Unlock Local SEO Secrets: Darren Shaw Reveals What Plumbing and Home Service Competitors Don’t Want You to Know

Are you a plumber looking to get your local SEO on track? In a recent episode of the Coach Yu Show, we’ve got insights and great ideas from Darren Shaw that will help you get it right.

Darren Shaw, a leading figure in local SEO and the founder of WhiteSpark2, reveals the strategies that SEO companies prefer you never discover.

The Truth About Local SEO Companies

Here’s a reality check:

If they reached out to you first, they’re probably not great at what they do.

Darren Shaw revealed that reputable SEO agencies don’t need to rely on cold outreach; they get plenty of inquiries from small businesses seeking their expertise. This is a sign of credibility and demand for their services.

Darren also exposes the flaws in offshore SEO services, like those from Fiverr, which often deliver inconsistent and subpar results.

What Google is Really Thinking

Darren gives us the inside scoop on Google’s evolving priorities. Google is cracking down on deceptive practices such as fake map citations and negative reviews. They’re now favoring businesses that operate ethically and provide genuine, consistent information.

Additionally, Google values consistency in business information and prefers businesses that are open and available for immediate calls.

Practical Steps to Improve Your Rankings on Google

Avoid Shady Practices: Steer clear of scams involving map citations, fake reviews, and dishonest tactics like buying negative reviews. Opt for reputable SEO practices.

Focus on Citation Consistency: Maintain consistent business details across all platforms and use software to monitor and reject incorrect changes.

Use Call Tracking Numbers Wisely: It’s acceptable to use call tracking numbers on your Google Business Profile, especially if you include your real number as a secondary phone number. Ensure consistency in the name, address, and website URL.

Optimize Opening Hours: Experiment with your opening hours, as they can impact search rankings. Keep phone lines open during extended hours to improve search traffic and user experience. Avoid setting hours to 24/7 without a plan, as it could result in poor user experience if you miss the calls.

Darren highlighted the importance of user experience over content duplication. Google’s algorithms are tuned to user behavior. High bounce rates or users quickly returning to search results signal poor user experience. To avoid this, focus on delivering valuable, relevant content that meets user needs.

For instance, a page for plumbers in Chicago can closely resemble one in Arlington and still perform well if it meets user needs.

Components of the Ideal Location Service Page

When creating the perfect location service page, Darren shared several critical elements to consider:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Specific to the Location: Addressing common questions relevant to the specific location helps tailor the content to the needs and concerns of local customers.

Products Available at the Specific Location: Highlighting products that are available at the particular location ensures that the page is directly relevant to what customers can actually purchase there.

Location-Specific Specials: Featuring promotions or specials unique to the location adds value and attracts customers looking for localized deals.

Unique, Content-Rich, and Well-Optimized Pages: The content must be original and tailored for the location, with rich information and strong optimization for search engines.

An Excellent In-House Team: A strong, knowledgeable in-house team is essential for executing and maintaining high-quality location pages.

Enhancing Service Pages with Personal Touches

Highlight Author Information: Incorporate author bio and E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) elements on service pages, not just blogs.

Address Content Authorship: Google wants to know who created the content, especially on specific service pages like drain cleaning.

Build Trust with Users: Personalizing the content helps users feel they are interacting with a real expert rather than a faceless entity.

Move Away from Faceless Content: Make service pages more relatable and personable to build trust.

Darren believes that Home Depot is the perfect example of a brand that excels in these components. Their location pages are a model of excellence, including FAQs, available products, and location-specific specials. Each page is unique, content-rich, and well-optimized, supported by an outstanding in-house team. However, we have yet to see a plumbing service page that achieves this level of execution. 

Enhancing Location Service Pages with ChatGPT: A Strategic Approach

Darren emphasized that local plumbers and home service businesses should consider using ChatGPT to enhance the content on their location service pages. Focus on enriching these pages by addressing “people also ask” questions and integrating relevant YouTube videos. 

Your goal should be to enhance user experience, not merely to manipulate Google rankings, ensuring visitors stay longer on your page.

Many companies replicate content across location pages, like changing an Arlington plumber’s page to one for Washington DC by swapping city names. Google stated that this practice is acceptable as long as it doesn’t offend users or degrade content quality.

You should use ChatGPT to generate ideas and identify key questions relevant to your page. For example, ask ChatGPT, ‘I’m a plumber in Denver. What are common questions and problems people have related to tub drains?’ This approach can provide valuable content ideas. Use these insights to outline and structure your content, but always rewrite it in your own words to maintain authenticity and quality.

WhitSpark2’s $1/Month GBP Software

Managing your Google Business Profile (GBP) can be tough, especially with Google’s frequent updates. WhiteSpark2 provides Google Business Profile (GBP) software service at a price that’s practically free—just a dollar per profile per month for each location. This tool makes it easy to handle your GBP as this is designed to simplify the management of Google Business Profiles. 

Features of the Project:

• Affordable Pricing
• User-friendly software
• Change Tracking and Alerts
• Protection Against Sabotage 
• Bulk Update Capability

Upcoming features will include comprehensive SEO reporting and review management tools, all while maintaining an affordable price point.

Instead of focusing on monetary gain, Darren aims to reach 100 million users, creating the best platform that everyone can use.

WhiteSpark2 SEO Service Packages

Darren’s WhiteSpark2 offers several SEO packages, including:

• Google Business Profile Management ($500/month): Comprehensive profile optimization and review management.
• Website and GBP Management: Affordable SEO with a focus on quality over quantity.
• Link-Building Package ($1,349/month): Ethical link-building through guest posts and legitimate outreach.

Local Search Ranking Factors – Learning Resource for a Large Audience

Darren described the ‘Local Search Ranking Factors Survey’ as the go-to resource for local SEO, compiled by leading industry experts. It scores and prioritizes factors impacting rankings and serves as a detailed guide for improving local search performance. 

I’ve relied on the Local Search Ranking Factors report for years, often finding it more insightful than Mary Meeker’s State of the Internet.

Insights from the DOJ Lawsuit: How Google’s Local Search Algorithms Really Work

The DOJ lawsuit against Google and Apple has exposed key aspects of local search and Google’s algorithms, revealing that Google prioritizes its content and keeps users on its platform through zero-click searches. 

Google’s $122 billion annual payment to Apple and the detailed explanation of algorithms like RankBrain emphasize the critical role of user engagement and behavior in rankings. 

WhiteSpark2 highlights that while many elements of a Google Business Profile might not directly impact rankings, they do enhance engagement. A richer profile leads to more interaction, which indirectly boosts rankings. 

Understanding these dynamics allows you to better tailor your SEO strategies, focusing on enhancing user engagement and leveraging the signals that Google now openly acknowledges as critical to ranking success.

Enhancing SEO with a Professional Network: A Strategy Worth Considering

Sharing successful strategies is one thing; implementing them is another. That’s where most people fall short. In my 25 to 30 years of experience, I’ve shared plenty of winning ideas, and here’s one that could transform your SEO game. During the conversation with Darren Shaw, I laid out a strategy that’s as simple as it is powerful: enhance your SEO by leveraging a network of professionals across various industries.

My strategy involves:

Leverage a Network of Professionals: Create a collaborative network across various industries to enhance SEO through relevant, topical link-building.

Repurpose One-Minute Videos: Got a killer one-minute video? Turn it into a blog post. Document your work, share your expertise, and watch as your SEO improves organically.

Use SEO Tools: Employ tools like Rank Math and Link Whisper to manage and optimize internal linking strategies.

Focus on Authentic Links: Forget about buying links or participating in unethical link-building practices. Instead, focus on building category-relevant, authentic links. This is where the real SEO magic happens.

Establish a Blogging Network: Build a network where professionals from related fields contribute content, linking to similar topics across different geographic areas and industries.

Enhance SEO Without Direct Competition: Create links that benefit SEO across the network while avoiding direct competition between contributors.

Darren was all in on this idea. He pointed out that businesses with more authentic links see better ranking boosts. Darren confirmed that this white-hat method aligns perfectly with natural link graph dynamics, offering a safe and effective way to build SEO authority.

Leveraging Social Media and Paid Ads for SEO? Yes, Please!

In a recent presentation, I outlined how social media, and paid advertising can impact SEO indirectly. My strategy focuses on producing high-quality video content, such as interviews with local SEO experts, and then converting these into detailed articles using AI tools like ChatGPT and Drip. I promote this content across YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn with Dollar-a-Day strategy.

While Google representatives clarified that social media and paid ads don’t directly affect SEO, they acknowledged that improved user experience from engaging content can positively influence rankings. 

Darren Shaw agrees, noting that genuine traffic from social media signals to Google that your site is valuable. My Dollar-a-Day strategy showcases this, boosting SEO while also enhancing brand visibility and attracting potential customers.

Optimizing ROI with Dollar-a-Day Strategy

If you haven’t tried the Dollar-a-Day strategy, you’re leaving money on the table. This cost-effective approach is perfect for boosting targeted posts and reaching specific audiences, especially on budget-friendly platforms like Twitter. I suggested promoting podcast clips using this method—Darren found the idea intriguing. For those with a small team, like Darren, a dedicated member could manage this to enhance ROI.

Targeted Ad Campaigns and SEO Wins: A Case Study

Let’s talk about the results. Collaborating with Caleb Guilliams, I ran a Twitter campaign targeting NAIFA members across several states. The outcome? A 40% link click rate and a 30% signup rate, all at just 25 cents per click. 

This campaign not only engaged the audience but also boosted visibility and authority through improved ad quality scores. Plus, running ads alongside content had a positive effect on knowledge panels, signaling to Google that this content was valuable.

For local SEOs, this approach is a game-changer. Focus on building authority through well-tagged website content, schema markup, and strategic publishing on respected industry platforms. This strategy helps local businesses stand out, even in competitive markets.

Darren Shaw: Final Words of Wisdom 

In his closing remarks, Darren highlighted the rising importance of video content in digital marketing, particularly on Google platforms. He shared;

Google is pushing videos into the search results. They know that the world is becoming more visual and more video-based content. If you have not embraced video, then listen to Dennis… get some videos on your profiles.

Darren backed this up with a real-world example—a video for a client racked up 11,000 views in just a month, while photos on their Google Business Profile barely broke a few hundred views. The takeaway? Video content is a massive, untapped opportunity that businesses need to capitalize on now. The future of SEO is here, and it’s more visual than ever.

And don’t stop at just business profiles. Encourage your customers and team members to upload videos and photos too. Even without reviews, these visuals can drive significant engagement and visibility.

Roger Wakefield, a YouTube plumber, is even launching a tool and course called ‘Are You Googleable?’ to help plumbers master SEO. His approach underscores the growing importance of video in digital marketing.

In a competitive industry like plumbing and home services, staying ahead of the curve with local SEO is crucial. Implement Darren’s insights to revolutionize your SEO strategy and leave your competitors behind.