Plumbing businesses often face a tough challenge: marketing strategies that promise big results but deliver disappointment. That’s exactly where one Ohio-based plumber found themselves before they came to Stay N Alive. They tried Local Service Ads (LSAs) and display ads that were recommended to them and run by other traditional local digital marketing and ads agencies, but nothing stuck. Conversions from ads weren’t growing, and their ad spend felt like throwing money into the void.

We knew it didn’t have to be this way, because we don’t operate like the typical digital advertising agency. By taking a data-first approach, throwing on advanced automation, and Google Ads  as well as social ads strategy catered for plumbers, we turned things around for the client in a way that would ensure permanent, easy-to-manage results rather than the temporary and hard-to-maintain approaches other agencies were giving them.

The Problem (for Most Clients!): A Lack of Data and Automation

The plumbing business’s struggles boiled down to a lack of visibility and integration across their marketing efforts. Here’s what we found when we audited their setup:

1. Minimal SEO Efforts. The website wasn’t optimized well enough for search, missing out on organic traffic that could lower paid advertising costs.
2. People were not the Focus of the Brand. One primary value I have for Stay N Alive is that not only can you measure the entire lifecycle for customers in your digital marketing efforts, but the current state of digital today is designed entirely around surfacing the people behind the product. In this case, the plumbing company’s owner himself had no presence on the website or their blog, and no social media presence. In this case, the owner had some great redeeming qualities that would allow customers to relate to the brand like being a Veteran, which could build trust with his business. Because of this, Google had no way to know what the brand was about, who owned it, or who the owner of the business was. The good news: In the competitive analysis we give all clients that we performed for him, their competitors weren’t doing this either, so the landscape was wide open to make this plumber a recognized name in his local area!
3. Limited Use of Analytics Tools. Tools like Google Tag Manager and Analytics weren’t set up, leaving major blind spots in data collection.
4. No Offline Conversion Tracking. Services like water heater installations, their biggest revenue driver, weren’t being tracked offline.
5. Missed Opportunities with Automation. Features like dynamic phone numbers for tracking calls from the website and the native “Reserve with Google” booking right inside their Google Business Profile in their CRM, Housecall Pro weren’t enabled.
6. No Cross-Channel Strategy. Previous campaigns focused on keyword bidding but didn’t integrate with their CRM to track leads throughout the customer journey.
7. No Social Ads or Strong Branding. The business wasn’t leveraging social media for lead generation or reputation building. They insisted social media ads weren’t useful in the past, but we knew there was so much more value they could gain with social ads when they look at the big picture.

Our Holistic, Data-Driven Solution (The Experiment)

To tackle these challenges, we implemented a strategy built on three pillars: data, automation, and precision targeting.

1. Set Up Advanced Analytics

We started by creating the infrastructure needed to track every lead:

• Integrated Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics to monitor form submissions and phone calls.
• Used Zapier to connect Google Ads and Analytics with the client’s CRM (Housecall Pro), ensuring a seamless flow of lead data.

2. Enhanced Google Ads Strategy

We developed a Google Ads plan tailored to their biggest revenue opportunities:

• Focused on high-revenue keywords like “water heater installation” and “water heater repair.”
• Included low-cost, high-volume keywords like “pilot light repair” to test new opportunities.
• Optimized for conversions by using UTM tracking to follow customer journeys.

3. Improved SEO and Local Visibility

To support their paid campaigns, we:

• Optimized their Google Business Profile, ensuring consistent and accurate information.
• Partnered with their SEO team to align website content with target keywords.

4. Enabled Automation

We implemented features that saved time and improved tracking:

• Added dynamic phone numbers to track call conversions.
• Activated the “Reserve with Google” feature in their CRM, simplifying booking for customers.

5. Built a Cross-Channel Strategy Focused on PEOPLE before PRODUCT

We laid the groundwork for future efforts, including:

• Branding them as “The Water Heater Man,” a local expert.
• Recommended a presence on TikTok, Facebook Reels, and Instagram for video-based lead generation.
• Suggested integrating social ads into their campaigns to create a consistent online presence.

The Conclusion: A Clear Path to Growth

In just two months, our efforts began paying off. Here’s what we achieved:

1. Daily Click Growth. Ad clicks grew to 200–250 per day, while cost-per-click (CPC) dropped to $2.27.

   
   
   

2. Improved Lead Tracking. We tracked 154 form submissions, providing actionable insights to improve future campaigns.

    

3. Higher Revenue Potential. By aligning ad spend with water heater services, we targeted their most profitable offerings.
4. Streamlined Data. Conversion tracking tools ensured offline bookings were integrated with online campaigns, giving a clear view of ROI.

What We Learned: The Power of Data

Our experience with this plumber proved that success lies in integrating data across platforms. Google Ads for plumbers isn’t just about running ads—it’s about building a system that tracks, learns, and improves.

Want These Results for Your Business?

At Stay N Alive, we specialize in helping plumbers and other service providers grow through data-driven marketing and automation. Whether you’re struggling to get leads or looking to refine your existing campaigns, we can help.

Contact us today to transform your marketing into a success story. Send Jesse an email at [email protected] to book an appointment!