It’s no secret that homeowner needs are changing fast. If you want to keep the phone ringing and your appointment book full, you need to adapt your marketing strategy to meet their demands.
But where do I start?, you’re thinking. Take a step back and think about your HVAC marketing plan. Your strategy needs to target homeowners throughout the buyer’s journey—starting from the very moment they begin searching on Google. After all, you won’t be able to score any HVAC jobs if you’re not getting a steady stream of leads.
When done right, lead generation can transform your average searcher into a qualified lead. It’s a way to warm up potential customers to your business and get them on the path to eventually book an appointment. Here’s how to upgrade your HVAC marketing strategy with strategic lead generation.
If you’re not using Google Local Services ads yet, here’s your sign to start. They’re available across the United States for HVAC businesses—and they’re the first thing that pops up when someone searches for a local heating and air conditioning company.
The top spot goes to Local Services ads, then pay-per-click (PPC) ads, and then the local pack. Then, after scrolling past the sea of paid ads, local homeowners will eventually make their way down to organic search results.
What does this mean for your HVAC business? It’s getting harder to show up in organic search results for geographically related search results. To step out in front of the competition, you need Google Local Services ads for HVAC contractors.
Even if homeowners don’t click on your ad right away, you’ll get your name out there. And because Local Services ads are the first thing homeowners see, they can influence the buying journey right off the bat. Even better, Google serves Local Services ads to nearby searches, so you’ll show up in front of the right people when they need you most—whether they’re searching for a replacement filter or a new air conditioner.
The best part? Unlike your average pay-per-click ad, Local Services ads are pay-per-lead. That means you’ll only pay when a potential customer contacts you.
Want to avoid the hassle of setting up Google Local Services ads? Company 119 provides companies with no-cost setup and bills just $9 per lead. Yes, that means that if you never get a lead from Google Local Services ads, you never get a bill from us. Get started for free today.
There’s a waiting period before you can start running Local Services ads, so if you want to win HVAC jobs quickly, PPC ads—specifically paid search ads—are the best tool for the job.
With paid search ads, you pay to serve ads throughout the Google Search network. Just as the term pay-per-click suggests, every time someone clicks on your ad, you’ll pay for a click. Basically, you’re paying to drive traffic to your website instead of generating organic traffic with search engine optimization (SEO).
[highlight]Is PPC really worth it? The answer is yes. If your HVAC business isn’t showing up on the first page of Google’s search results, local homeowners probably won’t know you exist.[/highlight]
Needless to say, that means they’re not going to sign up for your emails, follow you on Facebook, or hire you for their next HVAC job. And even if you make it to the first page organically, click-through rates fall below average for all organic positions when the SERP is full of paid ads.
So, what’s the secret to PPC success? Knowing your numbers. Paid ads can effectively drive leads to your website, but you’ll need to leverage the right marketing metrics to make the best decisions for your budget.
Working with a limited marketing budget? Think paid search is overrated? Our clients tell us that SEO is the gift that keeps on giving. It takes some trial and error to rise up to Google’s first page of search engine results, but it’s worth the time and effort.
Why? Let’s take a look at the numbers. When homeowners want to hire an HVAC contractor, 97 percent go online, and 93 percent start their journey with a search engine. And if your HVAC business isn’t taking up valuable first page real estate, you’re sending mountains of qualified leads straight to the competition.
SEO might seem tricky, but it’s more straightforward than you think. Every single page on your website gives you an opportunity to rank for HVAC keywords. In other words, the more content on your website, the more likely you are to rank for relevant searches.
Some other factors that affect your search engine rankings include:
Thanks to Google’s Local Pack, local SEO is more important than ever for HVAC companies. After all, clicks and web traffic aren’t worth anything if they never turn into conversions. You want homeowners near you to find your business when their thermostat malfunctions or their furnace starts making weird noses.
So, how can you reach the top of Google’s local listings? Here’s how to get started.
With so many homeowners starting the buyer’s journey online, you can’t afford to miss out on Google’s first page of search engine results. After all, you can’t land any HVAC jobs if your prospects can’t find you.
Ready to run toward the fire with a knockout lead gen strategy? We’re here to answer any questions you might have about paid search, local SEO, or HVAC digital marketing. Contact us today to start converting local searchers into qualified leads.
