plumbers — how they work and what makes their users tick — to entice qualified leads. 

When in doubt, consult a professional PPC management agency to ensure you make the most out of social media advertising.

12. Galvanize Plumbing Lead Generation with Offers

In addition to email opt-in bribes and referral incentives, offers are also useful in closing purchase-ready leads. 

First-time customer discounts are popular among home service businesses. Other plumbing businesses like The Pink Plumber offer coupon codes for specific services, which give cost-conscious customers a final push toward conversion. 

Apart from discounts, here’s a list of other offers that will help generate more leads: 

• Exclusive community membership
• Free one-on-one virtual consultation
• Waived emergency fees
• Free in-person estimates

13. Automate Your Plumbing Lead Generation

In terms of marketing automation, having a well-optimized landing page generating leads on autopilot is the bare minimum. Take it a step further with automated customer interactions.  

Repetitive tasks like scheduling service requests, following up on canceled bookings, and responding to social media messages take effort and time. Luckily, you don’t need cutting-edge technology to automate these tasks.

For example, Facebook’s built-in automation builder lets you set automated messages whenever someone initiates a conversation, recommends your business, or leaves negative feedback. 

Below are a few other automation strategies for lead generation:

• Automate bookings with a form builder or appointment scheduling software
• Send automated review requests to past customers after booking a service
• Set “exit-intent” pop-up forms that promote special offers

Apart from saving time, automation enhances the user experience and reduces the likelihood of human error. This lets you focus on meaningful and impactful tasks that grow your plumbing business.

14. Consider Pay-Per-Lead Services for Your Plumbing Business

Finally, you can count on PPL services to kickstart lead generation and stimulate sales.

PPL services offer aggregated leads for various home service industries, including plumbing, roofing, and cleaning. Service Direct, for example, charges anywhere from $20 to $125 per lead.

PPL services can reinforce your business with exclusive plumbing leads and stimulate profits during dry spells. Focus on generating repeat business with your paid leads to take full advantage.

Bonus: Hire a Plumber Digital Marketing Agency!

If you’re short of time, executing the above marketing strategies can be challenging. Having helped numerous plumbers and contractors create a sustainable lead engine via digital marketing, the On The Map Marketing team would love to do the same for you. Read some of our testimonials and case studies. Or directly contact us with your digital marketing needs.