SEO vs Google Ads for Plumbers: The Real Money Answer

If you’re a plumber trying to grow, you’ve probably had someone tell you “SEO is the long game” and someone else say “Google Ads will get you leads tomorrow.” Both are true. The part most tradies don’t get told is this.... the option that makes you more money depends on where your business is right now, how fast you need work, what cash flow you’ve got, and how competitive your area is.

This isn’t a “one is better than the other” debate. It’s about choosing the right tool for the job, at the right time, so you’re not wasting money or leaving easy jobs on the table.

What SEO actually is (and why it can be a licence to print leads)

SEO stands for search engine optimisation. In plain terms, it’s the work done on your website and online presence so Google trusts you enough to show your business near the top when people search for services you offer.

So when someone types “emergency plumber Sydney” or “blocked drain near me,” SEO is what helps your website show up in the organic results without paying for every single click.

Yes, SEO has technical parts like site speed, pages built around specific services and suburbs, backlinks, internal linking, Google Business Profile work, and content that targets what people are actually searching for. But as a business owner, the most important thing to understand is what SEO does financially.

SEO is an asset. Once you’re ranking well, you can generate leads every week without having to increase your ad budget just to stay visible. It’s not “free leads” because you invest to build it, but it can become dramatically cheaper per lead over time than relying on ads alone.

SEO is usually the best move when you’re already busy enough to survive without immediate new leads, you’ve got steady cash flow from repeat work, referrals, strata, builders, or maintenance contracts, and you want consistent growth without being forced to pay more every time competition increases. It also works best when you’re thinking six to twelve months ahead, not just this week’s schedule.

The hard truth is that SEO takes time. In most markets, you’re not going to pay someone in month one and suddenly outrank plumbers who’ve been investing for years. But when it clicks, it’s powerful. If you’re sitting on page one for the right keywords, you’re putting your business in front of customers every day at the exact moment they’re looking to book.

To put that into perspective, imagine a keyword like “emergency plumber” in a major city. Those searches can be in the thousands per month depending on the area. If your business is consistently visible near the top, you’re no longer fighting for scraps. You’re intercepting demand.

What Google Ads really is (and why it can make you money fast… or burn it fast)

Google Ads is paid traffic. You pay to appear at the top of the search results, and you typically pay each time someone clicks. The biggest advantage is speed. If your campaigns are set up properly, you can generate enquiries quickly, sometimes the same day.

Google Ads is often the best option when you need leads now, you’re a newer business without a strong referral network yet, you’ve got capacity sitting there and you want to fill the week, or you’re running a profitable service where customers need immediate help and are ready to book.

For plumbers, Google Ads tends to work best when you’re targeting high-intent searches tied to urgency or a clear problem. Think burst pipes, blocked toilets, hot water systems, gas leaks, emergency callouts. These are moments where people don’t want to “shop around” for two weeks. They want it fixed, and they want it fixed fast.

The warning with Ads is also simple: if you don’t know what you’re doing, Google will happily take your money while you learn. Bad targeting, broad keywords, no negative keywords, sending traffic to the wrong page, not tracking calls properly, or running ads in areas you don’t service properly can turn into expensive lessons.

Even when Ads are managed well, costs usually rise over time. More plumbers enter the auction, cost per click goes up, and you end up paying more just to keep the same volume of leads. That’s often when tradies feel like they’ve “hit a wall.” The campaign still works, but it starts squeezing your margins.

So which one makes more money?

If you need jobs quickly, Google Ads usually makes you money faster because it can start producing leads immediately. That’s especially true when you’re offering emergency services and you answer the phone.

If you want the highest long-term return, SEO often wins because it can reduce your reliance on paid clicks and create a steady pipeline that doesn’t get more expensive every year.

The real “money answer” is this..... Google Ads buys you speed, SEO buys you stability. Most plumbers who scale well eventually build toward owning both.

The strategy that usually works best for plumbers: Ads now, SEO alongside it

A very common growth path looks like this.

You use Google Ads to generate leads now and keep the diary full. At the same time, you start SEO so you’re building an organic foundation under the business. As SEO starts to bring in consistent enquiries, you’re no longer forced to increase ad spend just to grow. You can become more selective with what you advertise, you can reduce spend in quieter weeks without your phone going dead, and you can put your budget behind the most profitable jobs rather than paying for everything.

This combination also protects you. If your ads account gets suspended, if competitors push up the cost per click, or if you decide to cut spend for a month, you’re not left with nothing. Organic visibility keeps the lights on.

When it makes sense to do SEO first, then add Ads later

There are situations where starting with SEO is the smarter play, especially if you’re already busy through referrals and you don’t want to take on more work immediately, but you do want to build a stronger presence in your area for the future. It can also make sense if you’re in a market where ad clicks are extremely expensive and you’d rather invest in becoming the obvious local choice over time.

Once your SEO starts ranking for your core services, you can bring in Google Ads for specific pushes. That might be seasonal campaigns, new services, targeting nearby suburbs you’re not ranking in yet, or covering gaps while SEO grows.

The biggest mistake plumbers make with both SEO and Ads

The mistake isn’t choosing the “wrong” one. It’s running either one without knowing what you’re trying to achieve.

With Ads, the goal isn’t clicks. It’s booked jobs at a cost that still leaves you profit. With SEO, the goal isn’t rankings for vanity keywords. It’s ranking for searches that lead to phone calls in the suburbs you actually want, for the services you actually make money on.

Treating SEO or Google Ads as just lead machines, rather than part of your business strategy, leads to wasted money.

Conclusion: What you should choose

If you want immediate leads and you have budget available upfront, Google Ads is the fastest route, especially for emergency plumbing and high-intent services.

If you have steady work, can invest monthly, and want long-term growth that doesn’t rely on paying for every click, SEO is the better long-term play.

If you want the strongest outcome, the combination is usually the winner. Google Ads keeps leads coming in today, while SEO builds the foundation that makes tomorrow cheaper, steadier, and less dependent on rising ad costs.

Choosing between SEO, Google Ads, or both doesn’t have to be confusing. A quick chat can help you figure out what will bring more leads and steady jobs for your business. Contact us here.

FAQs

1. How long does SEO take to start getting plumbing leads?

Most plumbers won’t see strong, consistent SEO leads overnight. In general, you’re looking at a few months to start seeing movement, and often six to twelve months to build real momentum in a competitive area. The upside is that once it kicks in, those leads can keep coming without you paying for every click.

2. Are Google Ads worth it for plumbers?

Google Ads can be very worth it if your campaigns are set up properly and you’re targeting the right searches, especially emergency and high intent services like blocked drains or hot water issues. Where plumbers get burned is running ads without tracking, bidding on the wrong keywords, or sending traffic to a weak page that doesn’t convert into calls.

3. What’s cheaper: SEO or Google Ads?

Google Ads usually costs more per lead because you’re paying every time someone clicks, and those costs can rise as more competitors advertise. SEO typically becomes cheaper per lead over time, but it requires patience and consistent monthly investment upfront to build rankings.

4. Should I do SEO and Google Ads at the same time?

If your budget allows it, yes, that’s often the best approach. Google Ads can keep leads coming in now, while SEO is building the long term pipeline that reduces your reliance on paid traffic later. This is especially useful when ad costs climb or when you want steadier leads without constantly increasing spend.


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