Most lists of plumbing marketing ideas are written for American businesses with big budgets: billboards, radio, branded trucks with wraps. This list is for UK plumbers with one to ten vans who want more of the right jobs. Every idea here has a clear purpose, a rough cost and a way to tell whether it worked.
Free ideas (cost: your time)
1. Turn your Google Business Profile into a sales page
Choose "Plumber" as the primary category, list every service, add your real service area and upload photos from recent jobs every week or two. Post short updates ("Just fitted a Worcester Bosch combi in Wigston, 10-year warranty"). It is free and it decides whether you appear in the map pack for "plumber near me".
2. Ask every customer for a Google review, the same day
Send a text with a direct review link before you leave the drive. Reviews influence both the map pack and Local Services Ads ranking. BrightLocal's 2025 survey of US consumers found only 4% never read online business reviews.
3. Reply to every review
A short, personal reply shows future customers you care. Reply calmly to negative reviews with what you did to put it right; readers judge the reply as much as the complaint.
4. Service reminders for past customers
Keep a simple list of boiler service dates. A text 11 months later ("Your boiler service is due, want me to book you in?") is the cheapest lead you will ever get, and a serviced customer calls you, not a stranger, when the boiler fails.
5. Leave something behind
A sticker on the boiler or a magnet on the fridge with your number. When something goes wrong next year, your number is the first they see.
6. Photograph every job
Before and after, with the town noted. These photos feed your Google profile, website, social posts and ads. Plumbers who show real work look more trustworthy than those using stock images.
Low-cost ideas (under £100 a month)
7. A landlord and letting agent package
Landlords need annual gas safety certificates and fast repairs. Create a simple rate card: gas safety certificate, boiler service, emergency call-out, and a promise on response times. Visit or email three local letting agents. One agent can bring dozens of properties.
8. Partner with businesses that see your customers first
Kitchen fitters, bathroom showrooms, builders, electricians and estate agents all meet people who need a plumber. Offer a reliable referral relationship and refer work back.
9. A proper service page for each job
One page each for emergency plumbing, boiler repair, boiler installation, bathrooms and landlord certificates, each naming the areas you cover. These pages help organic search and make better landing pages for ads.
10. Local Facebook groups, used carefully
Many towns have recommendation groups. Do not spam them; answer questions helpfully and let happy customers tag you. Recommendations from neighbours carry real weight.
Paid ideas (with controllable cost)
11. Google Search Ads for the jobs you want most
Run separate campaigns for emergency work and boiler installs, target your core postcodes and hours, and track calls. Published 2026 UK estimates put emergency plumber clicks at £4 to £12 and boiler installation clicks at £8 to £20.
12. Local Services Ads
If you have strong reviews and answer quickly, Local Services Ads put you above normal ads with a Google Guaranteed badge, and you pay per lead, roughly £15 to £50 according to published 2026 UK estimates.
13. Retargeting for boiler and bathroom visitors
People who looked at your boiler or bathroom pages but did not enquire can see your ads on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for the next few weeks. Small budget, high relevance.
14. Seasonal campaigns
Push servicing and "replace before winter" in late summer, frozen pipe advice and emergency cover in winter, and bathroom projects in January when people plan the year.
15. A simple customer newsletter
Two or three emails a year: winter checks, servicing reminders, a new service. Keep it short and useful. It keeps your name in front of people who already trust you.
Which ideas to start with
| If you want… | Start with ideas |
|---|---|
| More emergency calls | 1, 2, 11, 12 |
| More boiler installs | 4, 9, 11, 13 |
| More bathroom work | 6, 8, 13, 14 |
| Steady weekday work | 4, 7 |
| Lower long-term marketing costs | 1, 2, 4, 9, 15 |
Measure what each idea brings
Ask every new customer how they found you and note it with the job value. Give paid channels their own tracking numbers. After three months, drop the ideas that bring nothing and double down on the ones that bring good jobs. For a step-by-step version, see our 30-day plan for more plumbing leads.
Frequently asked questions
What are good marketing ideas for a plumbing business?
Start with a complete Google Business Profile, a steady flow of reviews, service reminders for past customers, a landlord package and targeted Google Ads for the jobs you want most.
How can plumbers market themselves for free?
Optimise your Google Business Profile, ask every customer for a review, photograph every job, send service reminders and build referral relationships with related trades and letting agents.
What is the best paid marketing for plumbers?
Google Search Ads and, for eligible businesses with strong reviews, Local Services Ads. Both reach people actively looking for a plumber.
How do plumbers get repeat business?
Keep a list of service dates and send reminders, leave your number on the boiler, and stay in touch with a short email two or three times a year.
Related guides
- How to Get More Plumbing Leads: 9 Channels Compared
- Best Way to Advertise a Plumbing Business
- How to Get More Leads for My Plumbing Business: A 30-Day Plan
Sources
- BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2025
- Trade2Base, "Google Ads budget for tradespeople" (8 June 2026)
Want help choosing which ideas to start with?
Ask for a free review. We will look at your Google profile, website and ads, and suggest the three ideas likely to bring you the most work.