Social Media Marketing for Plumbers
Now is the time to use social media marketing to connect with your target audience, build trust, and convert customers for your plumbing business. In this article, we’ll show you how.
Staff Contributor
Social media has gone beyond keeping up with the latest news headlines and contacting your friends and family. It has evolved into a marketing powerhouse—one that empowers any business owner to connect with and convert followers into paying customers.
In this article, we will define social media marketing and discuss why it’s so important for plumbers serving their local communities. Then, we’ll share seven social media marketing tips specifically for plumbing businesses.
Let’s get started.
What is Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing uses various social platforms to promote products, services, and content related to a business.
This includes creating posts, advertisements, and campaigns on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and more.
Social media marketing is used by businesses to build a brand identity, increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, and boost sales.
In addition, many social media platforms have built-in data analytics, giving marketers incredible insight into audience preferences and behaviors.
There are many social media platforms local businesses can use to connect with their ideal customers:
| Platform | Monthly Active Users | Audience Demographics |
| 2.96 billion | Boomers I & 2 (58-76), Gen X (42-57) and Millennials (26-41) | |
| TikTok | 1 billion | Gen Z (20-25) and Millennials |
| 2 billion | Mostly Millennials | |
| 450 million | Mostly Millennials and Gen X | |
| YouTube | 2.6 billion | Mostly Millennials but has strong user bases across all age demographics, including Boomers |
| 445 million | Mostly Millennials but users span across Gen Z, Gen X, and baby boomers |
Why is Social Media Marketing for Plumbers Important?
By leveraging social media platforms, plumbers can stay connected with existing customers while reaching out to new ones.
Using social media to promote a plumbing business offers numerous advantages.
- It can help increase brand visibility by connecting with more potential customers within their target audience. This can be done through sponsored ads and campaigns to reach individuals who may have an interest in the services provided.
- Social media allows plumbers to build trust and credibility for the business.
- Content on social media platforms can be used as a form of customer service with direct responses to inquiries about plumbing-related topics.
More than eight in 10 consumers reportedly use social media to inform buying decisions.
Everyone from world-leading marketers to small business owners has taken note, with 77% finding social media marketing in a range from somewhat to very effective.
In addition, social media allows businesses to connect with their audiences in a way that was not previously possible.
Traditional marketing—think billboards and radio ads—were one-way conversations.
With comments, likes, shares, and other engagement possibilities, social media posts balance give and take between the business and the consumer. Consumers are empowered to voice their concerns, sing their praises, and become brand advocates.
Considering nine out of 10 people buy from companies they follow on social networks, an active social media presence is also a trust-building tool that results in sales.
It’s no wonder almost 71% of small to mid-sized businesses leverage social media to promote themselves.
So, where does that leave your plumbing business? Now is the time to start using social media marketing to find and connect with your target audience, build trust, and convert customers.
Chances are, other plumbers in your area are using social media, and the many potential customers searching on social for a reliable local plumber will not see your business.
7 Social Media Marketing Tips for Plumbers
Social media marketing can be a huge growth driver for your plumbing business. Here are seven marketing tips to help you get started with a social media strategy that raises your brand’s reputation and positions you as the go-to plumber in your area.
1. Get the basics right
If you are totally new to social media for business, it’s critical to get the basics right. Think of the following as a foundational checklist that’ll set you up for long-term success.
- Use your business name. If possible, ensure your social media handles are an exact match to your business name. You want to make sure potential and current customers can easily find your social media profiles.
- Add your logo. In most cases, your profile picture should be your logo. Depending on the platform, you might need to crop it. There are many free resources that can help you get your image right.
- Ensure your contact information is accurate. Most social media platforms allow you to add a phone number, web address, email, and other contact information. Include as many contact options as possible and triple-check for typos.
2. Spend time on the platforms your audience prefers
You don’t need to be present on every social media channel to win business. Instead, you should focus your efforts on the platforms your audience prefers.
If you’re not quite sure where to start, ask some of your long-standing customers what social media they use to find information on products and services.
In the United States
- 37.8% of Americans under 35 own their own home—Millennials and Gen Z.
- 61.3% for those aged between 35 and 44—Millennials and Gen X
- 69.4% for those aged 45 to 54—Gen X heading into Boomers
Of course, these statistics represent the national average. Your service area might have an aging population, or it might be full of college students, so use your local knowledge to guide your decision-making.
The chart above can help you decide where to spend your time and money to reach the audience in your community and where you think you’ll win business.
My business mainly serves commercial clients—will social media marketing still work for me? Yes. Many local businesses experience social media marketing success B2B.
You might like to experiment with LinkedIn, a professional networking platform with 875 million members. You can create a personal profile to connect with prospects (real estate agents and builders are great examples) and a company page to share news and business updates.
3. Always add value
Social media is social. It’s not solely about selling your services or talking up your brand. It’s a process of showing—rather than telling—and investing in genuine relationships with your audience.
Before you post anything, consider what value it adds. Does it educate? Entertain? Does it answer a common question or foster a connection with your followers?
Examples of value-added content for plumbers include the following:
- How-to guides
- Maintenance tips
- Customer success stories
- Industry innovations, news, and updates
If you are generous with your expertise and knowledge on social media, you can:
- Legitimize your brand.
- Show that you care about your community.
- Position your business as an industry leader and authority.
4. Be authentic
People connect with people, and social media is the perfect place to share your authentic self with the world.
As much as technology and digital innovation have transformed how we live, work, and play, nothing can replace the human touch.
So, consider publishing authentic, off-the-cuff content that humanizes your brand. Introduce your team members. Post a photo of your apprentice and rave about their progress.
Give your audience a glimpse behind the scenes and demonstrate your values, company culture, and what you stand for.
You don’t have to be the best writer; you just need to share information you think people need. [There are many free services that will help with spelling and grammar.]
5. Post often
When it comes to building an engaged audience on social media, timing and consistency are key.
Let’s start with timing. According to the American Marketing Association, here are the best times and days to post:
- Facebook: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
- Instagram: Tuesday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 11 a.m.
- Twitter: Weekdays around 8 a.m.
- LinkedIn: Tuesday and Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Now let’s review consistency. The trick is to create a posting schedule and stick to it. If you know you don’t have time to post daily to three different platforms, don’t attempt it.
Instead, develop a realistic plan that you can follow long-term. Posting once a week is much better than posting every day for a week and then nothing for two.
6. Engage with your audience
Social media works best when the conversation goes both ways. The more you give, the more you get.
It is important to reply to audience comments and messages. You can also engage with content others publish. You cannot expect your following to grow or remain engaged.
Instead, spend five to 10 minutes a few times a week responding to comments and questions. You might even choose to share content other people post that could help your customers.
For example, if a recent client gives your business a shoutout for the excellent plumbing service you provided, share it to your own profile.
In addition, you could join a relevant community or industry group. Many towns and cities have their own Facebook group, which you could join and use to provide expert plumbing advice.
LinkedIn is an excellent place to connect with fellow plumbing industry and home improvement services businesses. A little networking and relationship-building could land you a reliable referral partner.
7. Track important metrics
Social media strategies are not set and forget. Instead, they require continuous tweaking and improvement. The best way to refine your strategy and boost results is to track your most important metrics:
- Engagement: Engagement rates show how actively involved your audience is with the content you post.
- Impressions and reach: Impressions are the number of times a post shows up in a user’s timeline or feed. Reach is the potential unique views a post could have.
- Conversions: There are several different ways to track social media conversions. The first is to examine your website analytics. Another way is to measure the effect of a single post. For example, say you publish a promotional post with a special discount. If 300 people see the post and 10 people contact you to take advantage of the offer, your conversion rate is about 3.3%.
Social Media Marketing for Plumbers—Simplified
So, there you have it—seven social media marketing tips for plumbers. Follow them and build a winning social strategy that delivers a return on your investment and positions your business as the local go-to.
So, what can you tackle today?
- Ask your current customers what social media platforms they use to find information.
- Pick a social media platform to get started on.
- Choose your area of plumbing expertise to talk about—remember to be your authentic self.
- Write a post like you’re talking to a friend who needs your help.
- Share your post.
Remember, most people are not plumbers. You have a unique skill to share. Be confident that what you have to say matters.
