Latest / The Local Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Small Business, Google Maps, and Local SEO / How a Local Plumber Uses Google Maps Absence to Lose Thousands
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's a plumbing company in Portland, Oregon — family-run, been around since the early 1990s. They do good work, they've got a solid reputation word of mouth. And they don't have a Google Maps listing. Luna: Wait — no listing at all? Like, zero presence on Google Maps? Lucas: Zero. If you search their business name, nothing shows up on the map. They're essentially invisible to anyone searching 'plumber near me' on their phone. And in 2026, that's roughly 80 percent of local service searches. Luna: Eighty percent? That seems high. I know local search is huge, but three out of four people? Lucas: Recent data from Google's own economic impact reports shows that near me searches have grown over 500 percent in the last five years. And for emergency services like plumbing, the number is even higher. Think about it: your toilet overflows at 9 PM on a Saturday. You don't open Yelp and read reviews. You grab your phone and type 'plumber near me' into Google. Luna: Right, because speed matters. You want the closest option that's open. Lucas: Exactly. And Google Maps is the fastest way to get that answer. So this plumber — let's call them Portland Pipe Pros, not their real name — they are missing out on what I'd estimate is at least two thousand dollars in potential weekly revenue. Possibly more. Luna: Two thousand a week? That's over a hundred thousand a year. How'd you get to that number? Lucas: I looked at the average job value for a plumbing service call in Portland — it's around three hundred dollars. Then I looked at how many 'plumber near me' searches happen in Portland each week. Using Google's Keyword Planner and some local search volume tools, it's about fifteen hundred searches per week. If a well-optimized listing captures even five percent of those, that's seventy-five calls a week. At a conservative close rate of sixty percent, forty-five jobs. Times three hundred dollars — thirteen thousand five hundred a week. Now, Portland Pipe Pros wouldn't get all of that, but even a fraction is huge. Luna: Okay, so the potential is massive. But why would a business that's been around since the nineties not have a Google Maps listing? That seems like such a basic thing. Lucas: I actually called them and asked. The owner said they 'never got around to it' and that 'word of mouth has been enough.' And I get it — when you're busy fixing pipes all day, marketing feels like a distraction. But the cost of not having a listing has grown year after year. What used to be a nice to have is now a must-have. Luna: It's not even just about search. Google Maps also builds trust. When someone sees a listing with photos, reviews, and an open sign, they feel more comfortable calling. Without it, the business looks less legitimate. Lucas: Exactly. And there's another layer: Google Maps is also the backbone of local SEO. If you don't have a verified Google Business Profile, you're not going to show up in the local pack — those three listings that appear at the top of a search result. That's prime real estate. Studies show that the local pack gets over forty percent of clicks. Luna: So not being there means you're essentially invisible to almost half the people searching. Lucas: Exactly. So let's say Portland Pipe Pros decides to set up a listing today. What's the process? It's surprisingly simple. First, go to google dot com slash business. Sign in with a Google account. Enter your business name and address. Google will try to verify you — usually by postcard with a code, sometimes by phone or email. That takes a few days. Once verified, you fill out your profile: hours, phone number, website, categories, attributes. Add photos. That's the minimum. Luna: And they should pick the right categories. For a plumber, it's not just 'plumber.' There are subcategories like 'emergency plumber,' 'drainage service,' 'water heater repair.' Each one helps you show up for more specific searches. Lucas: Great point. Then there are attributes. Google lets you mark things like 'offers emergency service,' 'on-site service,' 'free estimates.' Those small checkboxes can make a big difference in whether someone chooses you over a competitor. And then there's the Q&A section — you can pre-populate common questions and answers so customers don't have to guess. Luna: And reviews. That's the big one. A listing with zero reviews looks suspicious. But a new listing can start collecting reviews quickly by asking every satisfied customer. Even five or ten reviews can put you ahead of competitors who have none. Lucas: Right. And Google favors fresh activity. So posting a photo or updating your hours every week signals that your business is active. That helps your ranking. There's really no excuse not to have a listing. It's free. It takes an hour to set up. And it can drive thousands of dollars in revenue. Luna: But here's the thing — I think this story applies way beyond plumbers. How many other local service businesses are making the same mistake? Landscapers, electricians, cleaners, dog walkers. Any business that relies on local customers needs a Google Maps presence. Lucas: Absolutely. And the longer you wait, the more ground you lose to competitors who are already there. So if you're listening and you run a local business — or you know someone who does — check right now. Search your business name on Google Maps. If you don't see that red pin, you're leaving money on the table. Luna: And if they do have a listing but it's incomplete, that's almost as bad. Missing hours, no photos, wrong phone number — all of that hurts credibility and ranking. Lucas: Yeah, a half-finished listing can actually be worse than no listing, because it frustrates customers. So take the time to do it right. Fill out every field. Add at least ten photos. Respond to every review — good or bad. That engagement signals to Google that you're a real, active business. Luna: It's also worth noting that Google Maps isn't just for people searching on their phones at home. It's also for people driving through a neighborhood. If someone's in a new area and needs a plumber fast, they'll look at the map. If you're not there, you don't exist. Lucas: Exactly. And with the rise of voice search — 'Hey Google, find a plumber near me' — your listing has to be there. Voice search almost always pulls from the local pack. So if you're not in Google Maps, you're not in voice search either. Luna: So to recap for anyone who wants to do this today: one, claim your Google Business Profile. Two, verify it. Three, complete every section. Four, add photos. Five, ask for reviews. Six, post updates regularly. That's it. Lucas: And the ROI is insane. Even if you only get one extra job per week from the listing, that's over fifteen thousand dollars a year for a business like Portland Pipe Pros. For an hour of setup, that's a great return. Luna: And if these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used to improve your business, that's exactly what we're here for. We deliberately don't run ads on these shows because we want to keep the advice clean and focused on what actually works. Lucas: Yeah, and if that approach resonates with you, and you want to support that choice, there's a link in the show notes. It's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just a way to keep this going. Luna: Exactly. And backing to our plumber — I think the bigger lesson here is that the basics of local marketing are often the most powerful. You don't need a fancy website or a big ad budget. You just need to show up where customers are looking. Lucas: Right. Google Maps is the modern equivalent of being in the Yellow Pages — except it's free and way more effective. So if you're a local business owner and you haven't claimed your listing yet, today's the day. Your future customers are searching right now. Luna: And for the rest of us, it's a good reminder that sometimes the biggest opportunities are the ones we overlook because they seem too simple. Lucas: Absolutely. That's all for this episode. We'll be back with another one soon.