You've got the website. Traffic is coming in. But where are the jobs? If your phone isn't ringing and your contact form is collecting dust, something's broken in your conversion process.
Most plumber websites make the same critical mistakes that turn potential customers into bounces. Let's fix that. Here's exactly what successful plumbers do to turn website visitors into paying customers.
1. Make Your Phone Number Impossible to Miss
Sounds obvious, right? Yet I see plumber websites every day where I have to hunt for the phone number like it's a game of Where's Waldo.
The Reality:
- 73% of people prefer to call a plumber rather than fill out a form
- Emergency jobs (your highest-paying work) need immediate contact
- People on mobile want one-tap calling
- If they can't find your number in 3 seconds, they're calling your competitor
What Actually Works:
- Top right corner of every page - Large, bold, clickable on mobile
- Sticky header - Phone number follows them as they scroll
- Click-to-call buttons - "Call Now: 07XXX XXXXXX" that actually dials on mobile
- Emergency number highlighted - Different color, bigger text for 24/7 service
2. Show Your Face (Literally)
People are inviting you into their home. They want to know who's coming. Stock photos of random people in hard hats don't cut it.
❌ What Doesn't Work:
"Professional plumber" stock photo from Shutterstock that appears on 500 other websites
✅ What Does Work:
Actual photo of YOU next to your van, in work clothes, with your name and credentials
Add a short bio: "Hi, I'm Dave. Been plumbing in Birmingham for 15 years. Gas Safe registered, reliable, and I actually answer my phone." That's trust built in 10 seconds.
3. Gallery of Recent Jobs (Your Secret Weapon)
This is where you convert browsers into buyers. Show them you've done this exact job 100 times before.
What to Photograph:
- Before & After shots - Especially for bathroom refits and boiler replacements
- Emergency repairs - Burst pipes fixed, leaks stopped (shows you can handle pressure)
- Neat work - Tidy pipework, clean installations (proves you're not a cowboy)
- Local landmarks - "Boiler installed in Solihull" builds local trust
Real Result from a Client:
One plumber added 20 photos of bathroom installations to his website. Within 2 weeks, he booked 3 bathroom refits worth £12,000 total. Customers specifically mentioned seeing similar work in his gallery.
Why? Because seeing the exact work they need already completed removes doubt. They're not taking a chance on you - they can see the proof.
4. Emergency Plumber Landing Page
If you offer 24/7 emergency service, it needs its own dedicated page. Not buried in your services list - a prominent, easy-to-find emergency page.
Why This Matters:
When someone's kitchen is flooding at 11pm, they're typing "emergency plumber near me" into Google. They're not browsing your services menu - they need help NOW.
What Your Emergency Page Needs:
- Massive "CALL NOW" button at the very top
- 24/7 availability clearly stated
- Average response time - "Usually on-site within 60 minutes"
- What you handle - Burst pipes, boiler breakdowns, blocked drains, gas leaks
- Service area - "Covering Birmingham & 20-mile radius"
- No-fix-no-fee or upfront pricing if you offer it
5. Social Proof: Reviews & Testimonials
"Don't just tell them you're good - let your customers do it for you."
Customer Behavior:
- 89% of people read reviews before hiring a tradesman
- 5-star reviews increase conversion by 270%
- People trust verified customer reviews more than anything you say about yourself
How to Display Reviews:
- Homepage testimonials - 3-5 of your best reviews front and center
- Google Reviews widget - Shows live feed of your Google rating
- Video testimonials - Even better (customer on camera saying you're brilliant)
- Specific job reviews - "Great bathroom refit" on your bathroom fitting page
Pro tip: Ask happy customers to leave reviews while you're still on-site. "If you're happy with the work, would you mind leaving a quick Google review? I'll send you the link." Response rate is 10x higher than asking later.
6. Clear Pricing (Where Possible)
I know - "every job is different." But giving NO price information loses you customers.
What You Can Share:
- Callout fees - "£60 standard, £90 emergency"
- Hourly rates - "£45/hour for standard work"
- Common job prices - "Boiler service: £80-100" "New radiator install: from £150"
- Free quote availability - "Free, no-obligation quotes for larger jobs"
Even approximate pricing builds trust. It shows you're not hiding anything and helps filter out time-wasters who can't afford you anyway.
7. The Contact Form (Do It Right)
Not everyone wants to call. Some people browse at midnight when they can't ring you. Your contact form needs to work properly.
Essential Form Fields:
- Name
- Phone number (required - you need to call them back)
- Email (backup contact method)
- Service needed (dropdown: Emergency, Boiler, Bathroom, General, etc.)
- Message/description (brief details of the job)
- Postcode (helps you qualify if they're in your area)
⚠️ Critical:
Test your contact form monthly. I've seen plumbers lose thousands in leads because their form was broken and they didn't know for 3 months.
Set up email notifications so enquiries go to your phone instantly, not sitting in a mailbox you check once a week.
8. Local SEO: Be Found for "Plumber Near Me"
This deserves its own article (and we've written one - see Related Articles below), but quick wins:
- Google Business Profile - Claim it, optimize it, update it
- Location mentions - "Plumber in Birmingham" "Covering Solihull, Sutton Coldfield..."
- Service area pages - Dedicated pages for each town you cover
- Local reviews - Especially Google reviews with location keywords
9. Mobile-First Design (Non-Negotiable)
68% of plumbing searches happen on mobile phones. If your website doesn't work perfectly on mobile, you're losing 2 out of 3 potential customers.
Mobile Essentials:
- Click-to-call buttons - Tap phone number to dial instantly
- Fast loading - Under 3 seconds or people bounce
- Easy navigation - Big buttons, clear menu
- Readable text - No tiny fonts that need zooming
- Tap-to-email - One tap to send enquiry
10. Follow Up Fast (The 5-Minute Rule)
This isn't about your website, but it's crucial: respond to enquiries within 5 minutes.
Speed Wins Jobs:
- Respond in 5 minutes = 80% conversion rate
- Respond in 30 minutes = 45% conversion rate
- Respond next day = 15% conversion rate (they've already booked someone else)
Set up instant email notifications to your phone. When a form comes in, call them immediately. "Hi, I just got your enquiry about the boiler. When's a good time to pop round and quote it?"
Nine times out of ten, they haven't even contacted anyone else yet. You're first to respond = you get the job.
Putting It All Together
A high-converting plumber website isn't about fancy design or clever animations. It's about:
- ✅ Making it dead easy to contact you (phone number everywhere)
- ✅ Building trust immediately (your face, reviews, real work photos)
- ✅ Showing you've done this before (gallery of completed jobs)
- ✅ Clear service information (what you do, where you cover, rough pricing)
- ✅ Working perfectly on mobile (where most searches happen)
- ✅ Fast follow-up (5-minute response rule)
Ready to Turn Your Website into a Lead-Generating Machine?
Our websites for trade businesses include all these conversion features built-in - phone numbers in the right places, mobile-first design, contact forms that actually work, and gallery systems to showcase your best work.
Get Started - From £59/month