Plumbing: Content Strategies to Attract More Customers to Your Business

For decades, customers used the Yellow Pages to search for local plumbers and emergency services. However, things have changed over the years. Today’s customers rely on the Internet for information. However, they don’t always call the first plumber they see on the search engine page results (SERPs). They check the company’s website for contact details, valuable information, references, and solutions. This makes your content extremely important to attract customers and establish an ongoing relationship with current customers. All of this will lead to repeat business and a bigger bottom line.

 

How Quality Content is Essential to Your Plumbing Business

Content marketing involves creating and distributing valuable information across various digital channels. It helps you establish your plumbing brand, increase your customer base, and increase your number of clients. From a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) point of view, creating and publishing quality content engages your target audience and effectively helps carry out your marketing campaign online.

Here’s how content marketing efforts help both your target audience and your business:

• Provide Solutions – To provide potential customers with effective solutions, consider the type and nature of common plumbing problems and write about how you can help. For example, when faced with a plumbing problem, many homeowners go straight to the search engines to find a local plumber. It is advantageous to have a blog or page that helps them identify the cause of the issue and what needs to be done. To build customer trust, provide readers with informative content on how to deal with the situation while waiting for you to arrive.
• Establish Authority – Authoritative (well-researched, knowledgeable) and instructive content helps your plumbing business get noticed by homeowners who are seeking answers on the Internet. By providing explanations of how you can solve a client’s problem — as well as testimonials from appreciative customers — you establish yourself as an authoritative, trustworthy, and people-oriented company that is able to help.
• Retain Customers – In addition to attracting new customers to your website, good content encourages current clientele to remain loyal to you. People visiting your website may also check out your social media pages. Sharing helpful tips on plumbing maintenance and eco-friendly plumbing insights on social media will grab their attention and help keep your business in their minds for future plumbing needs.

 

Types of Content You Can Use

Content that is not distributed to your target audience is generally useless. Digital platforms (SEO, social media, online advertising) can be used to promote your content and let customers know more about your products and/or services. You can also use your content to increase brand awareness.

Compelling, optimized content is the most cost-efficient way to boost your business rankings among search engines like Google. There is a wide variety of content you can use to attract your customers, including:

• Blogs – Blogs have been a big part of content marketing efforts for years. However, blogging has become more sophisticated, especially when it comes to engaging your target audience. High-quality, relevant blogs are an effective tool for building trust, authority, and relationships. They also convert leads into sales. Poor writing and bad information aren’t useful and cause readers to “bounce.” Intelligent, well-written blogs are:

• Easy to publish
• Highly shareable
• Easily discovered by search engines

Use relevant keywords (like the names of your services and service locations) and work them into your content naturally and seamlessly. Choose topics that interest your target audience. While you might offer some “DIY” tips for simple fixes, make sure to always direct them to the help of the experts (you). Lastly, share your expertise on the subject to earn trust and build authority.

• Infographics – This popular type of content is an art, using visuals to present important information. By hiring a clever graphic designer, you can share research, survey results, and statistics in a visually appealing way. Infographics are shared three times more often than plain text because they are engaging and digestible. They are also great tools for backlink building and expanding your audience.
• Videos – In recent years, videos have also become enormously successful for engaging audiences, driving traffic to websites, and converting sales. SEO experts believe that videos will account for 80 percent of all web traffic by 2020. Ninety-six percent of potential customers rely on videos for product information. Additionally, they play a significant factor in making sales. More potential customers are likely to buy after watching a video.
• Listicles – Originally known as “list articles,” listicles are highly shareable content. They are easy to read, visually appealing, scannable, and engaging. Listicles can be easy to write. You simply need to have an interesting topic and list all its important details. Come up with a unique and catchy title to attract your target audience.
• How-to Guides – Also known as “instructional blogs”, how-to content consists of long-form blog posts that provide readers with in-depth information and instructions about a certain subject. Creating how-tos is an effective way to share expertise, build trust, and increase your client base. They should be written in a clear, concise, (and precise) manner to instruct readers how to complete a task.

Purchasing online advertising alongside your content marketing strategy can also be a smart decision. An expert SEO company can help you add online advertising to your tactical mix. Throughout North America, plumbers use online advertising with Local SEO Search. SEO experts can effectively help you build your desired audience and draw them to your plumbing services.

 

Strategize Your Content Marketing

High-quality content promotes your business to new and old customers. It’s importance simply cannot be underestimated. It helps create a strong and lasting impression to your target market. That said, to get the attention of your readers, you need to make your content stand out.

Try these tips to help you make smart decisions about your content marketing:

• Focus on a Specific Audience – One of the key factors for a successful content marketing strategy is in-depth audience research and knowledge about your target customers. You must understand their needs. Choose the right keywords, topics, and demographics to provide them with relevant and helpful content. (You can use online tools to find this information and figure out what works for your competition.) This is also helpful to identify gaps in your current outreach and boost your competitive edge.
• Share Something New – Readers are constantly searching online for new ideas and information. People are proud to share something new and exciting with friends and followers on their social media pages. If you are introducing a new plumbing product or service, write a post about how your customers can benefit from it. You can also share new solutions to common problems (e.g. backed-up toilets, clogged sinks, etc.).
• “Tease” Your Audience – Effectively build anticipation, especially when promoting a new business offering. Increase attention and the value of what you are promoting. Use social media posts, create a series of blogs, or offer a webinar to excite customers about something new on the horizon. The moment you reveal the launch of a new product or service, readers are more likely to check it out.
• Encourage Sharing – Content helps get your message to a specifically-targeted group. Once you catch their attention, you can encourage them to share your content. This will help you get in front of an even greater audience. Be careful not to be too “salesy” or promotional; readers may bounce (i.e. leave the site) and not read your call to action.
• Focus on Your Customer’s Needs – Many plumbing businesses tend to focus their online content more on their own success or needs. Customers would rather hear about how your business can help solve their problems. Focus on the information customers need from a reputable plumbing company. By providing useful information, people will stay on your site, increasing your SERP rankings and building a base of repeat customers.

Remember that your content is often the first point of contact you have with customers. When it comes to online advertising and marketing, content truly is king. The idea of using content marketing efforts to promote your business is not new but implementing tried and proven strategies will position you as a trusted local leader in providing plumbing services.

At Proceed Innovative, we help local businesses like plumbers increase their brand awareness and outreach with their target audience through effective online marketing. Our SEO experts can create and implement a solid local SEO strategy that includes content creation. You can reach us at (800) 933-2402 for more information about how we can help your local business.