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Case Study — Plumbing & HVAC SEO
From 10 Keywords to 406 in 11 Months
A plumbing and HVAC service chain came to us with some existing online presence but only 10 keywords ranking on page one of major search engines. They wanted more local visibility and more calls.
Over 11 months of local SEO work, that number grew to 406 page-one keywords. Here is what we did, and what it produced.
At a glance
page-one keywords, in 11 months
first-page rankings
Earned through organic search, not paid ads.
10
Starting keywords
11
Months of work
406
Final keywords
3,960%+
Growth rate
The context
The starting point
A plumbing and HVAC service chain with real reach across its region, but only a fraction of it showing up in search results.
They had the trucks, the technicians, and the track record — but when homeowners searched for help, competitors answered the phone.
“We were in every town we served. We just weren’t showing up when people searched for us.”
The challenge
Problem vs. Goal
Where the company stood, and where it needed to be.
The problem
Ten keywords on page one
Across the major search engines, only ten search terms placed the company on the first page. Homeowners searching for emergency plumbing, AC repair, or HVAC installation mostly found competitors instead.
The goal
More local visibility, more calls
The company wanted to show up in local search results and map listings across every service area — and turn that visibility into phone calls, not just clicks.
What we did
Our approach
Five pieces of work, run together across the campaign. Each one reinforced the others.
Keyword research
Extensive research into how customers actually search for plumbing and HVAC services — from “emergency plumber near me” to seasonal heating and cooling terms — then built the plan around those real phrases.
On-page and off-page SEO
On-page work covers what sits on the site: page titles, headings, service pages, and internal links. Off-page work covers signals from other websites, such as links and mentions. Both were pointed at the targeted keyword terms.
NAP consistency audit & cleanup
NAP means name, address, and phone number. We audited and corrected those details across Google Business Profile, Apple Maps, and Bing Local so search engines could trust every branch location.
SEO-friendly content
We developed and distributed content built around the target keywords across relevant sites, so every service area and trade had a clear reason to rank.
Facebook page optimization
We cleaned up the company’s Facebook page so its business details matched every other listing and supported the wider local search work.
All five, running together
Nothing was siloed. Every task pointed at the same researched keywords, which is why the gains compounded instead of plateauing.
The timeline
Page-one keyword growth
First-page rankings on the major search engines, measured from the start of the campaign.
Start
Page-one keywords — baseline
After 3 months
1,190% increase
After 6 months
Over 2,860% increase
By 11 months
Over 3,960% increase
Growth compounded month after month because every task in the campaign pointed at the same researched terms — and local visibility kept widening across every service area.
Final six months
Traffic over the final six months
Site performance during the last six months of the campaign, compared with the previous period.
Overall website traffic
4,431 visits
Organic sessions
3,444 visits
Pageviews
10,274 views
The takeaway
Why this worked
Two decisions did most of the heavy lifting.
Research came first
The campaign was built around how homeowners actually search for plumbing and HVAC help — including emergency and seasonal queries. Nothing was built on a guess.
Listings had to match
Google Business Profile, Apple Maps, and Bing Local each carry the company’s name, address, and phone number at every branch. When those records disagree, search engines lose confidence. Cleaning them up supported the local ranking gains across every location.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions local service companies ask us most.
How long does SEO take for a plumbing or HVAC company?
In this campaign, page-one keywords went from 10 to 129 within three months, then to 406 by month 11. Most local service businesses see real movement between three and six months. Competitive metro markets take longer.
Was any of this paid advertising?
No. The company wanted organic visibility and calls, so the work was SEO, listings cleanup, content development, and social profile optimization.
Why does NAP cleanup matter for local service businesses?
NAP means name, address, and phone number. Search engines compare those details across Google Business Profile, Apple Maps, Bing Local, and other directories. For a multi-location service company, records that disagree make the business look less reliable and can hold back local and map rankings.
Will my company get the same results?
Not necessarily. Results depend on your market, your competition, your starting point, and how much content and cleanup work the site needs. These numbers describe one company’s campaign.
What was measured here?
Two things: first-page keyword rankings on the major search engines, and website traffic reported in analytics over the final six months of the campaign.
Have a question we did not cover? Contact Polaris Marketing Solutions and ask.
Next step
Ready for results like this?
Contact Polaris Marketing Solutions to talk about your SEO strategy. We will look at where you rank now and what it would take to move.