SEO for a plumber?

[WillWatrous]

Hello,

How does a small, local business win at SEO (without abusing directories, articles, and paid links)? It seems that everyone is saying "create unique content", but that just doesn't seem realistic for a small plumber in a big metro area. One might suggest coming up with helpful articles about plumbing tips, etc., but there are thousands of spun articles on article directories already.

On page optimization is in place, we are listed in the main directories, we've asked the people we know to link to us, and we are engaged in social media.

What would you recommend next?

Thanks,

Will

[Mcarle]

The same old crap spun articles that are posted on crap directories are of no value to your customers because they are not from YOU!!!

YOUR customers/friends/colleagues/mom/ WILL take the cool stuff you write & post to your site and they will pass it around, that is the true value. Not just to be posted on someone else's blog to have your client base engage with your site through your writings...

Other ideas are to become involved with chamber of commerce, local co-ops, parent organizations...

If you are a small local business become involved in small local business events, and venues.

Almost every metro area has several "buy local" charters go find them and join up, not only is it good SEO but it is great person to person networking too...If I meet YOU at my local business networking event & I like you, YOU are the plumber I'm going to call when I need one...

Another thing, I have notice the small businesses might not be as computer/SEO/net savvy as the larger ones, so by learning good SEO that you are doing now it automatically puts you in league with the big boys...How many other small plumbers have  hCard microformat? It takes some study but it puts you ahead of the pack.

[JamesNorquay]

Did some consulting for a plumber a while ago.

It is a very competitive area that is for sure.

• Some advice from what has worked:

1. Get people in the office to make a blog, take photos of jobs, document things online, write blog posts online.

2. Take photos of jobs - Upload them to flickr and other websites, drive traffic back to the website.

3. Take videos of testimonials/jobs and put them on Facebook/ YouTube (link back to the site)

4. Find associations and build badges back to your website, suppliers anything.

5. Do some community work if you have time and get links back from community websites.

• Make sure you pick jobs which look good I know plumbing is a dirty job

I mean all this stuff is not easy but even with a budget of under $1,000 you can do it you just have to be wise with the money.

Kind Regards,

James Norquay

[DougRoberts]

Are there any local publications (on-line/off-line/both) that would appreciate guest articles?  Remember direct traffic is also good!

Are their options for seasonal content? Frost, students going into their first rented accommodation at the start of the academic year...

Another way you can stand apart from the spun content is by carefully defining your target audience and then writing content that specifically addresses the needs of that audience.

Are there any trends/patterns in the types of customers/types of problems they have?

Where do each of these customer types congregate? Can you create awareness of your offering in this place?

As James mentions, capturing content (video/testimonies,pictures etc) as part of they day job makes it a lot less of a burden.

What are your competition doing? Remember you don't have to build the most awesome plumbing information portal - you just need to be better than the competition! What are they doing right? What could you do better.

Are there any news worthy stories? We regularly get stories about the left of copper pipes etc in the local press - are there any way you can help out local journalists?

Good luck!

[MoosaHemani]

When it comes to small business that have more to do with services in a particular area, I always recommed 2 things as most important!

1. Get Local! This dosent mean only Google but all business listing websites, not only that but optimize the listings properly and get reviews on it… Once you will have more reviews people who are finding you will more likely to convert in to sales.
2. Content! This never means writing 450 words of content every day and put it on Ezine articles… but content can be in any shape Videos, Images, Articles or anything… if you can make tips and suggestion videos in a formate like DIY tips or something that will have a great impact on conversions…

My Recommendations for a small business website that offer services within the limited area!

[zeepartner]

Also, I suggest you read this article about what to do with Google Places: http://www.seomoz.org/blog/why-you-may-need-to-hide-your-google-places-address-asap

The essence is that if you want to expand your local reach, you might have to hide the address in Google local results (as plumbers usually visit their customers and not the other way round).