Look at the door of your work truck. In a few square feet it tells strangers your company name, what you do, the area you serve, your license number and the phone number to call. You designed it so someone stuck at a red light could hire you. That's exactly what your online profile needs to do, except the stranger isn't at a red light. They're standing in an inch of water in the basement, phone in hand.
When a water heater quits on a cold morning or a drain backs up before guests arrive, people search right away and call one of the first trustworthy plumbers they see. Here's how to put your truck door online, piece by piece.
The name and logo: who you are
Your truck uses the same name and logo every time. Your online profiles should too. Start with your Google Business Profile, then add your company to Listings Junkie and the directories in our list of those worth claiming.
Use exactly the same business name, phone and address (or service area) on all of them. A slightly different name on Yelp or an old phone number on a forgotten directory makes search engines less sure about you, and it confuses customers. This guide on matching your details shows how to check. And keep the name honest: adding words like "24/7 Emergency" to your business name goes against Google's guidelines and can get a profile suspended. Put that in the description instead.
The service list: what you fix
Many trucks list a few headline services. Online, list them all, because customers search for the specific job:
- Emergency leak and burst pipe repair
- Drain cleaning and sewer line service
- Water heater repair and replacement, including tankless
- Toilet, faucet and fixture repair and installation
- Sump pumps
- Gas line work, if you're licensed for it
- Repiping
- Bathroom and kitchen plumbing for remodels
- Backflow testing, if you offer it
Add each one to the services section of your Google profile and mention the main ones in your description. Choose "Plumber" as your main category. Our explainer on business directories covers how these listings put your services in front of people who are ready to hire.
The phone number: how to reach you
Your truck's phone number is big and easy to read. Online, make it tap-to-call on every profile, and keep it the same everywhere. If you answer after hours, say so plainly near the top of your description: "After-hours emergency calls answered." If you don't, say what you can promise: "Same-day service for most repairs booked before noon."
The license number: why they can trust you
There's a reason the license number is on the truck. People want to know you're legitimate before they let you into their home. Online, state that you're licensed and insured, add years in business, and upload photos of your team in uniform, your trucks and clean finished work. A few real photos do more than any slogan.
The service area: where you work
Your truck might say "Serving Greater Phoenix." Online, be specific. List the cities or ZIP codes you'll actually drive to. If you work from home, set your Google profile up as a service-area business and hide the street address.
The word of mouth: reviews
The truck gets you noticed; what customers say gets you hired. Homeowners read plumbing reviews closely, looking for words like on time, clean, fair and fixed it right. The best moment to ask is right after the problem is solved.
Send it before you leave the driveway, and teach every tech to do the same. Reply to every review. When someone complains, stay calm and offer to come back and make it right. These review habits and this guide to negative reviews can help.
The finished door
- Business name, phone and service area identical on every profile
- "Plumber" as the main category, with every service listed
- A phone number that taps to call
- Honest hours and availability, including after-hours if you offer it
- Licensed and insured, stated clearly
- Five or more photos of trucks, team and finished work
- A "free estimate" or price range note, if you offer one
Your next hour
Finish your Google profile.
Every field, every service, honest hours.
Create your Listings Junkie profile.
Same details, word for word.
Upload five photos.
Trucks, team, finished jobs.
Ask your last five customers for reviews.
Text each one the link.
Check your details everywhere.
Then add a few more directories, using the listing checklist.
A newer plumber with a complete profile often gets more calls than a veteran who's hard to find online. Put your truck door online, keep it current, and let it work while you're under someone's sink. For the longer game, read local SEO for small businesses and this piece on growth from listings.
List your business for free
Create a verified listing on Listings Junkie and give the customers in your area one more place to find your business name, address, phone and website.
