Author Archives: HVAC Webmasters

Mar '23

How AI-Generated HVAC Content Impacts Your SEO Rankings

The emergence of AI tools like ChatGPT and Jasper has presented HVAC companies with an essential question regarding their SEO strategy: should we use AI-generated content on our website?

While the age of AI is undoubtedly upon us, the trajectory of this technology and its best use cases remains murky at best. A recent open letter from high-level professionals has called for a 6-month pause on AI advancements as analysts attempt to gain some regulatory hold on this rapidly growing technology.

Unregulated AI advancements, which are currently outpacing Moore’s Law, present threats to businesses, society, and humanity at large. HVAC companies are not immune from these dangers and should consider them before jeopardizing any aspect of their business.

Source: ChatGPT

Publishing AI-Generated HVAC Content for SEO Purposes

Google’s stance on AI-generated content is somewhat vague as they’ve stated that AI content in and of itself does not violate their guidelines but that the mass production of any content, without proper oversight, can be penalized by its algorithms.

If we look more closely at Google’s actions rather than their words, we’ll find they are exploring ways to penalize HVAC content generated for SEO purposes. The August 2022 Helpful Content Update was the first revelation of their general intent regarding AI content.

While the Helpful Content Update language does not explicitly target AI content, it implies that its use is subject to new algorithmic refinements. As a result, relying on AI tools to generate your HVAC website’s content is dangerous at best and reckless at worst.

Can AI-Generated Content Rank on Search Engines?

AI-generated content can rank on search engines for various keywords across all niches. However, multiple studies have concluded that AI-generated content can incur penalties and sudden traffic drops after extended use. Just because something ranks initially does not make it a sound long-term strategy.

The distinction most people miss is that AI content quality varies largely by its initial inputs. Asking ChatGPT to produce an article based on its pre-trained knowledge is not going to produce valuable insights for readers.

However, feeding ChatGPT new and original information for an article can produce something valuable. The concept of originality aligns with Google’s own messaging regarding AI-generated content, which is not about how it is produced but who it is produced for.

If you can use AI to assist you in writing valuable content for humans, it has a good chance of ranking on search results. Unfortunately, most people in the SEO industry are seeking shortcuts and are not going to take the time and effort to feed these tools original and unique data.

As a result, outsourcing your HVAC content generation process to a robot is an unwise business decision and not something any reputation marketing agency would recommend.

If you believe your content writers or marketing agency is currently publishing low-quality AI content, you can run tests with this AI Content Detector tool. It’s important to note, however, that these detectors can produce false positives.

Can Google Detect AI-Generated Content?

With AI detection tools like Open AI Detector and Originality AI available to the public, Google can likely detect AI content on any website. In addition, their AI detection tools are probably more advanced than those currently open to the public and more in line with the pace of OpenAI’s language models like GPT4.

Source: Writer.com

The Impact of AI Chatbots on Bing and Google

Bing’s adoption of ChatGPT into their search engine interface is a bold and potentially industry-shifting move that can help Bing overtake some of Google’s longstanding market share dominance. While the early returns on behavioral shifts in search engine users remain low, it’s enough to be noticeable and cause disruption.

Google is concerned enough to fast-track its own AI chatbot, Bard, to maintain search engine supremacy. However, their counterstrike may not be enough to keep Bing entirely at bay, as early SEO analysis finds Bing’s AI chatbot as a superior tool to Bard.

While the chatbot wars are interesting, their emergence has yet to impact HVAC SEO in any tangible way. For example, users seeking HVAC services are still mainly clicking through to Google Maps listings and top organic listings rather than relying on answers from a chatbot. Furthermore, Bing’s chatbot cites sources for its solutions, ultimately leading users to top-ranking organic results.

Alternative Ways to Use AI to Improve HVAC SEO

While mass-producing HVAC content with OpenAI is foolish, using AI for alternative SEO enhancements should be encouraged. Simply ignoring AI would be as big a mistake as using it recklessly. Below, HVAC Webmasters outlines some of the best use cases for AI.

Brainstorming

GPT can help HVAC companies brainstorm ideas for articles, topics, keywords, titles, and creative projects. Think of ChatGPT as a personal intern who is not to be trusted with high-level business practices but can provide some exciting ideas for new projects.

Summarizing

Are you looking to write an article based on an HVAC-related YouTube video? You can use an AI-powered tool like Summarize Tech to generate a clear video summary. But, again, DO NOT copy and paste the content onto your website. Instead, use it to save time from watching the entire video frame by frame.

Coding

One of the most innovative use cases from ChatGPT and other AI software is bridging the gap between coding and the commoner. You can have ChatGPT create HTML, CSS, and other coding projects on your behalf. Of course, like with content, the software can only be trusted with oversight from an experienced and trained developer.

Still, the ability to fast-track the development of plugins, widgets, apps, and website designs is a significant advantage for HVAC companies.

Image Generation

While much of the focus of AI has been on text-based content, tools like Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and Canva’s Text to Image app empower HVAC companies to produce unique images for website content.

ChatGPT 4 (the paid version) now offers DALL-E-powered image generation directly inside the ChatGPT platform.

The key to adequately using AI-generated photos is to avoid prompts that include human beings. You should only generate AI images of non-human things like air conditioners, furnaces, etc.

In many cases, AI-generated images are as good or better than royalty-free stock photos. However, the legality of how these images are generated remains up in the air. So, always proceed with caution.

Canva Text to Image App Example (Screenshot)

AI Websites

Some tools are now capable of producing AI websites for businesses. While ChatGPT cannot currently produce a website from scratch, other platforms have technology that generates entire business websites. These tools are still in their early stages, so we can expect the quality to improve over time.

ChatGPT can also assist with writing content for your website, writing code for your website theme, and evaluating the conversion rate components of your current design. Because of the speed at which AI is advancing, it won’t be long until ChatGPT can create an entire website.

Final Thoughts on AI and Its Impact on HVAC SEO

As the #1 HVAC SEO company in the world, HVAC Webmasters has a duty to explore emerging trends in our industry. Using AI content on your website is dangerous and may result in an algorithmic penalty that results in a loss of rankings. As a result, our policy is to create original human-generated content on our client’s websites.

While we strongly discourage HVAC companies from using AI software to generate and publish content, we encourage the exploration of AI to help with other areas of your HVAC SEO campaigns. As technology advances and regulations allow us to determine the best use cases, we will continue to find ways to help our clients dominate Google rankings in 2023.

Feb '23

7 Best HVAC Podcasts to Stream in 2024 (with/Episodes)

Heating and cooling professionals can gain valuable insights from HVAC podcasts. But where should you start, and what are the best podcasts for HVAC professionals?

At HVAC Webmasters, we’ve been at the forefront of the podcast medium, which helps solidify a brand in 2024.

As a result, we’ve compiled a list of the seven best HVAC podcasts:

1) The HVAC Marketing Plan

The HVAC Marketing Plan podcast hosted by Nolen Walker and Jason Landry of HVAC Webmasters provides a wealth of digital marketing information related to SEO, content marketing, Google algorithms, and website design.

In the age of con artist marketing, The HVAC Marketing Plan is a ray of light for companies looking to succeed in an oversaturated marketplace. The HVAC Marketing Plan offers actionable insights that can help companies get ahead and stay ahead of competitors online.

From Local SEO tips to recommended tools, Nolen and Jason have been in the HVAC marketing industry for over a decade. As a result, their insights are rooted in expertise rather than sensationalism and clickbait.

The podcast episodes are thorough and provide everything an HVACR company needs to succeed locally with digital marketing.

Check out the podcast on YouTube:

2) HVAC School

For improving your craft, HVAC School is the most hands-on Podcast for HVACR professionals. This podcast, hosted by Bryan Orr, offers a wealth of industry-related training information and insights.

HVAC School consistently delivers can’t-miss content, from troubleshooting the modern ECM to setting realistic customer expectations. Whether a beginner or veteran of the HVACR industry, this podcast should be saved in your library.

Check out the podcast on YouTube:

3) HVAC Know it All Podcast

The HVAC Know It All podcast is hosted by Gary McCreadie as he shares his experience, opinions, and tools for HVAC professionals. In addition, listeners gain first-hand insights into one of the industry’s most connected participants.

From interviewing other HVAC professionals to hosting state-of-the-industry episodes, Gary McCraedie consistently delivers high-quality podcast content for listeners throughout the HVAC space in 2024.

Check out the podcast on Spotify:

4) HVAC Financial Freedom

HVAC Financial Freedom is a podcast made specifically for residential HVAC contractors. Host John Victoria interviews other successful contractors and industry experts who provide valuable insights into business growth, startups, and scalability.

The podcast also dives into the pitfalls of the digital marketing industry for HVAC companies and gives insider tips to generate more business in the heating and cooling space. This is a must-listen podcast for HVAC pros.

Check out the Podcast on YouTube:

5) HVAC Success Secrets: Revealed

Hosted by Thaddeus Tondu & Evan Hoffman, HVAC Success Secrets: Revealed offers valuable insights into maximizing your HVAC business. The podcast covers culture, business growth, and strategy to help companies thrive in a competitive marketplace.

The episodes cover various topics, from business culture to field management software integration, each through the lens of true HVAC professionals. Anyone looking to maximize their business should subscribe.

Check out the podcast on Spotify:

6) The Engineers HVAC Podcast

Tony Mormino hosts The Engineers HVAC Podcast, which educates the HVAC community, including mechanical engineers, contractors, building owners, and maintenance personnel. Tony is a long-time veteran of the HVAC industry, having started back in 1997.

The episodes cover industry-related scenarios along with technical engineering components. For example, one episode is titled: Heat Pump Water Heaters, Electrification, and Decarbonization.

Check out the podcast on Spotify:

7) Building HVAC Science

Building HVAC Science is a niche podcast and, as the name suggests, covers building science, HVAC diagnostics, and a broad array of sub-topics like comfort, health, and safety. Building performance expert Bill Spohn is the podcast’s host and provides valuable insights.

Episode topics range from home retrofitting to industry myth-busting with guest appearances from other industry experts. This podcast is a dream come true for listeners intrigued by the technical aspects of HVAC diagnostics.

Check out the podcast on YouTube:

Starting an HVAC Podcast

If these podcasts entertain you, consider starting a podcast yourself. A podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube can expand brand awareness and promote essential brand signaling for your digital marketing presence. At HVAC Webmasters, we can help you start a podcast.

If you believe your company can share unique insights into the heating and cooling industry, it makes sense to start as soon as possible.

Apr '22

HVAC Business Model 101: Be a Tech or Be a Boss (Podcast)

Every HVAC contractor has to decide on their business model at some point. For example, do you want to be a tech or a boss? An HVAC technician is an honest way to make a living but being a boss affords you more lifetime earnings, a better lifestyle, and long-term financial security, with the right blueprint.

In today’s HVAC Marketing Plan Podcast episode, Nolen and Jason discuss HVAC business Model 101: Be a Tech or Be a Boss.

Choosing Your HVAC Business Model

Living gig to gig adds stress to your business and prevents you from generating sustainable revenue. While you can still get by as an HVAC technician, your business value fails to increase over time. The intelligent choice is to build your HVAC business into a credible and prosperous brand.

Job to Job Model

The job-to-job model keeps your company in the gig economy, restricting sustainable income. OF course, you can still make a living with this model, but is it good? When competitors generate more consistent leads from their website, they will lower their cost per acquisition while you pay a premium to buy leads from 3rd parties.

Boss Model

The boss business model involves creating an HVAC company brand that generates leads from your branded online entities. For example, getting leads from your website with SEO will lower your cost per lead. Similarly, acquiring leads from your Google Business Profile will keep customers coming back next time they need an HVAC repair.

How To Create an HVAC Company Brand

If you choose boss mode as your HVAC business model, you have to create a brand. But how can an HVAC contractor create a brand? It’s not as difficult as you might think. Common misconceptions about brand building are that you need dozens of employees, trucks, and locations.

You can have one or two additional employees and still create a brand. Why? Because branding is really about marketing and presentation. If you establish your presence on Google, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, people will engage.

You’ll no longer need to buy HVAC leads from 3rd party companies with a more prominent brand than you. You can also invest in HVAC business coaching to increase your accountability.

Digital Marketing

The first step is investing in HVAC marketing for your business. You want to appear at the top of local search results for HVAC-related queries. You’ll notice that companies like Yelp and HomeAdvisor usually rank #1 for these kinds of keywords. So you have to outrank them with your website.

Reputation Management

Even if you rank #1 on Google, people will still vet your company. Before contacting your business, they will look for reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Better Business Bureau. With this in mind, it’s critical to accumulate as many reviews as possible and respond to testimonials. It also helps to showcase your reviews on your website with API plugins.

Personalization

Nameless, faceless companies fail to establish memorable brands. For your HVAC company to enjoy success, you must personalize your marketing campaign. For example, post images of yourself, your team, and your trucks on your website homepage and Google Business Profile. Consumers will engage with brands they can match with a name and face.

Help With Your HVAC Business Model

If you need help with your HVAC business model, reach out to HVAC Webmasters. You can also consume our free podcasts from the HVAC Marketing Plan. Aside from our podcasts, YouTube videos, and free resources, we also provide valuable information in our website blog posts. You can learn a great deal about HVAC marketing on our platforms.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Mar '22

The (2024) Guide to HVAC Funnels (w/Tips, Strategies & Tools)

HVAC funnels are a big topic in 2024. The truth is that funnels have been around for decades. Businesses have used funnels to acquire customers over the past decade, using SEO, PPC, and social media. Still, modern marketers promote the funneling process as a new-age tactic.

Another way to think about funneling is through the lens of your sales process. A sales funnel is one of the most critical tools to the success of your HVAC business. While you might not define your process as a sales funnel, a sequence of events moves your prospects from a lead to a customer.

If you have not considered the specifics of your HVAC funnel, it’s not too late. The following guide outlines essential tips for cultivating a sales funnel and the best practices for HVAC companies.

Understanding HVAC Sales Funnels

A sales funnel moves leads through the process of becoming a paying customer. The journey includes:

Brand Awareness (when the lead first becomes aware of your company or services)
Consideration (when the lead is considering hiring you for your services)
Conversion (when the lead becomes a paying customer)
Post-Consumer Actions (when the customer becomes a repeat customer or refers your business to friends and family)

Specific information and marketing tactics should be utilized at each stage, which we will cover in the following section.

Funnel Stages for HVAC Companies

HVAC funnels consist of four primary stages. When leads move through each step, they will likely become a quality customer. However, how well your funnel works depends on your specific tactics within each stage. Below, HVAC Webmasters outlines the keys to each phase.

Stage I: Brand Awareness

The first stage (brand awareness) is often the most challenging – especially for small businesses trying to gain a foothold in their local market.

Here is what your marketing efforts will look like in the first stage of the sales funnel:

SEO: Implementing HVAC SEO helps your website appear to people who search for services online.
PPC Ads: PPC ads will be displayed to people who perform relevant searches or go on certain websites related to your HVAC field.
External Links: External links are important because they will direct more people to your website, increasing brand awareness.

Phase II: Consideration Stage

Again, the top of the funnel is about making as many people as aware of your business/services as possible. The next is the consideration stage, which may involve things like:

Content Marketing: Blog posts that inform the lead on a specific issue or convince them to use a particular service.
Social Media Posts: Once the consumer is aware of your services, it helps to engage them on social media and remind them that you are a viable option.
White Papers: White papers are educational documents that can help a consumer who is considering paying for an HVAC service but may not know enough about it yet to make a sound decision. 4

Phase III: Conversion Stage

The consideration phase is comparable to a cell phone store. You have already entered the store to enter the top of the funnel (brand awareness). Once you are in the store, salespeople may come up and talk to you or ask if you have any questions, thereby nurturing your consideration.

Your content marketing, social media posts, and resources you offer your customers play the role of salespeople in a cell phone store but in digital form.

Next up is conversion. The lead is already warmed up at the conversion stage but may need one final burst of motivation to close the sale. The conversion stage of the funnel could be helped by:

Landing Pages: Persuasive landing pages attached to PPC ads will encourage users to click through to your site and complete the sale.
Calls to Action: A strong, written call to action will clarify to the consumer how to move on to the next stage and complete the sale.
Customer Testimonials: Using positive testimonials from past customers at the conversion stage can be beneficial. These can be displayed on your site’s appointment scheduling pages or check-out pages to provide an extra push.

Phase IV: Post-Consumer Stage

Next is the post-consumer stage, where it can be constructive to continue to engage customers. Tools you can use at this stage include:

Email Marketing: Once a sale is closed, you will likely have the customers’ email contact info. Be sure to contact them about relevant promotions and deals based on their past purchasing activity with your business.
Customer Relationship Management Software (CRM software): can make managing and nurturing relationships with existing customers much more manageable.
Loyalty Rewards Programs: include special discounts for yourself or anyone the customer refers to in your HVAC business (and completes a sale).

Final Thoughts on HVAC Funnels

The critical question is: Are you getting the most out of your HVAC funnels, or are you just letting them do their thing? If your answer is more akin to the latter situation, now is the time to take action.

A cultivated sales funnel can increase your business’s growth rate. It can convert customers who visit your site and leave into paying customers. It can help you turn more leads into conversions. It can optimize your marketing efforts and so much more.

From the moment the customer becomes aware of your business/service to the time that they pay for your services, all the way to the time that they refer you to their friends and family or come back to you for their own HVAC needs, they have moved through your sales funnel.

Feb '22

5 HVAC Promotional Ideas (Online + Digital) for 2024 & Beyond

If you’re looking for HVAC promotional ideas, this post is for you.

It can be hard to get the consumers’ attention, primarily if you operate in a crowded regional market.

Nevertheless, you should consider these HVAC online promotions whether or not you have exhausted other lead generation avenues.

Promoting your business is a great way to increase brand awareness and generate leads.

The best promotional tactics are subtle and prevent consumers from feeling sales pressure.

The goal is to make it seem like you’re not advertising since most modern consumers don’t trust ads.

Below, HVAC Webmasters outlines five ideas to promote your AC company.

Table of Contents

1) Reach Out to Local Radio Stations

Did you know that 92% of American adults still listen to the radio?

While the medium seems antiquated with the emergence of podcasts and digital streaming, your audience regularly tunes into their local radio stations.

One great promotional idea is to contact your local radio station and team up with them for a giveaway.

Then, of course, you would sponsor the prize, which can range from a free AC or discounts on certain HVAC services.

One of the giveaways we heard about was the radio station weather report.

A sweepstakes entrant would be drawn to receive the prize if the weatherman was off on the daily high temperature by more than 3 degrees.

Of course, the prize will depend on what you can reasonably put up without hurting your bottom line.

Still, this is a great way to promote brand awareness and get sweepstake entrants to opt-in to email lists.

2) Facebook Giveaways

Every heating and cooling company should have a Facebook Business Page to promote their company.

As the top social media platform, Facebook provides many opportunities for HVAC promotions in 2024.

The time is now to utilize that community and grow it with a promotional giveaway for established pages.

Start by creating an announcement post to the effect that you will be giving away a free service (the actual service is up to your discretion) for people who sign up with their email and phone number or who follow your page.

Only one person can win the giveaway, so when all is said and done, you will likely have a slew of leads interested enough in one of your services to enter their information in a giveaway for it.

Another great thing about this idea is that it is relatively easy to set up independently without needing a 3rd party to get involved.

3) Guest Blogging

If you have colleagues in the business, ask if you can contribute a guest post to their website.

You can drive referral traffic from their website to yours if you provide valuable content.

Guest posts also help with link building, as your website’s inbound links count as an endorsement.

But, of course, it depends on the website’s authority to which you contribute.

Remember that nefarious guest posting (doing it only for the link) violates Google guidelines.

A white-hat guest post involves a genuine relationship where one contributor provides valuable and topical content on another’s site.

For example, you can contribute a worthwhile post if you know HVAC suppliers, other contractors, or even people in similar industries.

4) Photo Contests

Photo contests help promote HVAC services and are compatible with various media platforms.

One excellent photo contest example was the Ugly Furnace Contest.

Entrants sent in a picture of their old, ugly furnace (including contact information) for a chance to win a new furnace.

You can partner with local print media outlets like local newsletters, newspapers, and even advertisers in your area. You can also launch the promotion on your own online.

You can promote the contest on your homepage if you have consistent monthly web traffic.

You can also promote your competition on your social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Contests are a fun way to get people involved in your brand, and of course, they will identify a slew of new leads primed for furnace replacement or maintenance.

Of course, you can change the details. If AC service is more lucrative in your area, by all means, turn it into an Ugly AC Contest.

5) Facebook Quizzes

Everyone loves a good quiz now and then, especially when a prize is on the line.

So, once again, we are turning to Facebook because it is straightforward to set up and run a quiz on the platform and tap into your existing community.

There are even apps you can use to create Facebook quizzes ridiculously easily.

Of course, you will put up a prize in this scenario, but the ROI will likely be significant.

A quiz won’t cost you anything and won’t take more than a few minutes.

Plus, you have the opportunity to drive engagement and grow your social media community, which is always good for business.

Bonus Idea: Promote Your HVAC Company on Google

The most efficient form of HVAC promotion is search engine optimization. Ranking your website and Google Business Profile on organic search results creates a sustainable stream of high-quality leads.

In addition, unlike other time-sensitive promos, an organic search presence is constant.

The best way to increase rankings is to invest in Local SEO for HVAC Contractors.

Many consumers click on the Google Map 3-Pack when searching for a local AC company.

Various factors like proximity, prominence, and relevance come into the algorithm’s consideration.

HVAC Webmasters offers a tool called DataPins to help you rank locally and convert more traffic.

DataPins allow HVAC companies to drop the location of their jobs and then inject the geo-coordinates with schema markup, serving as a digital hand-raise to Google Maps.

We hope you enjoyed the list. Keep in mind that there are never enough HVAC promotional ideas

Feb '22

6 Helpful AC Services Telemarketing Tips to Consider

In my 10+ years of working with HVAC companies, one thing has remained constant: telemarketing works. Telemarketing may seem old-fashioned, but it can help AC companies generate more sales.

Key Takeaway

If you’re persistent, telemarketing produces results, but remember that it will take time, resources, and human resources. For example, reaching a prospect through cold calling takes an average of 8 attempts.

Bonus: Check Out My Tips On How To Get More HVAC Sales

I’m not here to discourage you from trying telemarketing for your AC company but rather to provide you with tips on how to streamline the process and give yourself the best chance to increase your sales.

Below, I’ll outline six helpful telemarketing tips based on my 10+ years of experience.

1) Invest in VOIP

VOIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. As the name implies, it’s a phone service that uses an internet connection rather than an actual phone line. There are many advantages to ditching your old phone service in favor of VOIP, but let’s focus on the one that will help you telemarket.

VOIP can help automate some calls. Then, when someone does pick up the phone, you can have the call routed directly to you or an associate. As a result, cold calling is much more efficient and frees up your time for more important things.

VOIP makes cold calling more manageable and is affordable. Some of the basic packages are free, and smaller businesses will likely only need the basic packages, so there is nothing to lose.

2) Keep Everything Legal

As the proprietor of an HVAC business, you probably don’t have cause to know that telemarketing is regulated very strictly. The laws for telemarketing vary by state.

There are laws on call length, such as when you can call, the numbers you can dial, and how you record calls. Companies that violate any of these laws face stiff penalties.

Pro Tip: Review the laws and requirements for telemarketing and consult your attorney

3) Curate Your Call List

Compiling a call list carefully will take some time, but it is a smart move. Avoid calling people who have not expressed interest in your services as much as possible.

Make sure you carefully curate a call list and start with the number of people who have voluntarily given you their contact info. However, if you make many calls, you will probably need to populate your call list with completely cold prospects.

Ensure that you aren’t contacting anyone on the national Do Not Call registry in these cases. Also, consult with an honest lawyer at all times.

4) Keep A Customer Profile

Every lead should enter your CRM system so you can recall previous conversations and preferences. For example, keep track of past services, areas of interest, names, and addresses. Also, take note of and archive any information that will be helpful for you or an associate to close a sale.

Many VOIP services offer a feature that displays a detailed list of information when you contact a lead. However, keeping a data index is still helpful if VOIP is not an option. Indexes will allow you to personalize your pitch and increase the lead’s likelihood of making a purchase.

5) Monitor Performance

If you delegate telemarketing to employees or a call center, it’s essential to ensure optimal performance. Don’t be afraid to step in on low-quality calls. In addition, it’s your job to train employees and provide a sales script and constructive feedback for progressive improvement.

Every call will differ, but the message or sales script should have a general philosophy or guide. Ensure that anyone handling your cold calls understands the message you want to send and stays focused.

6) Don’t Get Discouraged

It is common to get discouraged when making cold calls. You will hear the word “no” quite well, so prepare for that. Most importantly, don’t get discouraged by the customer’s reaction, even if it’s vile.

Telemarketing generally has a negative connotation, but perseverance is key to success. Remember that telemarketing is all about being persistent. For example, you can’t sound timid when calling back leads. People will sense any hesitancy and reject your entire premise.

Of course, not everyone needs AC services now, but most people will need them eventually. As a result, make sure that you are reaching those people. That means being persistent and keeping up with your cold call efforts.

Consult With an Attorney Before Cold Calling - HVAC Webmasters Does NOT Provide Legal Advice.

Increase Telemarketing Conversions Through Brand Synergy

If your brand exists online in other formats, you’ll convert more cold calls. For example, does your HVAC company appear in Google search results from SEO efforts? Can consumers find your business on Facebook, HomeAdvisor, and other popular platforms for home service providers?

Part of establishing rapport over the phone is finding familiarity. When people know of your brand, whether they can recall the source or not, they are more likely to give you latitude with your sales pitch. If you call it a complete unknown, the chances of quick rejections skyrocket.

As a result, make sure to invest in your digital marketing strategy so your telemarketing will improve.

Feb '22

The (Ultimate) HVAC Facebook Marketing & Management Guide

Delving into HVAC Facebook marketing can seem intimidating for contractors in 2023. However, with the volume of users (about 307 million) and the average time spent per day (about an hour), Facebook has done a lot to transform itself into an asset for business owners.

Like Google, Facebook has spent a good portion of the last decade rolling out new services like advertising and ways to connect business owners to their audience. As a result, Facebook has emerged as an essential marketing tool for AC and heating companies.

2023 is the perfect time to revamp your HVAC business’s Facebook page. That’s because HVAC contracting enterprises have been slow to adopt Facebook marketing as a priority, as have many other home service businesses. So if you are serious about getting started with HVAC Facebook marketing, you could be getting a jump on your local competitors.

There are many different aspects of Facebook management for AC companies. As a result, HVAC Webmasters outlines some critical social media marketing and management tactics in the following guide.

Setting up an HVAC Facebook Business Page

Having a Facebook page for your business differs from having a profile on Facebook. To set your business up for success on Facebook, you will want to set up a Facebook “Page” for it. You can start by visiting the Facebook setup page.

And as you can see from this page, you have two “Page” options. The first option is “Business or Brand,” and the second is “Community or Public Figure.” Of course, as an HVAC contractor, you will want to choose “Business or Brand.”

To go any further, you will have to have a Facebook account already, so if you don’t already have one, sign up for one now. Next, you will be asked to categorize your business. You will also be asked to name your Facebook business page. We recommend naming your page directly after your HVAC business name.

The rest is self-explanatory. Fill your business page with high-quality pictures, provide a brief description of your business, and assign page roles to yourself and anyone else that will be helping you manage your Facebook page (Admins, moderators, editors, etc.).

If you look just below the cover photo of your Facebook page, you will see an option for “Add a Button.” This is where you can add a call to action button. We recommend doing that as soon as possible because it will make it easier for consumers to get in touch with you.

Once you click the “Add a Button” option, you will be asked to choose from various CTA’s. Pick the one that is most relevant to your business.

It’s also vital to thoughtfully fill out the “About” section of your Facebook page, as that is the section where most people go to find out crucial information on your business. Here are some things you might want to include in the “About” section:

The date or year your business was founded
A brief description of the services you offer
How your customers use and benefit from your services
Any awards or accolades your business has earned
Company mission, philosophy, or motto

Screenshot of Facebook Business Page for Local HVAC Company

Building A Community

Using Facebook as a means of HVAC marketing is about building a community. One of the first steps towards building a community is going to your page and clicking the section that says, “know friends who might like your Page?”

You can invite people you know to check out your page and follow it here. You must only include people who might be interested in your page, business, or the content you plan to share.

Consider friends, business contacts, customers, colleagues, or even suppliers in your business network. Of course, you will need their contact information to narrow your options immediately.

Interact with Followers

One of the best ways to cultivate a community on Facebook is to be active and responsive. Consider your followers as valuable commodities. If someone leaves you a comment, don’t ignore it. Instead, do your best to respond to the comment as soon as possible.

It is helpful to have someone manage your Facebook Page daily – even if you can’t respond promptly, someone in your business should speak on your behalf.

The more likes you get on your Facebook page, the more potent it becomes for your business. And to keep things in perspective, the point here is to market your business. So, of course, marketing works best when your business is evident.

Getting likes makes you visible on Facebook, and being responsive to comments and posts is a great way to get likes.

Post on Facebook

The “Write Something” field is where it all begins. Of course, sharing content will reach out to your audience and attract more followers. But what sort of stuff should you post on your Facebook Page as an HVAC contractor? Here are a few examples of content that will be helpful for HVAC businesses specifically:

Blog Content: Content marketing is compelling and important. With Facebook marketing, you can leverage the blog content you have published on your website. You can do this by writing up a quick preface to the content (1-2 sentences should do it) so that your followers will have a good idea of what they will be reading. Then, include a link to the blog post and click “Share Now.” It’s best to link to blogs that have been particularly popular on your site or at least relevant ones to the original post content.
Images: Images are a great way to engage followers and give them a quick reason to hit the “like” button. Images also drive engagement and interaction among Facebook users. Everything from funny memes to images of interesting job sites is fair game.
Pins: A tool like DataPins produces verified job postings of your recent work with images and captions. These schema-pins are great to share on Facebook as they serve as social proof for your heating business.
Facebook Live: Facebook Live allows you to share live, streaming video content with your followers. This can be especially beneficial for HVAC contractors because it will enable them to show real-time work. Consider live-streaming the final touches on a new HVAC system you’re working on or an exciting phase of the job.

Screenshot of Facebook Post About AC Maintenance

HVAC contractor Facebook management comes down to timely posts that spark engagement. Of course, the algorithm limits how many impressions your organic posts receive, encouraging you to invest in Facebook Ads.

Target an Audience

Facebook promotion is also about knowing your target audience. Think about your typical customers. What age are they? What does their general income appear to be? Are they residents? Are they business owners?

The cool thing about using Facebook for marketing is that you can tailor your content to the interests of a specific group of people. Facebook ads even allow you to target consumers by particular demographics.

You have to consider the kind of content your demographic wants to see for inbound marketing. This will make your marketing efforts much more effective.

You can use their helpful Audience Insights tool even if you don’t use Facebook Ads. It’s free, allowing you to gain insights into your followers’ interests and behaviors.

We encourage you to use this tool to tailor your content to your target audience’s interests, needs, or desires. You can even use the Audience Insights tool to see the same characteristic data for your competitors’ target audiences.

Facebook Ads for HVAC Companies

While your Facebook Business page can help establish your company and showcase recommendations and content, the best way to reach a large audience on the platform is through HVAC Facebook advertising. Whether you run lead ads or boost your posts, you will earn more followers and gain more impressions than you ever could without ad spend.

The best Facebook Ads for heating and cooling companies create engagement, urgency, and action. Consider offering a timed discount or coupon along with social proof that validates your company’s credibility. Video ads often produce the highest engagement rates, particularly if you demonstrate energy and liability through the video content.

Dec '21

5 Best HVAC Hashtags for Social Media (+ How to Use Them)

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Unless you are a particularly young owner of an HVAC contractor business, you probably aren’t too familiar with hashtags and hashtagging. While HVAC hashtags are most likely uncharted territory for HVAC business owners, the fact remains that they can boost your visibility.

Hashtagging specific keywords and phrases can be an excellent way to draw attention to your social media presence, potentially generating an entirely new stream of leads.

While HVAC hashtags may be an unfamiliar concept to you, the good news is that it’s relatively simple to start using them. Like many things in SEO and digital marketing, there are ways to optimize HVAC hashtag use so that you get maximum response.

In the following post, HVAC Webmasters discusses HVAC hashtags and how you can use them to increase business.

Best HVAC Hashtags To Promote Your Business

You can create an HVAC hashtag from any keyword or phrase you want. However, some hashtags already have a following on social media platforms, making them an obvious choice. To help get your creative juices flowing, here are some starter HVAC hashtags you can use:

Instagram Screenshot of AC Company Post With HVAC Hashtags

1) #HVAClife

#HVAClife makes an excellent HVAC hashtag because it allows you room to use it in various posts. So whether your goal is to inform your customers or talk about a winter promotion, #HVAClife can fit almost anywhere. The whole idea is that you are living the life of a contractor.

2) #HVACcontractor

The contractor tag is a great HVAC hashtag because you can use it to drive social media users to your website or landing page. It’s simple: users see the hashtag #HVACcontractor in one of your posts, click it, and navigate somewhere they can hire an HVAC contractor.

3) #airconditioning

You probably know that AC services are the bread and butter for most HVAC technicians. As an HVAC tech, you also know that the average AC maintenance service call will net you anywhere from $75 to $200. That’s why #airconditioning can be an incredibly lucrative HVAC hashtag.

4) #HVAChacks

The hacks tag will win you some credit with younger, first-time homeowners who love a good “life hack.” It will also attract people looking for tips on maintaining and optimizing their HVAC systems. Utilize this tag in posts that include HVAC tips to generate more attention for your business.

5) #HVACservice

Last is a general HVAC hashtag that will attract people who already know what they want. For example, if people seek the #HVACservice hashtag on social media, it’s not likely that they’re interested in dog grooming or mobile car washes. So naturally, they require HVAC services – either learning about them or hiring someone for them.

Why Hashtags are Important to Your HVAC Business

You may wonder why something you may not have ever heard of is necessary to your HVAC business. HVAC hashtags are essential in a few key ways:

They Increase Visibility

It’s all about being visible in the places where your customers are. Social media is that place. One study found that Americans spend over 2 hours on social media daily. HVAC Hashtags will make it easier for people to see you and your posts on social media.

Social Media is A Means of Research

Another study found that over half of all social media users browse their feeds to research products and services in their area. So it’s clear that people are using social media for much more than sharing pictures of their cats.

They Can Generate Leads

HVAC hashtags can generate new leads for your business by getting your content out to more people across social media and the internet in general. The more attention your content gets, the more likely people will also be interested in your services.

Tips for Optimizing Your HVAC Hashtags

You can’t just start throwing out hashtags left and right. You must know how to use them to get the best response. Here are some tips for optimal HVAC hashtag use:

Don’t Overuse Hashtags

No one wants to read a post that is primarily hashtags. So try not to stuff your posts with them. Instead, use them naturally. A good rule of thumb is to have no more than three hashtags in one post.

Embed Links

It can also be helpful to embed links into some of your hashtags to make it even easier for leads to find the information they seek. However, you have to be careful about links too. Be sure that the link leads to content relevant to the hashtag.

Use Your Company Name

Whenever possible, it’s a good idea to use your company name as a hashtag. Tagging your name helps build your brand, increase recognition, and make it even easier for customers to find you online by name.

Localize your Hashtag

You can also include the name of the city or neighborhood where you offer your services to increase local traction.

Include Keywords

If you have an SEO strategy for your business, you probably already have a good list of HVAC keywords. Again, include these keywords in the HVAC hashtags you use for social media whenever possible.

Dec '21

7 (Amazing) HVAC Social Media Posts Ideas for 2024

HVAC companies don’t have a lot of free time on their hands to brainstorm social media posts. As a business owner or operator, this can be a frustrating problem. You probably found this page because you need some ideas for your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Google Posts.

Without further ado, HVAC Webmasters’ presents 20 social media post ideas.

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1) Company Culture Post

One of the most effective social media posts for HVAC contractors demonstrates company culture. Highlighting your company’s principles, such as loyalty, honor, and respect, can go a long way toward connecting with customers. For example, business owners with military backgrounds can integrate their background through company culture.

Example Social Media Post Highlighting Company Culture

2) Blog Share Post

If you are familiar with content marketing, you understand that one piece of content can be used in various ways. A great example of this is sharing a blog post on social media. Shared posts help drive traffic to your website, where social media followers can enter your sales funnel. Crafting engaging, high-quality posts with appealing topics works best.

Twitter Post Linking To Blog Post From Website

3) Seasonal Post

When it comes to social media marketing for HVAC companies, seasonal weather changes can be a significant inspiration. After all, your consumers’ needs change with the seasons. For example, emerging winter weather calls for furnace maintenance, heating repair, and other kinds of services that keep residents warm.

Social Media Post Example Showing Seasonal Theme

4) Holiday Post

Like with seasons, holiday posts are a great source of inspiration for HVAC social media. Whether it’s Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, or Memorial Day, your company can share the holiday spirit with followers. HVAC contractors also often run promos during these periods, which you can integrate into your social media post theme.

Social Media Post Showing Memorial Day Tribute

5) Service-Based Post

Sometimes highlighting a featured service can help draw interest from social media followers. Customization is a vital component of marketing for HVAC contractors, so reaching people who require a specific service works best when your post is particular. If your company offers a rare or unique type of service, be sure to feature that within your social post.

Social Media Post Showing Featured Service Type

6) Social Proof Post

At its core, social media is about community and bringing people together. There’s no better way to spark interaction than by providing social proof. For example, creating a social media post that highlights a recent customer review is a great way to foster engagement and increase conversions for your AC and heating service.

7) Job Site Post

Social media followers tend to respond more favorably when they see you in action. This will look like an image or video of your team performing a job on-site for an AC company. Nothing builds credibility more than real-time images and videos, which provide onlookers with an inside peek into your services. Showing yourself and your staff is also a great way to personalize your brand.

Social Media Post Example Showing Company Owner At Job Site

Where To Publish Social Media Posts for HVAC

Now that you have some excellent ideas of what content to post, you must decide where to publish them. Naturally, the best platforms are the ones where you’ve already built a significant following. The one exception is Google Posts which can appear anytime a user searches for your brand name. Below is a list of social media platforms optimal for posting.

Facebook

Facebook’s organic reach is limited, so you will have to boost posts to reach a significant audience. Think of a boosted post as a post/advertisement. Though you are paying for others to see it, like with a Facebook ad, it appears post-form and, therefore, tends to reach people organically.

Google Posts

Google is an excellent place to post social media content because users will see it every time they search for your brand name. In addition, unlike social networks like Facebook and Instagram, users do not need to follow your company to see your post populate on their search engine. You will need to claim your Google Business Profile before posting anything.

Instagram

Instagram, owned by Facebook/Meta, is the best place to post visual-driven social media content. For example, images or short videos of your on-site work will appeal to Instagram followers. Unlike Facebook, IG allows users to see your content without boosting the post.

Twitter

Twitter can be hit or miss for HVAC companies, but it’s still worthwhile to post on your feed occasionally. Unfortunately, the reality is that most HVAC consumers are not using Twitter to engage with companies. Still, it lends credibility to your business when you establish a profile and post your content. Also, be sure to include your contact information within your profile.

Dec '21

HVAC Long-Tail Keywords: Definition + Ranking Methods

When HVAC companies set out to rank on Google search, they frequently envision obvious terms and phrases like “ac repair” and “HVAC company near me.” However, research shows that most organic website clicks come from long-tail keywords.

Long-tail keywords are extended queries people search for on Google and other platforms. For example, instead of a base term like hvac repair, the user may search for a long-tail phrase like rheem heat pump leak repair spokane wa.

Key Takeaway

Long-tail keywords account for over half of your company’s organic search traffic, making them more valuable than “primary” keywords.

How HVAC Websites Can Benefit From Long-Tail Keywords

Most local companies compete for the same HVAC keywords. This is a problem for newer businesses because established websites have earned Google’s trust over time.

Even for big, well-established HVAC businesses, maintaining visibility on the top of search results for high-volume keywords like hvac repair, hvac maintenance, and hvac installation requires consistent efforts.

Another factor is domain age. Sites registered ten years ago or more respond faster to search engine optimization, while brand-new domains may take up to 6 months to compete for high-competition keywords.

Conversely, long-tail keywords are less competitive, so new sites can rank for them quickly. My post below will dive into the specifics of long-tail keywords for HVAC companies.

Long-Tail Keywords Explained

Users typically search for long-tail keywords when they want more specific results that match their precise intent. For example, a generic term like “rheem ac repair crackling sound” generates results matching the user’s air conditioner brand, model, and specific ailment.

While longer keywords register less volume, they are still incredibly valuable because websites can more easily appear as the #1 result.

In addition, a study from my agency, HVAC Webmasters, found that over half of all HVAC-related Google queries are undetectable. As a result, these terms will generate substantial clicks and more conversions.

In addition, searchers who use a long-tail keyword are more likely to be ready to pay for HVAC goods or services. Their use of longer phrases demonstrates a precise need and an intent to meet that need with a local HVAC service.

Long-Tail Keyword Examples for HVAC Companies

An example of a long-tail keyword with commercial intent (the searcher is looking to spend money on services) would be something like:

rheem hvac repair in gig harbor washington

Conversely, a searcher may use long-tail phrases when gathering information about a future purchase. An example of a long-tail phrase with informational intent would be:

how much does hvac repair cost

Notice how long-tail keywords have a narrower focus. The first example altered the keyword into long-tail form by including region-specific search terms. The second example altered the keyword for customers wondering about the cost.

By using long-tail keywords, you are honing in on a smaller audience, but one that is more likely to pay for your services.

Long-Tail Keyword Examples (Infographic)

The Importance of HVAC Long-Tail Keywords

Aside from the sheer number of long-tail keywords that result in clicks, they are essential because they cater to consumers with specific intent.

When the user provides more context, your website content can deliver a more customized message, increasing click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate.

Using long-tail keywords can also give you a higher return on your SEO investment. Because they are lower competition, they produce a lower cost per acquisition.

How to Identify Long-Tail Keywords

HVAC companies can use a variety of methods to find high-opportunity keywords. Some of the essential things to keep in mind include:

Location Data

Please look at the above example about HVAC repair in Gig Harbor, Washington. Start with the services you offer and add in the city and state. Then, depending on your city, some keyword tools like SEMRush and AHrefs will show you the monthly volume by location.

Online Tools

There are free and paid online services that you can use to find relevant long-tail keywords for your business and the HVAC services/products you sell. Take advantage of these services if you have difficulty developing a renewable list of long-tail keywords.

Use Industry Expertise

Some tracking tools don’t register volume for newer keywords, especially those dealing with more unique types of AC repair services. As an industry expert, optimize your content for all of your services, and you’ll notice that people will click.

How To Implement Long-Tail Keywords

Implementing long-tail keywords or keyphrases should mirror your process with primary keywords. It is critical to avoid keyword stuffing, which is the unnatural insertion of terms within content at the expense of user experience and readability. Consider the following principles:

Use Naturally

You have your keywords like ac repair las vegas, but your reader will not want to see a grammatically incorrect phrase. As a result, you should write the keyword as: AC Repair in Las Vegas. Yes, Google is smart enough to understand that they are identical.

Link Internally

The fastest way to boost rankings for a particular long-tail phrase is to link it internally from another relevant web page. So, for example, if your AC repair services page links to an emergency AC repair services page using keyword-rich anchor text, you will benefit immensely.

Supporting Images

Create supporting graphics for your long-tail keywords and name the file something similar, or even exact, when it makes sense. If possible, include descriptive Alt Text that mentions the phrase. An excellent example of a supporting graphic is AC Repair Tips, which has a list of suggestions in graphic form.

Maximizing Your Long Tail Keyword Visibility

I invested millions in creating DataPins, a long-tail keyword software app for HVAC contractors. The application automatically creates long-tail phrases based on your real-life heating and cooling jobs.

Because long-tail keywords account for over half of all of your website clicks, populating your content with information from your service jobs is an excellent way to increase your traffic, leads, and sales. To learn more about this tool and my services, contact me today.