Plumbing companies can rank for “plumber near me” by optimizing their websites and Google Business profiles for their target location.
Examples of this type of optimization include inserting city names into webpage titles and metadata, as well as verifying the business address on your Google Business Profile.
Additional methods for ranking your plumbing business for “near me” queries include inserting “near you” into your SEO copy and generating job-based location signals using a tool like DataPins.
Key Takeaway
Plumbers can rank for “near me” by optimizing their website and Google My Business listing for the target city name.
How Does Google Determine The Location of “Near Me”?
Google search results track the searcher’s location through GPS data from a phone or tablet, WiFi location tracking, IP addresses, past user activity, and personalized Google account information such as home and work addresses.
Depending on the searcher’s device and measures taken to block, hide, or falsify their location data, Google’s location tracking may be precise or inaccurate.
Some search users utilize tools like VPNs that dynamically alter their IP addresses to prevent search engines and other entities from tracking their location.
However, the majority of consumers don’t exercise these measures, allowing Google to estimate their location accurately.
Optimizing for “Near Me” Queries on Google Search
Traditional Google search results rely on various website signals to rank plumbing websites in “near me” searches.
Industry expert Joy Hawkins has tested a strategy of including the term “near you” within title tags and web content, and it yielded positive results.
At Plumbing Webmasters, our tests have shown that adding jobsite check-ins to your local intent pages also increases “near me” rankings.
Some of the most effective signals for registering your location with Google are:
- Business Address in Website Footer
- City Name in Title Tag
- City Name in H1
- City Name in Body Content
- “Near You” in Title Tag
- “Near You” in H1
- “Near You” in Body Content
- Schema Markup
- Local Citations
- Local Backlinks
- Verified Reviews from Local Consumers
- Geo-Coordinates
- “Check-ins” of Recent Jobs
Optimizing for “Near Me” Queries on Google Maps
Google Maps results and the Google Map 3-Pack utilize a different algorithm to track a business location, which is primarily based on the verified address of the Google Business Profile.
Plumbing companies must verify their business address with Google to appear within Google Maps results.
Once your listing is verified, you can take these steps to increase your chances of ranking for “near me”:
- Request reviews from nearby consumers
- Link your Google Business Profile to your optimized business website
- Add all of your individual plumbing services to your services list
- Upload unique and original photos to your business listing
How Valuable Are “Near Me” Rankings?
According to industry statistics, “near me” searches have increased by 900% in recent years, further enhancing the value of ranking for these types of queries.
Additionally, smartphone users who search for “near me” queries have a stronger commercial intent, with 76% of those searchers engaging with businesses within a day.
The plumbing industry is particularly prone to “near me” queries, as users often seek a prompt response to their various plumbing issues.
Ranking for “Near Me” in Multiple Cities
Plumbing companies are service area businesses that travel from their central location to various nearby cities.
As a result, it makes sense for plumbers to seek rankings in all their service cities, rather than just the city where their business address is verified.
Unfortunately, Google Maps rankings are based heavily on the proximity of the searcher in relation to your verified business address.
If your business is verified in Frisco, it can be challenging to rank for “near me” queries in Dallas, Plano, and other nearby cities.
The good news is that plumbers can still rank in these cities with their traditional website pages.
You can achieve this using various strategies, including creating dedicated city pages for each location or utilizing jobsite check-in software like DataPins.
The more pins you produce, the better chance you have of ranking in that city.
There are also rare cases where your Google Maps rankings can expand across multiple cities for less competitive service types, such as slab leak repair or whole-house repiping.
The DataPins process also contributes to both organic and Google Maps rankings, provided you connect your website URL to your Google Business Profile.
Final Thoughts on “Near Me” Rankings
Plumbing contractors can rank for “near me” by optimizing for the target location.
Google processes near me queries based on the searcher’s location. For example, a plumber near me query from a Dallas searcher will yield similar results to a query like plumber dallas.
Plumbers can take additional steps to enhance their local visibility by utilizing a robust Google Business Profile, optimizing “near you” pages, and leveraging the DataPins software tool.
