Ranking on organic search results is the cheapest and most sustainable way to market your HVAC business successfully in 2021. Unlike PPC (Google Ads), ranking through SEO for HVAC contractors does not require a bid or payment to Google. Instead, the search engine ranks these results algorithmically based on their artificial intelligence.
As a result, sites deemed most relevant to the user’s search query, and most trusted by Google, will appear at the top. Conversely, the opposite is true for web properties that are not trustworthy or relevant in the eyes of Google. So the question for heating and cooling companies becomes; how do you establish relevance and earn trust?
Establishing Relevance
To establish relevance for your website, you must implement the best SEO practices. High-quality content, natural keyword placement, and schema markup all build relevance. In addition, your title tag must contain keywords for which you wish to rank, as must your meta descriptions, header tags, and image alt text. Placing these keywords into these on-page areas without “stuffing” them can be a challenge, but one you must meet if you hope to meet their standards.
Google is anti-manipulation. They need to see the keyword to know what the page is about, but they don’t need to see it too much and in unnatural contexts. Remember, Google’s allegiance is to their users, not you. Think of yourself as Google’s partner in bringing the best website possible to their users.
You might be wondering what schema markup is. It is a microdata language that helps Google more effectively understand the purpose of a website. For those of us who are not web developers, the language itself will seem like gibberish. But to Google, it helps them crawl and index your website appropriately and promote it to the correct audience.
Evolution in technology has made the process more refined and empowered web developers to build better and more informative websites. For this reason, a professional web developer is a substantial investment. Unfortunately, stock templates often lack the precision in schema.org that is required to outrank the fiercest competitors.
Earning Trust
Google mirrors conventional wisdom in how they determine the trust of a website. For example, newer companies with no established website, no reviews, and no Google Maps listing are appropriately ranked at the bottom. Conversely, sites with established websites and Google My Business profiles, and verified reviews are ranked near the top. Domains newer than a year will have a tough time reaching page one, but can still appear on Google Maps and Google Ads. And with some hard work, you can start to earn organic rankings right at the 1-year mark. Sites that have been around for more than one year but have been stagnant can turn things around quickly with proper optimization and some quality and relevant link building. In summary, Google determines trust based on:
- Age: How long your company has been established online, particularly with a website
- Authority: How many relevant and trustworthy domains link back to your site
- Citations: How well your company is represented on Google My Business and other citation sources, including Facebook
- Consistency: How frequently your site churns out high-quality content like blog posts, social media, and traditional web pages
HVAC Webmasters can help you earn the trust that it takes to rank higher on Google SERPs. While newer companies have to be patient for organic success, there are avenues to supplement traffic while you work towards organic achievements. For HVAC contractors who already have a website and have had one for years, the process can be much simpler and faster. Your lack of trustworthiness might be due to optimization issues, and a simple re-focus on proper SEO could jettison you to the top of rankings before you know it. In either case, don’t let your current lack of success discourage you. There are absolutely ways to generate HVAC leads online. Our clients are living proof of that reality. As a marketing service that caters specifically to the heating and cooling industry, we are here to help you in every way possible.
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