Plumbers can no longer advertise on Google and YouTube.
The decision has been made: Google will no longer allow advertisements for plumbers in the Netherlands. As you may know, YouTube is owned by Google, which means that plumbers will no longer be able to advertise there either. The tech giant Google wants to prevent users (you and me looking for a plumber) from being scammed. Of course, this always leads to the discussion that "not everyone is bad" and "we work honestly." Unfortunately, in this situation, the good have to suffer along with the bad.
The demand of the Consumers' Association
With this intervention, Google is responding to the demand of the Consumers' Association. The Dutch Consumers' Association has repeatedly raised the alarm with the American company and made a firm demand. The Consumers' Association approached Google after receiving numerous reports of fraud.
Consumers often received bills for thousands of euros after relatively minor work. To reinforce its demand to Google, the Consumers' Association conducted its own investigation by deploying so-called 'mystery shoppers'. It turned out that they too had been cheated out of thousands of euros by these unscrupulous plumbers.
A stain on the plumbing industry
It's a shame, because there are so many good tradespeople who are now suffering as a result of the shady practices of these dishonest plumbers. Techniek Nederland has stated that it fully agrees with Google's decision. 'Too many people are being victimized'.
What now?
Two years ago, we had a similar situation with locksmiths. Here too, there were many scammers and dozens of victims were made every day. You can see that this market has now shifted to the organic side of Google. Genuine, reputable locksmiths actively engaged in SEO. This is also what plumbers need to do. Serious entrepreneurs now have the opportunity to secure a coveted position in Google's top 10.
We can now see that competition for relevant keywords for plumbers does not yet involve much organic competition. This is bound to change, of course! This market will also gradually move towards the organic part of Google.
Conclusion
Are you a plumber and unsure how to handle this situation? We already have an organic study ready for this market. Through the right on-page optimization and the power of link building, we can guide your website to the ultimate top 5 in Google. Would you like to know more? Please contact us for an introductory meeting. We would be happy to tell you more about the possibilities.
Tip
The image of plumbers has been significantly damaged by the actions of fraudsters. This means that reviews are more important than ever! We advise you to ask your customers to write a good review after every successful visit. These reviews are very valuable for Google and give you the opportunity to stand out from the rest.
