WHAT YOUR PLUMBING WEBSITE SHOULD BE DOING DURING SLOW SEASON
Slow season doesn't have to mean dead season. Here's how to use the downtime to make your website a lead-generating machine for when things pick back up.
Every plumber has a slow season.
Maybe it's late spring. Maybe it's early fall. That weird gap between "winter emergency calls" and "summer remodel projects" where the phone just... stops ringing as much.
And most plumbers respond the same way. They sit. They wait. They stress about money. Maybe they pick up a side project.
But the smart plumbers? They use slow season to set up their next busy season.
Because here's the truth. The plumbers who are slammed in January didn't get lucky. They put in the work in October.
And it starts with your website.
The Slow Season Advantage
Here's what nobody tells you. Slow season is the BEST time to work on your website and online presence.
Why?
You actually have time. When you're running 4-5 jobs a day, the last thing you want to think about is your website. But in slow season? You've got bandwidth.
Your competitors are sleeping. While everyone else is sitting around complaining about slow months, you're building. Improving. Getting ahead. When busy season hits, you'll be in position. They won't.
Google rewards consistency. Sites that are actively maintained and updated rank better than sites that go dormant. The slow season is your chance to show Google you're alive and active.
Strategy 1: Add Content to Your Website
This is the single most impactful thing you can do during slow season.
Add service pages you've been putting off. If you only have pages for your top 3 services, add pages for your next 3-5. Leak detection. Re-piping. Sump pump installation. Garbage disposal repair.
Every new service page is a new keyword you can rank for. And each one takes maybe an hour to write (or less if you hire a pro).
Write blog posts. I know, I know. "Blogging" sounds like something your teenage niece does. But blog posts are one of the best ways to rank for the questions homeowners actually search for.
Topics that work: - "How much does it cost to replace a water heater in [your city]?" - "Signs you need to replace your sewer line" - "How to prevent frozen pipes this winter" - "Tankless vs. tank water heaters: which is right for your home?"
Write 4-6 blog posts during slow season. By the time busy season hits, they'll be indexed and ranking.
Add neighborhood pages for cities you serve. If you work in 5 cities but only have a page for your main city, you're invisible in the other 4. Create a page for each one. It takes 30 minutes per page and can double or triple your geographic reach on Google.
Strategy 2: Collect and Showcase Reviews
Slow season is perfect for catching up on reviews.
Reach out to past customers. You did a great job for them 2 months ago but never asked for a review. Send a text or email now.
"Hey [name], hope that water heater is still running great! If you have a minute, we'd really appreciate a Google review. Here's the link: [link]"
Short. Simple. Most people will do it. You'd be surprised how many people want to help but just never think to leave a review on their own.
Goal: get 10-15 new reviews during slow season. That's a massive boost to your Google presence before the next rush.
Update your website with new reviews. Pull your best recent reviews and add them to your reviews page and homepage. Fresh social proof keeps your site feeling current and trustworthy.
Strategy 3: Update Your Photos
When was the last time you updated the photos on your website?
If the answer is "when the site was built," it's time.
Take new photos of: - Recent projects (before and afters) - Your team (new hires? Updated uniforms?) - Your van/truck (new wrap? New vehicle?) - Equipment and tools
Update your website gallery. Update your Google Business Profile photos. Upload at least 10-15 new photos.
Profiles with 100+ photos get 520% more calls than those with fewer than 10. Slow season is when you build that photo library. Make sure you optimize those images for SEO before uploading.
Strategy 4: Fix Technical Issues
Your website probably has problems you've been ignoring. Slow season is when you fix them.
Check your site speed. Run it through Google PageSpeed Insights. If your mobile score is below 50, compress your images, remove unused plugins, and enable caching.
Fix broken links. Use a free tool like Broken Link Checker to find any dead links on your site. Broken links hurt user experience and SEO.
Update outdated information. Changed your phone number? Added a new service area? Got a new license? Update it everywhere.
Check mobile responsiveness. Pull up your site on your phone. Does everything work? Are the buttons big enough to tap? Does the text read without zooming? Fix anything that's broken.
Update your copyright year. I see plumbing websites all the time that say "Copyright 2022" in the footer. It's a small thing but it makes your site look abandoned.
Strategy 5: Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is probably the most important thing you can optimize during slow season.
Here's your checklist:
- Update your services list. Add any new services. Remove anything you no longer offer.
- Update your business description. Make it keyword-rich but natural.
- Respond to every review. Every. Single. One. Positive and negative. Google rewards active profiles.
- Add Q&A entries. Go to your profile and add the questions customers ask you most, along with your answers.
- Post weekly updates. Even during slow season, post once a week. A tip. A project photo. A seasonal reminder. It keeps your profile active.
- Check your business hours. Are they accurate? Does your profile show you're available for emergencies?
Strategy 6: Plan Your Seasonal Content Calendar
Before busy season hits, plan what content you'll publish and when.
Winter approaching? Write frozen pipe prevention tips. Create a winter emergency plumbing page. Plan a winter-specific offer.
Summer approaching? Write about bathroom remodel plumbing. Create pages for outdoor plumbing services. Plan a remodel season promotion.
Get the content written during slow season. Schedule it to publish when the season hits. That way, when you're busy running jobs, your website is still marketing for you.
The Compound Effect
Here's what happens when you use slow season productively.
Month 1 (slow season): You add 5 new pages, get 12 new reviews, upload 20 photos, fix your site speed, and optimize your Google profile.
Month 2: Those pages start getting indexed by Google. Your profile looks more active. Your review count jumps.
Month 3 (busy season starts): Your site is ranking for new keywords. Your Google profile is stronger. Homeowners see a professional, active, well-reviewed business.
Your phone starts ringing before your competitors' phones do. Because you did the work when they were sitting around watching football.
That's the compound effect. Small efforts during slow season create big results during busy season.
Don't Waste Your Downtime
Slow season isn't a problem. It's an opportunity.
The plumbers who use it well are the ones who never have to worry about where the next call is coming from.
Get your free website audit and we'll tell you exactly what to work on during your slow season to maximize results when things pick back up.
Think of it as a game plan for your next busy season. Because showing up prepared beats showing up scrambling every single time.
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P.S. The best time to build your online presence is when you're NOT busy. Because once you're slammed with jobs, you won't have time. Do it now. Your future self (the one who's booked solid next quarter) will thank you. See our pricing and let's get to work while you've got the bandwidth.