Andy Davis of Pilot Plumbing and Drain had been investing in SEO for months, but something wasn’t adding up; his site wasn’t ranking, and leads weren’t where they should be. Most business owners either ignore that feeling or defend their agency.
I first met Andy on a bus ride down to Tommy Mello’s event. We were seated right near each other, chatting about business.
So I gave Andy the same treatment I give anyone I respect: brutal honesty. Karen S, Andy’s trusted VA, joined the call too and took notes as we walked through everything live.
“You’re not ranking outside your immediate neighborhood,” I told him. “And I can see why in 3 seconds.”
He said, “Seriously, that’s just pretty obvious you’re saying.”
Exactly.
We ran a map grid and confirmed it:
Pilot Plumbing and Drain ranks okay near their HQ, but disappears just a few miles out. That’s a big problem for a local service business.
But here’s what makes Andy different: he wanted to understand the why.
So I pulled the curtain back.
The Problem: Fake SEO and Garbage Links
The links pointing to their site? Mostly spam.
We’re talking about backlinks from fake blogs with headlines like:
- “The Role of Wine in Italian Dining”
- “How to Grow Your TikTok Following”
- “Maintaining a Passionate Marriage”
These had nothing to do with plumbing or the Portland metro area.
Andy saw it and said it himself:
“That sounds like garbly goop.”
Exactly.
This kind of SEO puts your business at risk.
Google knows when your backlinks come from spammy sites or rented networks. That’s how you get penalized, not ranked.
I asked, “Did you pay someone for this SEO?”
Andy: “We’re only paying $5,690 a month.”
That’s money flushed down the toilet.
The Truth About SEO for Local Businesses
Most agencies rent links from PBNs or push out fake blog articles tied to stock photo authors. That doesn’t work.
Google needs to see that you actually do what you claim to do, in the areas you serve.
And guess what?
Pilot Plumbing is doing the work, just like Plumbing Pros, owned by my buddy Sal Sciorta, who runs one of the most solid operations in the space.
They have strong reviews. They serve a wide service area. Their crews are out in the field every day. They’ve built a reputation in the community.
The Wins: What Pilot Plumbing and Drain Already Has
Here’s where Andy and his team are already ahead:
- Dozens of 5-star reviews across Google and Yelp.
- Active service work in Portland and Vancouver.
- A solid, real business with real people doing real work.
You can’t fake that.
What’s missing is the digital plumbing: the proper setup of Google Business Profiles, location pages, real content tied to local jobs, and authentic media that Google trusts.
When I explained how we train VAs to do this for free, how Andy’s own team in the Philippines could do it, he was all in.
Andy’s Reaction: “I Want to Do It Myself”
“This is great. I’d be pumped to get access,” Andy said.
No defensive reactions. No blaming the agency. Just:
“Let’s fix this.”
That’s exactly the mindset we love seeing.
Because if you own your marketing, you control your future.
We’re giving Andy access to the full BlitzMetrics training library, including our free Google Business Profile course.
We even talked about turning him into a case study. He said, “Yeah. I’ll tell every other plumber I know-this stuff works.”
Want Us to Do a Quick Audit for You?
Andy got the tough truth. And he appreciated it.
That’s how you build trust-with facts, not fluff.
If you’re a local business owner, plumber, HVAC, roofer, chiropractor, whatever, you deserve to know what’s actually going on with your digital marketing.
We’ll show you exactly what we showed Andy:
- What your rankings look like.
- Which links are helping or hurting you?
- Where your money’s going and whether it’s worth it.
No contracts, no BS, but just the truth.
Book a Quick Audit here.
Then, like Andy, take back control of your marketing.
Dennis Yu
Dennis Yu is a former search engine engineer who has spent a billion dollars on Google and Facebook ads for Nike, Quiznos, Ashley Furniture, Red Bull, State Farm, and other organizations that have many locations.
He has achieved 25% of his goal of creating a million digital marketing jobs because of his partnership with universities, professional organizations, and agencies. Companies like GoDaddy, Fiverr, onlinejobs.ph, 7 Figure Agency, and Vendasta partner with him to create training and certifications.
Dennis created the Dollar a Day Strategy for local service businesses to enhance their existing local reputation and make the phone ring. He's coaching young adult agency owners who serve plumbers, AC technicians, landscapers, roofers, electricians in conjunction with leaders in these industries.
Mr. Yu believes that there should be a standard in measuring local marketing efforts, much like doctors and plumbers need to be certified and licensed. His Content Factory training and dashboards are used by thousands of practitioners.