Plumber Website SEO: 7 Fixes to Move from Page 2 to Page 1

Being on page 2 of Google is essentially the same as being on page 100. The vast majority of clicks go to the top three results on page one, which means if your plumbing website is buried in the middle of page 2, you’re invisible to customers searching for “emergency plumber” or “boiler installation” in your area. The same applies to roofers stuck on page 2 and window cleaners hovering at the bottom of page 1—the fixes are remarkably similar across trades.

I recently audited a Leicester plumber’s website that looked professional at first glance but had several fixable issues holding it back. These are the same mistakes I see on plumber websites across the UK—and the good news is they’re all easy to change.

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1. Your H1 Heading Needs to State What You Do and Where

The H1 heading on your homepage is one of the most important on-page SEO elements. Google uses it to understand what your page is about and who it should show it to.

Many plumber websites make the mistake of using a generic tagline or company name as their main heading. The site I audited had friendly welcome copy, which is fine for a secondary heading, but the primary H1 should clearly state your main service and target location.

If you’re a plumber targeting Leicester, your H1 should include both elements: “Emergency Plumber in Leicester” or “Boiler Installation & Plumbing Services Leicester.” This tells Google exactly what you do and where you do it.

The key is matching your H1 to what customers actually search for. People Google “plumber Leicester” or “emergency plumber near me”—your heading should reflect those search terms naturally.

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2. Image Sliders Are Hurting Your Rankings

Sliders were popular a decade ago, but they’ve fallen out of favour for good reason. They’re problematic for SEO because they often contain multiple headings, which confuses search engines trying to understand your page structure.

Google reads your website like a robot parsing through structured content—not like a human browsing visually. When you have multiple rotating headings in a slider, Google struggles to identify your primary message.

The data also shows that most visitors never click through slider images. They see the first slide and scroll down. Replace your slider with a single, clear hero section that states your main service, includes your target location, and has a prominent call-to-action.

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3. Match Your SEO Title to Your Target Keywords

Your SEO title (the clickable link that appears in Google search results) should include your primary keywords and target location. Many plumber websites use just their business name, missing a crucial ranking opportunity.

A plumber targeting Leicester should have an SEO title like:

Emergency Plumber Leicester | 24/7 Boiler Repairs | [Business Name]

Rather than simply “[Business Name] | Plumbing Services.”

The pattern to follow: include your main service, your target location, and your business name. Keep it under 60 characters so it displays fully in search results.

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4. Add a Sticky Header with Click-to-Call

When potential customers land on your website, they need to be able to contact you immediately—especially for emergency plumbing services. A sticky header that follows users as they scroll keeps your phone number visible at all times.

The website I audited had click-to-call functionality, which is excellent. But the contact details disappeared once users scrolled past the header. On mobile devices especially, a sticky header with a tap-to-call button dramatically increases conversions.

Think about how customers use your site. They quickly scan for trust indicators, check your services, and then need to call. If they have to scroll back to the top to find your number, many will simply hit back and call the next plumber in the search results.

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5. Keep Visitors on Your Website

One common mistake is linking trust badges and review buttons to external websites. The site I audited had a Google reviews badge that, when clicked, took visitors away to the Google Business Profile.

Every time someone leaves your website, there’s a good chance they won’t come back. Instead of linking to Google, use a WordPress plugin or widget that pulls your latest reviews directly onto your website. This keeps visitors on-site while still showcasing your 5-star reputation.

The same applies to accreditation badges. Display them prominently, but don’t link them to external sites. Customers don’t need to verify your Gas Safe registration—they just need to see that you have it.

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6. Build Dedicated Service Pages

If you offer multiple services—boiler installation, boiler servicing, emergency repairs, bathroom fitting—each one deserves its own dedicated page. Listing services as bullet points on your homepage isn’t enough.

Google rewards websites with clear topical focus. A dedicated page for “Boiler Installation Leicester” can rank for that specific search term, while a page for “Emergency Plumber Leicester” targets a different customer need.

Each service page gives your website another opportunity to rank for relevant keywords. The more specific and useful your service pages, the more chances you have to appear in local search results for customers looking for exactly what you offer. I covered this in depth in my guide on service page SEO—the same principles that work for builders apply to plumber websites.

This is exactly how we structure our websites for plumbers—with dedicated, SEO-optimised service pages built in from day one.

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7. Create Location Pages for Areas You Serve

Most plumbers serve a 20-40 mile radius, not just their immediate town. If you’re based in Leicester but also cover Loughborough, Nuneaton, Hinckley, and Tamworth, you should have dedicated location pages for each area.

People searching “boiler installation Loughborough” won’t find a Leicester-based website unless you have content specifically targeting that town. An “Areas We Cover” section with links to dedicated location pages—each with unique, locally-relevant content—expands your visibility across your entire service area.

The site I audited had a nice embedded Google Map showing their Leicester location, which is good for local SEO. But without location pages for surrounding towns, they’re missing out on customers in nearby areas who would happily hire them.

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Bonus: Convert Text in Images to Actual Text

Infographics and image-based content can look professional, but Google cannot read text embedded in images. If you have important information—like your qualifications, guarantees, or service benefits—displayed only as graphics, search engines can’t use that content to rank your pages.

The solution is simple: keep your visual elements, but duplicate the key information as actual text on the page. This could be a brief paragraph next to the infographic or a text-based list below it. You get the visual appeal for human visitors and the crawlable content for Google.

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Key Takeaways

• Your H1 heading should include your main service and target location (e.g., “Emergency Plumber Leicester”)
• Replace image sliders with a single, clear hero section
• Match your SEO title to the keywords customers actually search for
• Use a sticky header with click-to-call so customers can always reach you
• Keep visitors on your site—don’t link trust badges to external websites
• Build dedicated service pages for each service you offer
• Create location pages for all towns in your service area
• Ensure important information appears as text, not just in images

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Next Steps

These fixes aren’t complicated, but they require attention to detail and an understanding of how Google reads and ranks local business websites. If your plumbing website is stuck on page 2 and you’d rather focus on installing boilers than tweaking meta tags, we build websites specifically for plumbers that are optimised for local search from day one.

Want to see exactly what’s holding your website back? Get a free SEO report and find out where you stand against your local competitors.