Google Business Profile for Plumbers: Stop Leaving Money on the Table

I was looking at a plumbing client’s Google Business Profile last week and nearly lost my mind. Five years in business, decent reputation, gets referrals—but their GBP looked like they set it up in 2019 and never touched it again.

The description? Stuffed with keywords like “plumber plumbing services emergency plumber near me.” The services section? Half of it was stuff Google auto-filled that they don’t even offer. Posts? Never used once.

And here’s the kicker: when I asked who manages it, they said, “Oh, our old marketing agency handles that.”

No they don’t.

TL;DR: Most plumbers set up their Google Business Profile, add their address and phone number, then completely forget about it. Meanwhile, Google keeps auto-filling it with generic garbage, old agencies leave keyword-stuffed descriptions from 2018, and you’re wondering why the calls aren’t coming in. This guide shows you what actually needs to be done—and why most agencies are screwing this up for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knJqyfL2f-A

Why Your Google Business Profile Probably Sucks (And Why That’s Costing You Jobs)

Let me be blunt: if someone searches “plumber near me” and you’re not showing up in that map pack, you’re losing money. Every. Single. Day.

Your Google Business Profile isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s often the first thing a homeowner sees when they’re looking for a plumber. And if it looks half-finished, generic, or worse—exactly like your competitor’s—they’re moving on to the next guy.

Here’s what I see constantly:

Old keyword-stuffed descriptions that read like garbage and haven’t been updated since 2019
Empty service descriptions where Google just pulled generic text from your equally generic website
Services you don’t even offer because Google added them automatically and no one ever cleaned them up
Zero use of posts or offers because most plumbers don’t even know they exist
Review requests that happen once, maybe twice if they remember, then never again

And if you handed this off to a marketing agency? Most of them have no idea what they’re doing either. They’ll add a few more generic service descriptions, copy-paste some boilerplate messaging, and call it optimized.

It’s not optimized. It’s just more generic nonsense on top of your existing generic nonsense.

The Problem: Everyone’s Profile Looks Exactly the Same

We recently did the biggest Google Business Profile overhaul we’d ever done. We analyzed every single client account we’d taken over from other agencies—and what we found was embarrassing.

Here’s what “optimized” looked like according to most agencies:

Business name: ✓
Phone number: ✓
Address: ✓
A description (usually keyword-stuffed): ✓
Maybe 5-10 services with no descriptions: ✓

That’s it. That’s what they called a complete profile.

Meanwhile, Google was auto-filling the rest with generic content pulled from generic websites. Services the business didn’t offer. Categories that made no sense. Descriptions that sounded like every other plumber in town.

We rewrote everything.

9 businesses completely transformed
22,255+ words of strategic content created
150+ services fully filled out with real descriptions
25+ business categories properly optimized
Average 2,472 words per business profile

Not fluff. Not keyword stuffing. Actual descriptions that explain what the company does, how they do it, and why they’re different. Real positioning and messaging that reflects how the business actually talks to customers.

And you know what happened? Rankings improved. Calls increased. Customers actually understood what these businesses offered.

What Actually Needs to Be Done (The Rebel Ape Method)

Here’s the truth: your Google Business Profile isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it thing. It’s a living, breathing piece of your marketing system—and if you’re not treating it that way, you’re getting beat by someone who is.

Step 1: Claim It and Actually Own It

I’ve talked to too many business owners who don’t even have access to their own profile. An old employee set it up. A previous agency controlled it. Now they’re locked out of their own business listing.

That’s unacceptable.

Go to google.com/business, find your listing, and claim it. If someone else has access, request ownership. You should be the primary owner—then you can invite your agency or team in as managers. Never the other way around.

Step 2: Fill Out Every Single Field (For Real This Time)

Google gives you a ton of space to talk about your business. Most plumbers use about 10% of it.

Here’s what actually needs to be filled out:

Business Categories

Your primary category should be Plumber—that’s non-negotiable. Then add secondary categories that match what you actually do: Water Heater Installation, Drain Cleaning Service, Septic System Service, whatever fits.

But don’t go crazy. I’ve seen profiles with 15+ categories trying to game the system. Pick 3-5 that are actually relevant and move on.

Business Description

This is where most plumbers screw up. They either leave it empty, let Google auto-fill it with nonsense, or stuff it full of keywords like it’s 2012.

Write this like you’re explaining your business to a customer. Who are you? How long have you been around? What do you specializ in? What makes you different from the twenty other plumbers in town?

Include some local keywords naturally (because Google does care about that), but for the love of god, make it readable. If it sounds like a robot wrote it, rewrite it. This is the same approach you should take with your website content—write for humans first, search engines second.

Services Section

This is the big one—and where most agencies completely drop the ball.

You should have 15-20 services listed, and every single one should have a description. Not just a title. A real description that explains what the service is, why someone might need it, and what’s included.

Examples:

Water Heater Repair: “Is your water heater making strange noises or not heating properly? We diagnose and repair all types of water heaters—gas, electric, and tankless—often the same day you call.”
Emergency Drain Cleaning: “Clogged drains don’t wait for business hours. We offer 24/7 emergency drain cleaning for sinks, toilets, showers, and main sewer lines.”
Leak Detection and Repair: “Hidden leaks can cause serious damage. We use advanced leak detection equipment to find and fix leaks fast, saving you money on water bills and preventing costly repairs.”

See the difference? That’s not keyword stuffing. That’s actual information that helps a customer understand what you do and why they should call you.

And here’s the thing: if Google auto-filled your services with generic crap, delete it. Go through every service, remove anything you don’t actually offer, and rewrite the rest in your own voice.

We did this for our clients and the difference was night and day. Instead of 40 random auto-generated services, they had 18 strategic, well-written services that actually reflected what they do. That’s how you stand out.

Posts and Offers

Most plumbers have never posted anything on their Google Business Profile. Ever.

That’s a missed opportunity. Google actually pays attention to this stuff—it shows you’re active, engaged, and current. Plus, it’s another chance to talk about what you do and why people should call you.

Post once a week if you can. Talk about seasonal services (water heater tune-ups before winter), share before-and-after photos, promote special offers, or just let people know you’re available for emergency calls.

It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just consistent.

Step 3: Get Consistent With NAP (Name, Address, Phone)

Your business info needs to match everywhere online. If your business name is “Smith Plumbing” on Google but “Smith Plumbing LLC” on Yelp and “Smith’s Plumbing Services” on your website, Google gets confused.

And if Google’s confused, you’re not ranking as well as you could be. This is basic local SEO stuff, but most plumbers ignore it.

Run a quick audit. Search your business name and check the top 5-10 listings. Make sure your name, address, and phone number are exactly the same everywhere. If they’re not, fix it.

Tools like Moz Local or BrightLocal can help, but honestly, you can just do this manually if you’ve got an hour to spare.

Step 4: Get Aggressive About Reviews (And Actually Follow Up)

Here’s the pushback I get all the time: “We ask for reviews, but people just don’t leave them.”

Okay. How many times did you ask?

Most plumbers ask once, maybe send one text or email, then give up. That’s not enough.

You need a system. Every happy customer should get asked for a review—not once, but multiple times. Send a text right after the job. Follow up with an email two days later. Send one more reminder a week after that.

Make it stupidly easy. Send them a direct link. Use a QR code on your invoice. Text them from your CRM.

And when someone does leave a review—respond to it. Every single one. Good reviews, bad reviews, doesn’t matter. Responding shows Google (and future customers) that you’re engaged and that you care. It’s the same reason you should be monitoring and responding to online reviews across all platforms.

Reviews do two things: they build trust with customers, and they help you rank better in local search. You can’t afford to half-ass this.

Step 5: Keep It Updated (Because Your Business Isn’t Static)

Your hours change. You add new services. You run a seasonal promotion. You close for a holiday.

If your Google Business Profile doesn’t reflect that, you’re losing business.

I’ve seen plumbers lose calls because their profile said they were closed when they were actually open. Or customers showed up expecting a service they stopped offering two years ago because no one ever updated the listing.

Treat this like it matters—because it does. Update your hours immediately when they change. Add new services as you offer them. Remove old promotions when they expire.

It takes five minutes and it keeps you from looking incompetent.

Why Most Agencies Screw This Up

Let me tell you why most marketing agencies are terrible at managing Google Business Profiles: they treat it like a checkbox.

“Oh, we set up your GBP as part of onboarding.”

Great. Did you fill out the services? Did you write descriptions that actually sound like the business? Did you clean up all the auto-generated nonsense Google added?

“Uh… we added a description.”

Right. A generic description that could apply to literally any plumber in America.

Here’s the thing: most agencies don’t understand positioning and messaging. They don’t know how to make a business sound different because they’ve never actually talked to the owner about what makes them different.

So they copy-paste some boilerplate nonsense, call it optimized, and move on.

That’s not optimization. That’s laziness.

When we take over a client from another agency, the first thing we do is audit their entire Google Business Profile. And almost every time, it’s half-finished, poorly written, and completely generic.

Then we rewrite everything. We fill out every service description. We add posts. We clean up the categories. We make sure the messaging actually matches how the business talks to customers.

That’s what optimization looks like.

The Bottom Line

If someone searches “plumber near me” and your Google Business Profile looks like everyone else’s, you’re losing calls. Simple as that.

Most plumbers set it up once, let it sit there gathering dust, and wonder why they’re not getting more leads. Meanwhile, the plumber who actually filled everything out, kept it updated, and drove reviews aggressively is taking all the calls.

Don’t be the guy who half-asses this.

If you’re serious about getting more plumbing jobs from local search, your Google Business Profile needs to be fully optimized—not just set up. That means complete service descriptions, regular posts, aggressive review collection, and messaging that actually reflects how you do business. The same principles apply to your SEO strategy and your website conversion optimization—it’s all connected.

And if your current agency isn’t doing this? Fire them and find someone who will.

We specialize in local SEO for home service companies—and we actually know what we’re doing. If you want us to audit your Google Business Profile and show you what’s missing, schedule a call or give us a shout at (801) 917-4310.

Or if you want to DIY this, download our Ultimate Online Marketing Checklist and start fixing it yourself. Either way, stop leaving money on the table.

FAQs About Google Business Profiles for Plumbers

How do I get more reviews if customers just don’t leave them?

Ask more than once. Send a text right after the job. Follow up with an email two days later. Send another reminder a week later. Make it stupidly easy with a direct link. Most plumbers ask once and give up—that’s why they don’t get reviews.

Can I have multiple locations on one profile?

No. Each physical location needs its own profile. And don’t try to fake it with a PO box or virtual address—Google’s smarter than that now and you’ll get penalized.

What’s better for reviews—Yelp or Google?

Google. Every time. Yelp reviews are fine to have, but Google reviews directly impact your local search rankings. Focus there first.

Should I give my agency access to my profile?

Give them manager access, not primary ownership. You should always be the owner. If they need to make changes, they can do it as a manager. Never hand over primary control.

How long does it take to see results from optimizing my profile?

Depends on your market and competition. Most businesses start seeing better rankings and more calls within 2-3 months if they’re consistently posting, getting reviews, and keeping everything updated.

Do I really need to fill out every service description?

Yes. Google wants complete profiles, and customers want to know what you actually offer. If your services are just titles with no descriptions, you’re blending in with everyone else. Fill them out properly and you’ll stand out.