HVAC tools are important to contractors who pride themselves on performing excellent work for their clients. Whether you buy your supplies at Home Depot or through another vendor, it is important to understand which tools are most helpful for heating & cooling projects.
Ensuring your team has the latest and greatest tools isn’t just about pleasing the customers—it also boosts worker morale. When you give your team everything they need, they won’t have to work so hard, and technicians are generally happier when they don’t have to work so hard.
At HVAC Webmasters, we serve HVAC trade clients. Check out our list of the best HVAC tools in your arsenal.
Table of Contents
Hand Tools
Pretty much every trade has its own specialized set of hand tools that are essential to the work. There is some overlap, however. For instance, some hand tools that are important for HVAC work are also used in plumbing.
You will see what we mean in a moment as we highlight some of the essential hand tools every HVAC technician should be equipped with:
Shears – Cutting into sheet metal is a big part of HVAC installation and repair, as vent work commonly needs to be altered. Steel shears are essential for making long, straight cuts into sheet metal, and if you can, find a good pair with an insulated handle.
Aviation Snips – Aviation snips are crucial for cutting into ductwork more comfortably when a curve is needed. As the name suggests, aviation snips were initially developed to cut metal for aircraft. But now, they are a staple in the HVAC industry for making curved cuts into ductwork and cuts that require a change of direction at some point.
Tin Snips – Tin snips (both left and right) make cutting into round ductwork much easier. They will help your technicians make longer, straighter cuts into the ductwork, usually required when making an HVAC system more energy-efficient or watertight.
Pipe Wrench – This is one of the tools that a plumber and HVAC technician will likely have in their bag. HVAC appliances like gas furnaces and water heaters are hooked up to utility lines. As an HVAC contractor or technician, you must connect and disconnect these lines on service calls. A good pipe wrench, therefore, cannot be overlooked. The best pipe wrenches have ductile iron handles that bend before breaking. They last a long time, and they give you a warning before they completely fail.
Refrigerant Scale
The career of an HVAC technician is essentially a prolonged practice in precision. Measurements of all kinds in HVAC need to be precise, and refrigerant is no exception. Adding too much refrigerant can put undue strain on an air conditioner’s compressor.
Too little refrigerant will render the system incapable of maintaining the desired temperature. Therefore, a refrigerant scale is needed to conduct service calls and detect leaks correctly.
A good scale will allow you to use exactly the right amount of refrigerant, so you won’t have to make a second service call for the same problem.
Voltage Meters
Think electricians only use voltage meters? Think again. Voltage meters are yet another tool that is extremely important in multiple trades.
Voltage meters allow you to test for live wires and outlets before working on them. They will also allow your technicians to see if systems are putting out the amount of energy needed to power certain HVAC systems.
Therefore, voltage meters are vital for your team’s safety and to help them diagnose and fix common HVAC problems.
Vacuum Pumps
Vacuum pumps allow your technicians to suck out moisture and air from the ductwork. Why is this important? It’s important for maintenance and cleaning jobs and leak testing.
Vacuum pumps can help your technicians pinpoint a line leak before charging the system refrigerant, saving time, money, and risk.
Drills
A good cordless drill goes a long way in the HVAC industry. Ensure your team is equipped with cordless drills with all the necessary bits.
A drill bit sheath is one of the most important parts of a drill kit that many HVAC contractors overlook. When installing test ports, a drill bit sheath can help your technicians avoid puncturing holes in refrigerant lines.
A drill bit sheath will also help prevent creating leaks in the ductwork that can throw off static pressure readings. At any rate, it is also a good idea to ensure that all your technicians have at least two batteries on hand for their drills to ensure they can complete all-day projects.
Top HVAC Tool Brands
Now that you know what tools you need, consider the top brands for HVAC tools. After all, a tool is only as good as its manufacturer.
Trust is probably the number one consideration for contractors looking to invest in heating and cooling tools, especially when it’s for their business and employees.
Let’s take a look at some top brands:
Milwaukee Tool
Milwaukee Tool is considered one of the most trustworthy brands for HVAC. They’ve been in business since 1924, which gives contractors an idea of how reliable they are in the marketplace.
They are known for appealing directly to “real users” rather than just marketing their tools to anybody. Milwaukee makes trade-specific equipment that is built for durability.
Fieldpiece
Fieldpieces are near and dear to the HVACR community. They make hand-held test instruments specifically for HVAC contractors.
They were the first to offer modular expandability, allowing contractors to test most parameters with only a single meter. The HVACR powerhouse now offers additional tools such as manifolds and scales.
Hilmor
Hilmor is another popular brand for HVAC tools. They are known as one of the more innovative manufacturers and provide considerable value to contractors.
Whether you are looking for gauges, hoses, manifolds, or other equipment, Hilmor will provide a solution and an innovative one. Check out their dual readout thermometer.
Other Equipment Considerations for HVAC
Equipping your team with all the tools mentioned above gives them the best chance to service your clients professionally.
Your team of technicians’ tools reflects directly on you, the company’s owner. Be sure you send them out into the field with everything they need to represent your company in the best possible light.
As an HVAC contractor, you must view quality tools as an investment. Equipping your team with the tools they need to get jobs done effectively and efficiently will only benefit your bottom line and endear your company to your customers.
From simple yet essential hand tools to advanced measuring equipment, this list will help you and your team prepare for the rigors of the field.
Hunting for new contractors seems like everyone’s least favorite pastime, and for good reason. It’s stressful, time-consuming, and filled with pitfalls. “Are these companies trustworthy? Can I trust the customer reviews on their website?” These are the sort of questions flooding our minds as we shop around online.
At HVAC SEO Webmasters, we continually strive to better understand the consumer search process to deliver stronger results for our SEO clients. We recently conducted a research project to uncover insights into how homeowners (and commercial prospects) overcome search fright to find the next HVAC contractor for their property. We also delved into preferred contact methods for interacting with heating and AC contractors.
We specifically hunted for insights into the following questions:
How do consumers prefer to contact an HVAC pro when it’s their first encounter?
What device(s) are they most likely to use?
Do consumers conduct additional site research before calling for the first time?
What website features encourage consumers most when they consider a new HVAC contractor?
Online analysts and consumer experts continue to describe shifts towards consistent personal research. In a Pew Research study conducted in 2018, 81% of the Americans surveyed said, “before making an important decision…they rely a lot on their own research”. That number was significantly higher than the percentage of people consulting friends, family, and even industry professionals.
Reviews play a huge part in that personal research process. One Statista report states that 82% of consumer decisions to use a local business are affected by negative reviews (91% for positive reviews).
Even before the surveys, our researchers knew how important online search is for HVAC consumers, especially the process of consulting customer reviews. With the data, we gathered, however, we could understand even more how testimonials affect the behavior of prospective clients. Our data also reinforced the necessity of maintaining the proper communication channels!
Crucial Findings From Our Consumer Surveys
Our Survey Process
Using Google’s streamlined survey tool, our team conducted a series of surveys designed to tackle some of the crucial questions we listed above. Each survey was released to a sample group of 300+ individuals spread across the continental United States. Since we specifically needed data from consumers who might require heating and air conditioning services, we confined the respondent age group to the 35+ year range, male and female.
All in all, we ended up collecting responses from over 1200 individuals. We achieved a well-spread sampling across genders, age groups, and the US region thanks to Google’s tool. For our post-survey analysis, respondents were divided into four age groups: 35 to 44 years old, 45 to 54 years, 55 to 64 years, and 65+.
Our Consumer Questions
You discover a new, well-rated heating/AC company on Google Search. The company’s phone number and website address are both listed. Assuming you needed service, would you…
Immediately call their listed phone number
Wait and visit their website first
You’re visiting the website of a heating/AC company that you’ve never used before. Which of the following make you feel the most comfortable with choosing their services?
Testimonials from happy customers
Clear descriptions of the company services
Approval badges from HomeAdvisor
Pictures of the company owner & crew
Videos of recent AC/heating projects
You’re on the website of a heating & cooling service you’ve never used before. You’re about to contact them for the first time. Which method would you prefermost?
A direct call
An email link
A contact form
A direct messaging (DM) box
Which of the following devices are you most likely to use when you contact a heating/AC service?
A mobile phone
A desktop or laptop computer
A tablet
A voice-controlled personal assistant
Key Lessons for HVAC Pros
Lesson #1: Testimonials Take Priority.
When asked which website features made them feel most comfortable with choosing the services of an unfamiliar heating/AC company, 43% of respondents said that happy customer testimonials took priority. This lines up with the findings of numerous industry researchers from the last few years.
A study late last year states that the average US consumer reads through 10 reviews before they trust a business. Younger polled age groups were likely to read an even greater number (Statista.com). This seemingly high number of testimonials is likely related to the growing distrust of online reviews. Fake reviews in eCommerce fueled much of the problem, but that distrust has also spread to other industries.
Testimonials and Clear Service Descriptions Ranked Highest Among the Website Features Listed.
Despite this, customer reviews clearly still play a crucial role in client adoption rates. Among the popular features listed in our survey, testimonials outweighed most by a wide margin. That margin widened even more for the women polled in the survey, as seen in the table below.
While features like HomeAdvisor badges, original company images, and project videos took priority for several consumers, clear service descriptions (more on this later) and testimonials consistently took top placement across each age bracket.
Actionable Takeaways for HVAC Pros
Keep collecting those reviews! Not only do they provide evidence of your company’s trustworthiness, they also serve as a significant ranking factor in SEO. New reviews are especially valuable for prospective clients who haven’t utilized your services before.
Nothing makes a business more attractive than glowing testimonials of excellent customer service.
While testimonials showcased on your website may not be quite as genuine as those on Google Reviews, they still boost consumer confidence. So post away! Get those happy stories front and center on your website. You’ll notice a difference in your site KPIs.
Service Pages are an Easy Way to Present More Details About Your Solutions.
Lesson #2: Consumers Need Clear Descriptions.
In one of our recent podcasts, Creative Director Jason Landry stated that website design ultimately breaks down into two key elements: information and presentation.
According to our study, clear descriptions of a company’s services are essential for higher conversions. That’s especially true among men and younger demographics, who may not have as much experience interacting with home service companies. How HVAC companies present their service information makes a significant difference in adoption.
Consumers continually show a keen interest in personal research. According to the Pew Research study we mentioned earlier, personal research is even more important than recommendations than friends, families, and industry professionals to many consumers. This lines up with the findings in our next survey.
Reading Through a Website is an Important Part of Service Shopping for Many Consumers.
When asked whether they’d immediately call an HVAC provider or visit their website first, polled consumers showed a clear desire to research the website. For one, this enables prospective clients to dig more into the services available from the provider. Second, the additional research allows the consumers to craft a full perspective of the company in question.
Fewer would click through to the site if the consumers were worried solely about star ratings. After all, local map packs (the primary traffic source for many service keywords) showcase Google Reviews aggregate ratings for each listed business. They also desire a better understanding of the company’s services.
To-Do’s for HVAC Companies
If service detail is what your prospective clients want, give it to them! Write full, keyword-optimized service pages for every one of your solutions. Your clients will appreciate the helpful information and reward you with higher conversion rates.
Keyword-rich service pages also enable rankings for a much larger variety of terms. In other words, that’s more people coming to your website for specific services you provide! So many HVAC companies injure themselves by skipping this process favoring a cheap bullet list on the homepage. That doesn’t work for SEO, and it won’t work for your prospective customers either.
Get those customer reviews! Write those service pages (or have a professional do them for you). Of consumers say it’s important, it matters.
Lesson #3: Get Even More Mobile-Friendly
As consumers eagerly harness mobile technology, desktop computers continue to fall by the wayside. Google even recognized the user shift in July 2019 when they switched to mobile-first indexing. Since most search engine users rely on mobile devices for their browsing, it’s no wonder direct calling is their preferred choice when it comes to reaching out to your business!
75% of our surveyed consumers said they’d most likely use a mobile phone to contact their HVAC service provider.
At nearly 17%, men were the most likely of the sexes to reach out on a desktop computer, while only 8% of women said the same. Tablets followed in the 8-10% range, and voice-controlled personal assistants (PAs) came in dead last with a 4% average. We’ll discuss these devices more later.
This high usage rate for mobile phones just re-emphasizes the importance of adopting truly responsive design. If your website doesn’t conform to user devices, then you’re missing out on a lot of traffic!
Key Action Items for Mobile Usage
Be sure your design caters to a mobile audience. Features that make browsing much easier:
Clickable / tap-able phone numbers
Sandwich menus
Direct messaging / texting tools
Large font
Adding these elements to your web design allows people to read and call on the go. For an even more convenient user experience, ensure that all your CTAs (calls to action) are clearly visible and hyperlinked.
Lesson #4: Go Beyond Direct Calls
“But you just said…” True. Direct calls are the most preferred method of contacting HVAC professionals. However, take a moment to consider the results of our last survey.
42% of Respondents Preferred Methods Besides a Direct Call.
While approximately 58% of consumers preferred direct calls for contacting a new HVAC company, over 42% said they’d rather use other means. Email and contact forms were the most selected runner-ups to direct calls, at 20% and 14%, respectively. 8% of respondents – these were mostly from the 35 to 44 age bracket – were very interested in direct messaging as their first interaction tool of choice.
Potential To-Do Items for HVAC Pros
Expand the number of ways first-time prospects can contact your business. A large portion on the consumer base we polled would rather contact your company through email and/or contact forms. Even if you’ve already provided these contact channels, consider whether or not they’re visible enough on your site.
Summing Things Up
The company website serves as the first point of interaction for many consumers. Consumers are hungry for information, more so than ever before, regarding key purchase decisions. Beyond visual design and graphics, there’s an obvious need for encouragement from client testimonials. Equally important is the provision of detailed descriptions of your services.
Most of our findings boil down to two key issues: comfort and contact.
Reduce the barriers between your prospective clients and your services by making them more comfortable with your brand.
Take the time to gather original, unmanipulated consumer reviews from your happy customers. Again, 43% of polled individuals stated that happy customer testimonials are the most important feature for making them comfortable with an unfamiliar HVAC company.
Instead of lazily dropping all your services into a homepage bullet list, craft informative and keyword-rich pages for each one. This may be a standard practice in organic SEO, but it also matters very much to your would-be clients! Remember, the customer is (almost) always right.
Finally, consider expanding your customer contact options beyond direct phone calls. Not every method is appropriate for everyone, but additional options could help some prospects reach the conversion threshold. Be sure to consider all the contact tools outside your website, too, such as the direct messaging tool on your GMB profile. Experiment, analyze, and adapt the tools that work for your business!
A Note From the Team
The infographic and all related charts from our consumer research will be available on an upcoming HVAC Marketing Statistics page (in development). Some charts may have been altered for better visualization, but no data was changed. Our study focused on consumers within 35-65+ years of age to improve the representation of the average homeowner. Younger demographics may have different browsing habits and merit further study.
Nothing speaks to the personality of a brand more than its slogan. You could even say that your slogan is the auditory representation of your company and an unofficial promise of service quality. Choosing the right catchphrase can make all the difference in how people perceive your team. So choose right!
Today, we’ll explore the elements of a kick-butt slogan by analyzing some of our favorite catchphrases. Some of these may be taken, but others are still up for grabs that we know of (and we won’t mind you stealing them). Glean some inspiration, take notes, and get excited about your own future HVAC slogans!
A Quick Note on Slogans
As Hubspot’s Lindsay Kolowich points out, “The best taglines use words that are positive and upbeat.” While it’s easy to run campaigns based on fear and negative emotions, the vast majority of memorable slogans strive to inspire and encourage instead. Try to keep that in mind as you move forward.
Many contractors and businesses feel the need to be clever or funny with their HVAC slogans. While wit and humor certainly make a slogan all the more memorable, not every catchphrase needs to invoke laughter. As a matter of fact, many of the most powerful lines that stick with us (ex: “Just Do It” & “Because You’re Worth It”) focus on other powerful emotions.
Finally, remember this: your company slogan isn’t your spouse. You’re not married to any particular catchphrase. If you believe that it’s time to move on from a particular slogan and start again, go for it! Unless you have a ridiculously memorable and well-known phrase already, there’s almost always an opportunity to improve.
22 HVAC Slogans We Love
Existing Catchphrases from the Industry
#1: It’s Hard to Stop a Trane
Perhaps the most well-known of HVAC slogans, Trane clearly has an advantage when it comes to wordplay. With that being said, your company name plays a huge role in the type of catchphrases best suited for your slogan. This particular choice conveys a sense of power, durability, and reliability. It’s particularly suited for advertising original installations and replacements, but it’s just so much fun in general.
#2: Whatever it Takes
Three words. Bryant Heating & Cooling Systems conveys so much in this very short slogan. The generality of this catchphrase makes it suitable for almost any service-related subject too. Want to talk about repair service? “Whatever it Takes”. Want to showcase financing options that make Bryant products more accessible? “Whatever it Takes.”
This catchphrase is clear proof that short can still be powerful!
#3:Prompt. Professional. Perfection.
Another short entry in a list with much longer phrases, this slogan from DRX Duct jumps right to the point. These three values (promptness, professionalism, and perfection) are what it wants to be known for. It simultaneously acts as a commitment to service and a promise of what would-be clients can expect.
Throw some alliteration into the mix, and DRX presents a very powerful, memorable slogan. Again, wordplay isn’t the most important factor in crafting a catchphrase, but it certainly helps!
#4: We Shatter Expectations!
Before moving on to longer entries, here’s one last concise slogan that we adore! While Cajun Comfort already has a very memorable name, they take a very bold stance on service quality. After all, it’s not every day that a company can claim to shatter your expectations!
Just keep in mind, a slogan like this is a hardline commitment to outstanding customer service and results. If you (and your technicians) aren’t committed to consistently providing courteous and timely service, this type of slogan could fall flat on its face. Should you stick the landing, however, it’s one more element supporting your HVAC SEO.
#5: Keeping You Cool is Our Business
Some of the best HVAC slogans focus on what the consumer is feeling, not on what your business is providing. However, Air Pro (of Florida) outdoes itself by combining both of these elements into a very capable slogan. While this one may be a little bit on the nose, it’s certainly a fun addition to our list of quality catchphrases.
#6: We’re Not Comfortable Until You Are!
While not the most original, Anderson Automatic’s slogan effectively communicates its commitment to client satisfaction. For consumers who’ve experienced the frustration of an HVAC technician leaving before the job is complete, this commitment instills a soothing peace of mind. Once again, here’s a slogan that targets the consumer’s feelings instead of focusing on traditional brand promotion or service bragging.
#7: We Served Our Country. Now Let Us Serve You.
What a powerful appeal! Mission Critical Comfort Solutions is a veteran-owned HVAC team based out of Georgia. Not only does their slogan immediately showcase their heritage, but it also points out their dedication to service. This slogan provides special opportunities to connect with other veterans and military members in the community.
Lines We Like From Other Marketing Professionals
#8: The Hottest HVAC Techs in Town. The Coolest Team Around!
This one is actually a combination of two slogans from DP Marketing Services, and we love the contrast the two lines create when pulled together! Not only does the catchphrase create a sense of locality, it also generates a fun perception of the team behind the company. How people perceive your company can be just as important as what you project in advertising (perhaps even more so)!
#9: Don’t Sweat it, Call ______
One of several fill-in-the-blank slogans we’ll explore today, this one has very real implications for our community in DFW, TX (and other hot environments). DP Marketing Services strikes again with a line that immediately connects with the senses and would-be clients’ history with air conditioning emergencies. While it might not hit home in colder regions, this slogan certainly works down in the South.
Localized Slogans are Also Great Ways to Connect With People.
Stealable HVAC Slogans – Fill in the Blanks
#10: No One Does Repairs Like ______
Positioning is the process of establishing how you wish your brand to be viewed by others. With this particular fill-in-the-blank slogan, a company may position itself as a specialist in HVAC repair services. In larger metropolitan areas, this could make your team the go-to business for emergencies. It’s also a very simple slogan that anyone can understand.
#11: You Can’t Get Cozier Than______
Now we break into the key adjective slogans! With this type of catchphrase, the emphasis gets placed on the words you want most associated with your brand and/or services. In this case, we target the warm, fuzzy feelings linked to the word “cozy”. The word applies in hot, cold, or temperate environments, creating an ideal phrase for any contractor!
#12: Such Great Care, It Can Only Be______Air
This catchphrase is particularly well-suited for any company with “Air” in the title. Want to position your company with the customer service elite? Prefer your slogans have rhyme? Then this could be perfect for your business.
#13: Some Like it Hot. Others Like it______!
If you don’t mind a little double meaning in your HVAC slogans, this funny entry could be a catchy line for your business! Again, it’s best suited for warmer environments where AC repairs and maintenance are the dominant service category. Just make sure your community appreciates this sense of humor, or you might receive a lot of criticizing calls.
Some Companies Like to Focus on Their Service Diversity.
Action-Based HVAC Slogans
#14: Fast Repairs. Even Faster Relief.
This is another repair positioning slogan, ideal if you have a high volume of maintenance and replacement calls. It’s also quite the commitment to rapid response and solutions. However, if you have the trucks, manpower, and the will to provide lightning-fast service for your clients, this could be the perfect slogan for you!
#15: Too Hot? We’ll Beat the Heat.
Not everyone can beat the heat by themselves, and this play on words addresses those tough situations. It also helps potential clients qualify themselves for your repair services, which makes them more likely to convert from caller to client. If you operate in a warmer climate and primarily focus on air conditioning services, this is your slogan!
#16: When the Cool Air Stops, We Start.
Another reference to the panicky situations people face when the AC unit suddenly breaks down, this slogan positions a company as a rapid repair expert. If you want to personalize the phrase, even more, swap out “the” with “Your” to up the consumer stakes! Just make sure your phone is ready for all those repair calls.
#17: Only One Call Away From Cozy
Perhaps our favorite original entry to this list, we return to the happy, fuzzy adjective “cozy.” This time, however, we’re placing greater emphasis on the consumer’s role in their own relief. In a way, this HVAC slogan serves as a call to action, encouraging people to call your business. It also mentally shortens the distance they have to cross to find the solutions they need.
#18: The Cool Air You Love, For Less
Speaking of encouraging people to call, few things motivate a consumer more than good deals. If you have a killer service package that people love, this could be an awesome catchphrase for your business. As always, just make sure your company is in a position to support this claim.
#19: Craveable Comfort
Finally, a simple slogan dedicated to creating the comfortable environment your clients desire. This one’s perfectly suited for AC and furnace system upgrades and replacements. It’s also small enough to fit on any merchandise you can come up with, something you may desire as your company expands in the future.
Emergency Service Hours Can Make for an Excellent Slogan Focus.
More “Fresh” HVAC Slogans from the Webmasters
#20: Breathe in the Fresh Air
This starts off our final category of duct-centered HVAC slogans. Because duct cleaning often comes with its own unique challenges, goals, and priorities, it helps to have a catchphrase that aligns would-be clients with those values. Ultimately, fresh air is the goal of duct service. This slogan cuts straight to the benefit that clients can earn by contacting your business.
#21: Clean Ducts. Clean Air. Clean Home!
A more systematic journey bundled up into six words, this slogan allows clients to visually picture each aspect of the duct cleaning process. First, the project. Next comes the rejuvenated air. Finally, all the hard work and investment pays off with a clean home, something anyone can appreciate.
#22: You Can Feel the Fresh!
While a little more abstract than the rest of our HVAC slogans list, this phrase instantly captures the imagination. It also incorporates sense language, making people remember how it feels to have cool, fresh airbrush across their skin. If you have a mind for the sophisticated and a business for AC-focused positioning, this slogan could be a refreshingly original choice for your company!
Generic HVAC Slogans
#23: A Cool Team You Can Trust.
#24: Our mission is your comfort
#24: We are ready when you need us.
#25: Heroes of AC & Heating
#26: Save, Relax, Enjoy
#27: Craft Not Trade
#28: Elite Service at a Comfortable Price
#29 We’ve Seen it All; Give us a Call
#30: Live in Comfort Year-Round
#31: Bargain Price, Premium Services
#32: Keeping Things Cool
#33: Mission Satisfaction
#34: When Things Get Hot, Claim Your Spot
#35: Comfort is Our Mission
#36: Live Comftarably All Year
#37: Eliminate Stress, Add Comfort
#38: Melt Away Your Worries
#39: We Always Keep Your Cool
#40: We Bring The Heat (Or The Cool)
#41: We Make Things Cool in a Hurry
#42: We Rule The Cool
#43: Don’t Sweat, We Treat The Threat
#44: Keeping Your Home Cool
#45: The Heating and Cooling Solution
#46: Any Reason, Any Season
#47: The AC Repair Team
#48: Your Trusted HVAC Loyalists
#49: From Our Family To Yours
#50: Home is Where The Comfort Is
#51: Hook in The HVAC Repair
Final Thoughts on HVAC Slogans
Even the most catchy, perky slogans can fall flat if they aren’t utilized correctly. If you want your newfound branding to succeed in earning those HVAC leads, there are a few lessons you’ll need to heed.
How to Launch Your New Slogan
Be consistent.
Make it visible.
Get dedicated.
Keep your slogan promise.
Advertise.
Go digital.
Make Sure You Can Back Up the Promise Your Slogan Provides!
Consistency is key to launching a successful slogan. If your marketing materials are using outdated messaging with conflicting catchphrases, people won’t remember your new one. On that note, be sure it’s clearly visible on merchandising, trucks, and other frequently seen marketing tools. You’ll need to be sure about this new slogan, because you’ll most likely be stuck with it for a while.
Taking Your Slogan Digital
Of course, your website and local search listings are a perfect place to show off your fresh new catchphrase. Ideally, you’ll want it front and center above the fold of your homepage. That way, all of your online visitors can quickly learn what you’re all about!
If you don’t have your own website yet, our team at HVAC Webmasters would love to help you! We design and custom build websites for maximum local search impact. In fact, our clients regularly enjoy page one rankings for dozens of keywords, earning higher traffic and better leads.
Aspiring contractors often ask about the best HVAC books of the decade. At HVAC Webmasters, we like to equip everyone in the HVAC field with critical knowledge for success. Although we handle SEO primarily, we are interested in the success of all our clients — no matter their experience.
Without further ado, here are ten of the best HVAC books that you can purchase. They will undoubtedly help make you a better HVAC technician or get you well on your way to becoming one.
Because the HVAC industry is so comprehensive, it is impossible to focus on all aspects of just one book. If you want to know all there is to know about the wiring involved in an HVAC unit, this is the book you should consider.
The best part is that it has been revised and updated as the years have passed, so you can be confident that you are getting modern solutions and techniques instead of outdated ones that you would find in an older text.
This book does a good job explaining how electricity works in heating and A/C units and provides simple, easy-to-understand explanations of how to implement repairs.
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology is one of the staples of many HVAC schools, and there are a lot of students who might need it for their classes. Because of the academic necessity, it is one of the most expensive books out there, though it is definitely worth the cost.
If you find yourself looking for something resembling the college theory HVAC experience, this is the book for you. The book covers techniques in repairs and installations of heating and cooling units. It also covers the inner workings, the why and the how, and everything in between.
Jim Johnson initially published Troubleshooting HVAC-R Equipment in 1995, but there have been updates to this book as technologies and techniques have changed with it. The one thing that makes this so valuable is all of the information on older units.
Having the information needed to repair these newer units is fine, but there are still plenty of those older units out there that could stump you without the necessary information.
Best of all, this book will walk through both residential and commercial heating and air in a way that is concise and shows well organized steps. You will never feel lost when you have this text to refer to as you continue to learn about the HVAC process and the best way to implement repairs.
Simply put, it is a must-have for HVAC texts for those looking to grow their knowledge base.
4) Step by Step: Passing The EPA 608 Certification Exam
Not just anyone can be a certified HVAC technician; it takes a lot of studying and the ability to pass the necessary certifications to earn that title. Like any test, it requires a lot of learning and a little luck. Thankfully, this book is there to help get you through the process in one piece and as a certified technician.
Step by Step is also an excellent tool for a homeowner looking to save money on refrigerant. If you are HVAC certified, you would be able to buy it yourself instead of going through the traditional method. This book will show you all of the necessary information to pass Type 1, 2, and 3.
Modern Refrigeration is an excellent book for someone looking to carve out a career path in the HVAC industry or for a person who considers themselves the do-it-yourself type who is just looking to expand their education base.
Among the many topics covered in this text are the theory and techniques for troubleshooting in the heating and cooling repair industry. Even if you have passed your HVAC exam, it is a great refresher to continue your education and keep you as prepared for any scenario as you possibly can be.
6) Low Pressure Boilers
Meet perhaps the most on-the-nose book on this list. Most of the other texts that you have read about or will read about are about the HVAC industry in general. But if you have ever had specific questions about low-pressure boilers, this is the one for you.
Low Pressure Boilers is a comprehensive guide that will teach you all you need to know about the low-pressure boiler’s ins and outs.
After a quick run-through as well as a little bit of experience, you will become an expert when it comes to low-pressure boilers and will never run into a scenario that leaves you stumped again. A must-have if you deal with this type of boiler regularly.
7) Residential Construction Academy HVAC
Residential Construction Academy is another excellent text on the HVAC systems’ ins and outs and how they work. The book is a perfect tool for students, mainly as it is very educational and uses practical examples to help students with their education.
Though you should reference multiple texts along your educational path, this is one of those books that will make things way easier along the way. Amazon reviews are not as kind to this text as it is to others on the list, but it is definitely worth the trouble of looking over and reading through.
Refrigeration and AC Technology Lab Manual began as a text used years and years ago before new updates, thanks to the development of technology and repair and installation methods. Still, the book’s foundation remains stable, making it one of the better options out there for students.
The Tech Lab Manual was one of the primary texts in the early 2000s, but the principles remained the same. Its price has dropped to make it a more affordable option for students or those who wish to learn independently. Newer and more relevant HVAC books are available, but this is one of the best around for the value.
9) HVAC Level 1 Trainee Guide
The Level 1 Trainee Guide is is the perfect book if you are looking to get certified as an HVAC technician. It strikes a balance of addressing beginners and students closer to certification. T
he book serves as a valuable addition to any collection and provides neophytes with countless skills and invaluable information for becoming a DIY HVAC technician.
Even if you are currently certified, it couldn’t hurt to go back and bone up on some basics. After all, a solid foundation is key to any job, and building up your foundation with this guide will only help solidify the knowledge you already possess.
10) HVAC Level 2 Trainee Guide
The Level 2 Trainee Guide is the next edition in the previous section (Level 1 Trainee Guide), but it is just as valuable to both certified and amateur HVAC aficionados. The second installment builds on techniques described in the first guide and helps contractors take the next step in their development.
It doesn’t get comprehensive or complicated – that comes later and with further study – but it helps to grow your already established knowledge base and buffers that information to add to any experience that you may have as well.
The Level 2 Trainee Guide might be more of a niche book, but it is an excellent addition to any HVAC library and can help aspiring or current HVAC technicians.
Benefits of Reading HVAC Books
The HVAC industry remains strong because, like it or not, technology will fail or need repair from time to time. And being a good HVAC technician is just as much about your knowledge base as it is the experience you acquire.
After all, how can you gain that experience if you don’t already have the knowledge to do the job correctly? That is where having the right texts in your corner can benefit your progression into a fully certified HVAC technician.
Or maybe you are the do-it-yourself type and want to get the knowledge necessary to implement your HVAC repairs. Having the right books will go a long way towards allowing you to put forth those repairs independently without the expensive costs that hiring an HVAC technician can bring with it.
Whatever your reasoning, there are a few books that you need to have in your collection to grow your knowledge as a burgeoning HVAC technician or do-it-yourself HVAC technician. When you have the right books on your side, you can build your knowledge base to a formidable level.
It is important to remember that not all books hold equal value. Some books were once industry standards but have since grown outdated.
Sure, some of these include the necessary updates to accommodate technology developments. Still, you will want to ensure you do your homework before picking a book. The last thing you want is to get some archaic tome that fails to build your knowledge base.
I’m Nolen Walker with HVAC Webmasters. Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked with thousands of contractors, so when I explain the qualities of the best Facebook post ideas, I know what I’m talking about.
Of course, not all of these will work 100% of the time, but they are proven ways to help generate more HVAC leads for your company, resulting in more revenue.
Table of Contents
1) Post Landing Pages for Direct Offers
One of the most proven ways to generate leads through your Facebook page is to send your followers to the landing pages you created for lead-generating offers. The key here is to ensure that you have a compelling featured image that gets pulled into the Facebook post.
To do this, you need to optimize the image’s size for Facebook and then ensure that you add the proper open graph tags that lead to your website. There are several ways to do this, but this is one of the more effective ways to engage your reader.
It is also essential to make it very clear to the reader where you are sending them. For example, they might think they are clicking on a blog post only to find themselves in the middle of a form that needs filling out; this can leave them frustrated or confused, and that is the last thing you want.
However you decide to link your readers to these direct offers, this is one of the tried and true ways to generate those direct leads that can eventually lead to more revenue for your company.
2) Post-lead-Generating Blog Posts
The first part is to learn how to do a blog lead generation analysis. Once you have done this, you must take the blog posts that generate the most leads and post them to your Facebook page.
An intriguing blog topic and title will ultimately engage your audience. They will want to click and read the post, and then they will find a call to action within the post itself. Therefore, you want to ensure that it is as close to the intro as possible.
This call to action typically solves a reader’s problem or answers something the reader wants to understand.
A study has shown that websites generate more leads by using a call-to-action text in the introduction. The anchor text call to action accounts for between 47% and 93% of a post’s leads.
Do your homework, determine which posts get the most action, and push those with calls to action for increased leads.
3) Include Landing Page Links Within Captions
The best marketers understand the importance of using visuals like images and videos in your Facebook strategy. For example, Facebook posts with pictures see 2.3X more engagements than those without pictures.
To make even better use of those higher engagement rates and turn them into valuable lead generation opportunities, you might want to include links to your website’s description of the images, especially for cover photos and profile picture descriptions.
These links allow interested people to get to know your company better than ever. Your profile and cover photo descriptions turn into prime virtual real estate. Whenever someone views your cover photo, they can access a download link.
Make sure that you shorten those links and add your UTM codes. These allow you to track the clicks that happen. Again, there are a variety of tools that will do these things for you.
Ultimately, the goal is to generate as many leads as possible, and adding links to your image descriptions is a proven method.
4) Use Videos to Promote Lead-Generating Offers
While Facebook’s overall organic reach continues to drop amid controversies linked to the social media giant, tweaks to the Facebook algorithm have helped mitigate the increase in the amount of content generated on the platform.
Videos are the one big exception to this. As a result, videos have helped marketers stay relevant and continue to reach their target audiences. Facebook’s algorithm favors overall video content. Video posts have a 135% greater organic reach than traditional photo posts.
Videos increase lead-generating offers through your Facebook page. The key here is to use videos to generate and promote those lead-generating offers. With a video, you can use a verbal call to action as well as in the video’s description, calling users to “download,” “register,” or something similar.
More and more businesses are using videos to reach their customers and share these lead-generating offers. Make your videos interesting, informative, and fun, and you will find a more significant response to your campaigns.
Videos are Great for More Complicated Concept Explanations.
5) Use Facebook Live
Much like the videos, Facebook Live might be an easier way to go about it. Videos can be intimidating if you are not familiar with the process, not to mention that they take time to create.
Facebook Live has shown that people comment up to 10 times more on Facebook Live videos than they would on regular videos. This method is more about generating conversation and promoting.
If you have an event, show the setup live. You can also promote an offer by hosting something like a Q&A through Facebook Live. Live sessions encourage comments and interaction, which generates more leads.
While these don’t have actual tags that you can use, you can use a verbal call to action through the live video and make sure that you repeat it more often than you would for a standard video.
Viewers may join late and miss the first call to action, so giving them multiple chances increases conversions.
Live Facebook sessions are a great way to deliver a sense of spontaneity so that your followers feel like they might miss out if they aren’t visiting your Facebook page. That’s a great way to develop new leads for your business.
6) Create a CTA Button for Your Facebook page
While this might not be a post, developing leads that you will not want to miss out on as you market your business is essential. Facebook allows business pages to add a pretty simple call-to-action button at the top of the business’s Facebook page.
It might seem simple, but it can be powerful in helping drive traffic from your Facebook page to your actual website. Best of all, this can include contact sheets, landing pages, and any other lead-generating forms that you might have.
Even more importantly, you can choose from a variety of pre-made buttons. Things like “Contact Us,” “Shop Now,” “Book Now,” “Watch Video,” and so on will allow you to customize your call-to-action button to make it more precisely tailored to your page.
Most of all, the call-to-action button gives you the ability to be versatile. Most marketers will choose a call to action and stick with it for an extended period.
But with the button, you can switch up your call to action so that it doesn’t feel stale and overused. That is an invaluable feature.
While Facebook Ads are the most widely utilized promotional avenue for companies, investing in Facebook Posts can also yield a favorable ROI for heating and cooling companies.
Leveraging Facebook Posts for Your HVAC Marketing Campaign
Facebook posts alone are insufficient to promote your HVAC company online. Instead, they must be one part of a broader digital marketing strategy involving SEO and digital branded signaling.
I spent millions to create a software tool called DataPins for my HVAC Webmasters’ clients. The DataPins tool allows HVAC technicians to snap a photo of the job and consolidate it with other Local SEO signals, including E-E-A-T and schema markup.
You can share pins on Facebook to help drive your followers and social media engagement. However, the most powerful aspect of pins is building digital branded signaling throughout the web.
By aligning your Facebook marketing with your overall digital marketing campaign, you can use Facebook Posts and other tools to increase lead generation and grow your business.
HVAC advertising helps contractors set their company apart from the pack. After all, in any given region, there are likely to be many options for the consumer to choose from, with little to differentiate each of them.
That is why it is imperative to have the right advertising plan in place for HVAC contractors. With the right advertising campaign, you can reach consumers far more efficiently and cause them to think of your company above all the others in the industry.
There is a multitude of ways that HVAC contractors can achieve this, and no one plan is proven to be better than the next. It ultimately depends on your company, its location, its target audience, and a little bit of luck.
However, having the right advertising plan in place to exercise your strengths to your customers will go a long way towards setting you apart.
Without further ado, here are a dozen different HVAC advertising ideas that your company should be considering for 2024.
Idea #1: Use Seasonal Advertising
Not all advertising has value; some different tactics and ideas stand above the others depending on usage and implementation. Seasonal HVAC advertising can help you generate a lot of additional revenue.
Whether your focus lies in customer retention or generating new leads for air conditioning and heating repair, timing plays a critical role in your advertising campaigns.
The winter and summer months are especially crucial to annual sales, and your advertising should reflect that.
Make sure that your marketing campaign begins at least 6-8 weeks before the busy seasons. Seasonal changes will help keep your company in the mind’s eye of the customers that you are hoping to reach.
Even Simple Ad Templates Like This One Can Gather Significant Attention During the Winter Season.
Companies can have highly successful campaigns if done correctly. There are a few success stories of this that are worth noting:
One Missouri heating and cooling company brings in $30,000 on average with each of their seasonal campaigns. These season’s campaigns have become a crucial part of their revenue stream.
An Illinois company brought in a whopping $258,040 in revenue with a highly successful winter campaign. They took the opportunity to take a hectic time of the year and turn it into a financial advantage.
In Arkansas, an HVAC business generated a massive 839% return on investment (ROI) using a furnace tune-up winter ad campaign.
Perhaps most impressive of all is that these companies didn’t use the go-to methods of HVAC advertising, such as radio or TV. No, they got it done with a very affordable, simplistic, and repeatable approach.
Idea #2: HVAC Postcards
One of the time-tested methods of advertising for HVAC companies is using the direct mail approach. Direct mail is a proven method that generates HVAC leads with consistency. All of the above companies used the seasonal postcard approach of direct mail.
The term “time-tested” might not sound so sexy, but it generates results. Perhaps more staggeringly, some recent studies show that 54% of consumers prefer to receive these kinds of promotions via direct mail.
Even more eye-opening is that 79% of those who receive direct mail open them immediately compared to the 45% who get them via email. And most importantly, 40% of consumers have purchased due to direct mail in the last three months.
The numbers are there, and so are the results. Direct mail marketing with postcards is a tried and true method for HVAC companies.
Idea #3: Pay Per Click Advertising
That doesn’t mean that digital advertising is not essential. Getting on the first page of the Google search results can do wonders for any business and be a priority regardless of the company.
Google has a massive reach, and ignoring that leaves you vulnerable.
Pay Per Click Listings Enjoy Premium Positions at the Top of SERP Results.
There is a distinct advantage in this type of marketing in that you only pay when someone clicks on it (hence “pay per click”). The only downside is that there will be wasted clicks that do not convert into customers, though that’s true of any advertising form.
It’s also worth noting that other businesses will be competing for the same keywords. Since you bid on keywords (Google Ads will suggest an amount, but you can bid whatever you want), you could wind up spending a hefty amount to land on page one.
Using HVAC SEO to rank #1 can reduce the need for PPC.
While you might not want to start with an expensive Google Ads account, consider investing some money into showcasing your company name and creating a more competitive web presence.
Idea #4: Your Website is Key
The one aspect that has significantly changed in HVAC advertising is getting a lead to call your business. Consumers do their research on a company online. After all, wouldn’t you want to know about the business you intend to use before spending the money?
Regardless of the type of marketing you do, interested leads will likely head straight to your website first. What they find there will dictate whether or not they use your business.
An About Us page that features actual photos of your business and staff
Your contact information clearly visible on every page
Effective lead-capture forms that will encourage info exchange (email and name, generally)
Many website visitors will visit your page before they are ready to transition into buying. Regardless, it is vital to have a lead-capture form available.
Calls to action give prospective clients a reason to interact with your company. Most of the time, this is in the form of a coupon or discount, but those will help you follow up and turn leads into sales.
Idea #5: Keep it Clean and Simple
As mentioned above, your website is one of your most crucial assets for building leads with prospective clients. Your HVAC website is a focal point for advertising and should convey your company’s services.
Using a clean, straightforward design is vital for achieving this. Your website is often the first point of impression for these potential customers, and you want to win them over with a sense of expertise and professionalism.
Simplistic, Modern Designs Like These Help Focus Attention on Your Services.
A clean, yet friendly and modern design is the key to attracting positive aA clean yet friendly and modern design is the key to attracting positive attention from prospective leads and customers.
Make your website the first impression that will positively leave a lasting mark.
Idea #6: Implement a Chat Feature
Even as technology progresses, timely customer communication is still one of the most critical factors in company brand perception. But with that progression of technology, the ways that customers reach your company have changed.
Try implementing a chat feature into your website. Chat boxes provide a sense of comfort to prospects for a couple of reasons.
The first is that making a phone call is not acceptable for the younger generations. If they can get it done via email or chat, that is the option they will choose.
The second is that it gives prospects the ability to converse with your company without feeling locked into hiring you.
If you decide to implement a chat function on your HVAC website, you must have quick response times. Smaller companies may not have the resources to answer fast, but larger companies can turn this feature into a real asset.
Idea #7: Use Follow-Up Ads on Google
What if an interested prospect leaves your website without filling out one of those lead-capture forms? Don’t worry! You can still convert that future client.
With Google follow-up ads (also known as retargeting ads), you can make sure that all of those prospective leads get a second look at your company.
This is how it works:
A customer learns about your business through local search or postcard.
They go to your website to learn more about your company but don’t necessarily need HVAC services right away.
After they visit your website, they will be “cookied” with a coding piece that tells Google to start showing them banner ads for your company.
As they browse the web, they will see these ads anywhere they go online.
This repeated exposure increases the chances of them remembering your business when they have an actual HVAC need.
Studies have shown that this method can improve response rates by up to 400%. It is a proven ad strategy, especially compared with other tools in today’s evolving digital world.
You can significantly enhance your returns by mixing your current advertising with follow-up ads.
Idea #8: Expand Your Follow-Up Program
This strategy makes another attempt to convert site visitors who have expressed interest through online forms but haven’t made the client jump.
It is important to note that the first call or contact generally does not lead to a close. The follow-up system can more than double the rate that your company closes on those leads.
Create 76% More Customers With a Follow-Up System.
It may not always be on the next follow-up – it can sometimes take three, four, or five follow-ups before the prospect is ready to buy. Follow-ups can also be something of a long-term effort, but a year of providing follow-up emails, phone calls, and postcards can make that number jump substantially again.
Potential consumers need reassurance about your company’s capabilities and service. Frequently showing these people what your business has to offer and reminding them about your existence are the two best things that you can do to close a follow-up lead.
The key is to find the middle ground between enthusiasm and invasive advertising. Follow-ups work best in moderation; otherwise, the marketing annoys the potential customer.
Find that sweet spot, and you will begin to establish a connection with those leads and turn them into a close that will result in revenue for your business.
Idea # 9: Use Testimonials & Reviews to Build Trust
A recent study showed that a whopping 92% of customers would read online reviews for a local business before using them. 68% of the people surveyed said that a favorable review makes them more likely to trust that business.
Make sure that you ask for reviews from each of your customers after completing their service. In-person requests are a great way to build trustworthiness with your leads and provide hard evidence for a reputable company that deserves their business.
Best of all? Feedback is a FREE form of advertising that can work just as well as any ad campaign you can conjure up. Get those reviews where you can.
Idea #10: Use Referral Programs
According to Nielsen, a research firm, 83% of consumers will trust recommendations from people they know. And why wouldn’t they? Indeed, people we know in our lives are more trusted than strangers on the web or a company trying to sell something.
As you may have learned by now, trust is the name of the game when it comes to HVAC marketing. HVAC services can be costly, and the consumer wants to make sure they are getting the best value for their money but because you will be entering their homes.
Offering perks for referrals is a great way to get those customers to share their experience directly with those in their lives. Referrals then generate leads for your business, which has the potential to generate even more revenue. It is a win across the board.
Be certain to make sure that your staff on the ground knows about the referral program and promotes it to each customer.
You could even create postcards to hand out after finishing a job or a sheet at the end of a receipt. Get the word out that referrals are valuable to both your company and your customers.
Do Your Ads Consistently Provide Contact Information and a Call to Action?
Idea #11: Use Consistent Marketing to Close More Sales
Want to hear something crazy? According to sales professionals, 80% of sales will occur after the fifth contact or later.
Yeah, you read that right: the fifth contact. The fact is that the vast majority of people do not jump at every single advertisement they see for obvious reasons.
The process generally goes a little something like this:
A prospect will see your message once via a banner ad, postcard, billboard, or whatever other means you are advertising. If they think they might need your service in the future, they will make a note of it but might not think about it otherwise.
The prospect sees the message a second time, and it rings a bell because they’ve seen your ads before. Repeated promotion establishes brand recognition.
The prospect sees your message for the third time. Because they consistently see your ads, they get the message that your HVAC company is dependable and stable.
Now comes the time when the prospect requires one of your services, like needing a new air conditioner. When they Google a related search term, they might see your company name as well as your competitors. But because of the previous messages, they will recognize your company name, and you will become an “established” name in their eyes.
They will make a move towards HVAC services, and because you are the name they see most often, they are more likely to call your business.
Advertising is not an exact science, and it might take far fewer or far more steps than the ones outlined above before a prospect turns into a client, if ever.
However, growing your brand and building brand recognition is critical as you develop HVAC lead sources.
Once you’ve established a process your prospects respond well to, continue to refine it for even greater success.
Idea #12: Target Geographically
Advertising online has many perks, but it can be easy to get lost in the mix. Additionally, it can be easy for consumers to confuse your location, making it difficult for them to find you if you don’t have the right services in place.
That is why having paid ads set to geographic targets is essential. It will target potential customers in your designated location, weeding out those companies that might be across the country.
The caveat to this is that ranking organically for more than one geographic area becomes difficult. But there are a few different things that you can try.
You can edit the service area that you serve in the address section of your Google My Business. Instead of having a storefront, this will let you identify your business as one that works on-site with customers.
Ultimately, showing your listing in the targeted geographic region that you serve is of the utmost importance. Stand out among those looking for you in your service area instead of painting with a broad brush that might not reach 95% of the people who see it.
Air Conditioning Advertising Examples
Ideas help get you started, but sometimes seeing HVAC advertising examples in real-time helps put things in perspective.
It’s critical to understand that contractors use these concepts every day and succeed by acquiring new customers for their business.
Take a look at some of the best air conditioning advertising examples:
Team Up With HVAC Webmasters!
As always, our team at the HVAC Webmasters is here to support and empower your heating and cooling business to succeed in HVAC advertising and search engine marketing! If you’ve been looking to expand your business, we’d love to help.
The HVAC industry is fiercely competitive. However, there’s no silver bullet to make your company succeed online. However, after decades of experience as HVAC SEO specialists, HVAC Webmasters knows that it takes many little things done well to help improve Google rankings and get your phone ringing daily. One of those “little things” is online review sites.
We’ll talk about how to get HVAC reviews another time, but in the following post, let’s focus on which sites will drive leads to your company and how you should manage the content on those listings to stand out from the crowd.
1) Google My Business (AKA Google My Business Profile)
Hands down, the most critical citation listing for your HVAC company is Google My Business. GMB is a rich listing that you can claim and manage, allowing you to create a strong profile directly tied to Google. Because Google is still the search engine king, it’s only logical that you would do anything you can to appeal to this resource, with top rankings as the goal of a well-played organic SEO strategy.
One of the pleasant aspects of Google My Business is managing your company listing from a user-friendly dashboard. The information you enter updates instantly across Search and Google Maps. Because local searches for heating and cooling repairs are vital when service areas are fixed, this is the absolute best way to keep your NAP accurate in the most visible listing you’ll have.
Optimizing Your GMB Listing
Putting myself in the customer’s shoes, one of my favorite things about using Google to search for HVAC repairs near me is how much information I have at my fingertips when those results come back. I can click on a business name from the map results- a familiar spot to launch research when proximity matters, especially true for emergent repairs- and see an excellent overview of data about that company.
I may go ahead and place a call for service from this view alone without ever having visited the HVAC company website. (And that’s not to say that your primary website isn’t essential. It’s a vital tool for ranking well on Google and ensuring that your company is toward the top of the Map results to get that click!)
But here’s the thing, even if you do everything right, if you haven’t claimed and updated your GMB listing, you may never get that call due to incorrect information. A simple typo could cost you tons of calls, and a poor user experience could result in your business tanking in the rankings.
However, with a substantial listing that incorporateskeywords throughout the quality content and a linked listing that connects viewers to your website for more info (like service pages with excellent on-page SEO), you’re far more likely to earn their business.
Google Business Tools for HVAC Pros
A new Google Ad feature worth mentioning here is the Google Guarantee badge. These are paid listings (versus organic results, which are still typically seen as most valuable), but they add an extra layer of comfort for customers who want the backing of a third party.
This feature ties to your GMB account and lets you manage communication via Local Services booking. Because Google is recognized as an authority and trusted by billions of users, this paid listing could help a newly launched domain see some action before it has put in the years to rank organically.
2) Yelp
Millions of users continue to favor the Yelp app and website for finding everything from restaurants to air conditioning specialists in their area. (In fact, there is even a quick-select icon for Heating & Air Conditioning on the app’s landing page!) Because the app is closely tied to mobile use, the local search aspect is clutch and provides a good user experience.
The other benefit to users is review-rich pages tied to an identified reviewer (versus anonymous posts). Sure, you’ll still find some absurd nonsense, but it’s not nearly as rampant as sites that allow unidentified reviews.
Yelp reviews tend to be more detailed than other online review sources, so having an excellent listing for your HVAC business on Yelp is a fantastic offering for potential customers to find you…and be impressed.
Pro Tip: Respond To Yelp Reviews From HVAC Customers
While this might not seem like the SEO tips you’d expect from us, it’s essential to realize that engaging with customers is vital for the life of your company. Of course, this is true of almost any industry, but because you have a tremendous opportunity to earn business from personal referrals, thinking about how you engage with the customer is an excellent investment of time and energy.
Social media marketing, for example, hinges on good engagement to get your posts seen and allow your business to thrive online.
Replying to reviews on sites such as Google and Yelp is a great way to show that you appreciate your customers and tune in to what they need. Even if a review was mediocre, when a business owner responds respectfully and professionally, that still leaves me with a positive impression of the company. The response can be more valuable than the review or star rating itself.
3) Facebook
You may not think of this as a review site, but it’s not uncommon for Facebook reviews to appear on a Google homepage for a company listing. As we covered earlier when discussing the power of Google rankings, a potential customer may not even make it to your website, but they will likely check out a few ratings before clicking the phone number from the SERP.
So while a user would have to be logged in to leave a comment or dive deep into Facebook content, reviews are visible to everyone (with or without an account) and should be considered necessary for your online reputation.
When potential customers vet your company for their HVAC repair business, they may start with a Google search of your company name and then check out serval online review sites to get a sense of the service you offer. Because of the incredible traffic that Facebook receives, this listing usually shows up fairly high in the rankings and should therefore be given plenty of love.
If you’re all reviews and no content, the viewer may be less inclined to pull the trigger. So don’t forsake developing a great secondary website with your social media business pages, starting with Facebook for Business.
Getting Good Reviews For HVAC Services
While we’ve spent most of this article talking about how to best claim and manage these various online review sites for your HVAC company, they won’t do you (or your customers) much good if there are no reviews to view.
While there are some tools for making review requests more streamlined, the fact remains that you have to ask for them. It’s assumed that only a tiny percentage of customers are likely to follow through to leave a review — good or bad — after their heating and cooling repairs, so you’ve got to be diligent about asking everyone to improve the odds of getting a decent turn-out.
We know that consumer behavior shows that folks are likelier to call a service provider with lots of reviews, but a mid-to-high star rating, versus a company with just a handful of reviews, even if they’re all five stars. So the quantity weighs Google rankings, too, whether the reviews are made on your GMB listing or elsewhere.
For Facebook specifically, you have the benefit of a more engaged user than you’d find on Google, for example. The billions of Facebook users spend a lot of time on the social network every day, so don’t hesitate to post every so often a request for existing customers to post a review.
And if you’re trying to build up reviews on Yelp versus Facebook, tell them! It’s perfectly acceptable to make it known that you’re trying to bolster your brand reputation on a given site, but the key is to provide a link to make it as easy as possible for an existing customer to help you out. Please don’t make them search, or you’ll likely lose that willing participant.
Other Citation Sites for Heating and Cooling Repairs
Here are a few other online review sites/directories that help connect HVAC pros to new customers:
Angi
HomeAdvisor
Porch
Thumbtack
While quantity helps search engines recognize your business as reputable, it’s also worth investing some time into each listing. You can ensure a vital entry point for new HVAC customers to find your business and get those online review sites; working for you.
HVAC SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is currently the best way to acquire local HVAC customers and build company awareness. Effective SEO ensures your business appears above your competition on platforms like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
SEO applies to both Google Search and Google Maps, along with your company website and business listing, respectively. The following comprehensive guide outlines tips, tricks, and recommendations based on 10+ years of professional SEO services for HVAC companies.
Expert Analysis
As the most tenured HVAC SEO agency in the United States, we can confidently say that SEO remains the most effective marketing strategy for heating and cooling professionals in 2024.
How SEO Changed in 2024
Google’s AI Chatbot, Bard, changed SEO in 2024. Recent algorithm updates like the Helpful Content Update and Link Spam Update also altered the SEO landscape. HVAC companies must now put more effort into EEAT: experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.
Google’s upcoming Search Generative Experience (SGE) will change the landscape of search for HVAC companies. While the algorithm will still value factors like content quality, link authority, and on-page optimization, the standards for legitimizing your website and its content will rise considerably.
Today, HVAC sites must be well-written, provide a good user experience, and offer unique information to rank on SERPs. It must also include schema markup, precise metadata, images, videos, and media that match the discussed topic.
While effective SEO isn’t difficult to achieve, it can take time, skill, and knowledge of correct and effective practices.
Why HVAC SEO is Important
When someone in your area needs a service or product, chances are, they go to Google. If a consumer searches for “A/C repair in Dallas, TX,” a list of sites that present relevant terms, content, and information will appear.
The more relevant and useful the content, the higher on the results page it will be. Rankings set the order of the search results listed on search platforms. Since most customers don’t scroll down far, it’s essential to appear at the top of this list to generate leads for your business.
Applying effective SEO tactics will help your site rank higher in search results and list pertinent information, such as the phone number, location, and services listed. Prominent search visibility could lead to more inquiries, appointments, and business awareness for your HVAC company.
Properly implemented SEO can mean the difference between a fruitful customer base and closing the doors for good in today’s digital landscape.
SEO Strategy: The Planning Stage
Your SEO strategy should not be done on the fly or without thought. Effective SEO is well-planned according to what consumers seek. Your SEO plan should include well-researched keywords, clear URL structures, and captivating images and videos, all of which lend to how well your site will rank with search engines.
Keyword planning is crucial for ranking well on search engine platforms and is the foundation of a good SEO plan. The goal of keyword selection is to identify words that will attract the most relevant searchers. Identify each word’s search volume, difficulty level, and competition level using programs such as MOZ, SEMRush, and Ubersuggest.
The search volume metric suggests how often users search the term during a search query. The difficulty level is a metric that identifies the level of difficulty of the word itself. The competition level demonstrates how often the word or phrase appears on other sites, developing a unique keyword set.
Evulate various metrics to identify the most viable keywords for your business. For instance, if a keyword applies to commercial HVAC repair and your company provides only residential repair, that keyword may not be the best option.
National Keywords
High-volume keywords like HVAC Repair, Air Conditioners, and Heaters are indexed according to the searchers’ location, so local businesses aren’t competing nationally for these terms. When creating your SEO plan, you should be aware of the top 100 national keywords in the HVAC field. This will help when creating URL hierarchy, content, and on-page SEO.
Identifying these top terms will also help when thinking of more specific longtail and service-related terms that pinpoint even more relevant searchers. Top keywords like these should be used throughout the site with a concentration on top-level pages to be indexed effectively and help SERP ranking.
Local Keywords
HVAC companies should use top keywords with a location reference for local optimization. For instance, if you’re an HVAC company in Wilmington, DE, a useful keyword may be heating in Dallas, TX, or Dallas, TX heating. Keyword research programs can help you discover which location tags are the most beneficial for your area.
For instance, “air conditioning in Dallas, TX” has a search volume of 210, while “Dallas Air Conditioning” has a search volume of 110. While using both keyword phrases in your content is good practice, the first option should focus on the best results.
Service Keywords
The most successful HVAC sites have subsequent pages describing their specific services in detail. These sites use more specific service keywords that focus on one category or service.
For example, if your HVAC company provides gas furnace repair and installation, then a realistic service keyword would be gas furnace services. Be sure to include location tags on these keywords as well for proper optimization.
URL Structure & Page Hierarchy
Once you have your list of keywords, you can begin to set up your URL structure and page hierarchy. Typically, sites have multiple pages that present information from a general to a more specific level. The organization of those pages is called the site or page structure.
Most HVAC websites have a top-level Home page, an About Us page, and a Location page. Besides, they may also have a few general service top-level pages such as “Heating” or “Air Conditioning.” From there, HVAC sites lead into secondary pages that may include categories like “Central A/C Service,” “Furnace Service,” or “Central Heating.”
The third level of pages branches out from that point, which addresses specific services like “Natural Gas Furnace Repair” and “Ductless A/C System Installation.” Your site structure helps Google index your pages for search rankings and be straightforward and easy to follow. The pages should flow nicely into each other and create a natural flow process for reaching them.
Along with your HVAC site’s page hierarchy, you should carefully consider the URL structure. It is critical to map out each URL, followed by Google and searchers. They should be short and concise and present the exact topic displayed along with a clear path to the information.
A well-planned HVAC URL may resemble something like https://yourhvaccompany.com/heating/furnace-repair. This URL has a clear path, includes top keywords, and presents a well-communicated subject.
Images & Videos
The most successful HVAC websites use images and videos representing the content and are clear and correctly sized. HVAC websites should choose photos and videos during the planning stage to ensure proper emphasis on the content and prevent duplicate usage.
Google Business Profile Images should be unique and provide a look into your business, staff, and services.
Search Engine Optimization: The Implementation Stage
Once you have finished your SEO plan, you should have a clear layout of your site’s page structure along with keywords, images, videos, and URLs for each. However, more SEO tasks remain urgent. Your HVAC site’s design and usability also contribute to your SEO and should be constructed with the customer in mind.
Custom Design
While multiple usable templates are available for your HVAC site, a custom website design is always best regarding SEO and searchability. Templates lack the coding that Google uses to index information and keywords. A customized site design is needed to implement fundamental structure and coding details like schema, headers, and title tags.
Contact Information
A lack of easy-to-use contact information is one of the most significant contributors to high bounce rates and poor SEO ranking. Your HVAC site should have listed contact information on every site page, including a location address and map, phone number, and email address.
Your company’s phone number should also appear throughout the content for maximum usability. Not only does this lend to a boost in trust that can contribute to higher search rankings, but it also presents a better user experience that can help attract and retain visitors.
Call To Action
Any marketer worth his salt will tell you that a call to action is crucial. Your page’s call to action leads, instructs, and inspires your site’s visitor to complete the desired action, whether it be to schedule an appointment or call for more information.
For optimal SEO, every page on your HVAC site should have at least one call to action. It should be easy to find and conveniently located within your page to maximize usability and task completion.
Website Personalization
Your company website is a reflection of the business itself. Your design should represent your HVAC company’s personality. If your HVAC business focuses on commercial service, you want a professionally presented site with a lot of structure and uniformity. However, if your company has a laid-back approach, you may want to use a broader color scheme or more vibrant design elements.
Badges, Accolades, and Testimonials
You work to get certifications and certificates that set you apart from your competition. Ensure that your site visitors know how skilled you are by displaying badges and accolades prominently with links back to the original site. Social proof communicates your abilities to prospective customers and provides outward-lining opportunities to reputable sites within your industry.
Testimonials also help promote your company by providing positive real-life experiences to your visitors and potential customers. You can display testimonials on your HVAC website and your Google Homepage to encourage searchers to choose your company.
Multimedia Content
The best way to hold user attention in today’s online landscape is with multimedia content, including videos, PDFs, or other interactive options. Along with providing backlink and sharing options that boost online trust and reputability, these additions create a better user experience, leading to lower bounce rates and higher conversion rates.
Multimedia content is also perfect for sharing on secondary platforms such as YouTube or social media, providing backlink and distribution opportunities. A company video, for example, can be added to YouTube and your site, then linked to Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms for maximum reach to potential clients.
Mobile Optimization
You must optimize your site for mobile use to rank on search engines. Mobile-optimized sites provide the viewer with the most critical information while hiding graphics, animations, and other secondary elements that could create longer load times.
Like mobile optimization, responsive design adjusts your content for the screen used to view it. Responsive sites manipulate information and graphics for the best view possible on smartphones, tablets, laptops, or desktops.
Local SEO for HVAC
The key to website success is local optimization. When your local HVAC SEO is in good shape, your business appears in “near me” and map searches, which are crucial for generating new business in today’s world. Local optimization is achieved through multiple tasks and techniques and can offer the boost you want to outdo your competition.
Local Business Citations
Citations are listings or mentions in other locations throughout the web that help build trust and recognition. When using Google to locate a service or product, we have all seen the search options that boast the “10 best professionals” in your field.
These are citation sites and can help boost your site’s ranking when appropriately used. Local directories such as Angie’s List, Yelp, and HomeAdvisor are all noteworthy directories that provide useful citations to boost your SEO.
NAP Consistency
One way to boost your local SEO efforts is by ensuring your NAP, or Name, Address, and Phone are consistent throughout the web. Your company name and contact information should be the same on each site where your business is listed.
NAP consistency helps Google and other search engines easily pair your location with your other business listings, which improves your credibility and online clout.
Google My Business Optimization
When searchers perform a branded search or a search of your company name, Google typically shows your knowledge graph. You find details like contact information, reviews, ratings, hours, and location within the knowledge graph.
You will also find links to company social media pages, directory listings, and other secondary business mentions.
Your Google Business Page is crucial for top rankings. The information entered into your Business Page will allow Google to index your company according to services, location correctly, and other details to ensure productive searchability.
City Pages
In the past, a static list of your service area was enough to let searchers know where you provide services. Today, however, optimal SEO is achieved by adding city pages focused on each city that your company serves.
These pages are optimized for the services and location and are typically brought together by a linked list on a top-level ‘Areas Served’ page. Correctly optimized city pages allow Google to index every area your HVAC company serves readily.
Your HVAC site should ideally include a city page for every large city your business services. They should have unique content, images, and SEO elements and provide a clear overview of your company’s offerings.
Title tags should be used within the content and include a top keyword and a location tag to give optimal indexing to the specified area. This way, when users perform a location-based search, such as “heater repair in Palmdale, CA,” your Palmdale city page is displayed in the search results.
On-Page SEO for HVAC Companies
When a searcher enters a query, they are not usually taken to a website’s homepage but instead to a page within the site that presents the searched information. But how do search engines know which pages have the right content?
On-page SEO provides Google with clues about each page’s data, displayed through images, bullet points, headers, and other styling and formatting techniques. Google uses these details to determine what type of content is available on your site and where you’ll rank on SERPs.
Keyword Placement
Within your content, your keywords should be strategically placed and naturally flowing. They should be present in the general content, headers, image captions, and lists for optimal referencing during search queries.
Remember, the more relevant and more frequent your keywords are, the more likely Google is to display your content when users include the word in a search.
While using main keywords such as HVAC repair and HVAC installation is essential, you should also use more specialized secondary keywords in your content. These keywords provide more description and are more likely to provide high search rankings when users perform specific service or product searches.
Title Tags
Title tags are crucial for proper on-page SEO and provide Google with an overall description of your page. Tags are found in search results as the query title and at the top of the page when clicked.
Keep in mind that your title tags should be short and concise, having a max of 60 characters to display as they should. It should be descriptive and include the primary keyword and a location or brand tag.
Meta Descriptions
When users perform a Google search, the displayed results include a short snippet of information that paraphrases the content. The snippet is called the meta description, and Google uses it to index your content topic correctly.
When creating your meta description, you want to include a primary and secondary keyword, if possible, and contact and brand information. The full spectrum will help Google connect your content with your site, helping boost your rankings.
However, make sure to keep your meta description under 160 characters to prevent being cut off.
Header Tags
Header tags are used in content to separate different thoughts. Multiple header styles and sizes can be used when laying out your content and provide title breaks and content dimensions. When arranging your content, using header tags can help Google correctly index each paragraph’s topic on your page.
Strategically place header tags within the content to emphasize independent ideas and new thoughts. They should have between 20 and 70 characters for optimal viewing and indexing.
Your HVAC web page should combine H2 and H3 header tags to distinguish between main ideas and supporting thoughts. Headings help Google and other search engines accurately index your content and focus on search rankings.
URL Slugs
Your URL is your exact web address. Because Google uses your page URL to index your site and as a displayed object on SERPs, it’s vital to create it correctly. A useful URL will state the content clearly and use a top keyword related to the topic.
Many sites have not optimized their URL slugs and end up with slugs that make no sense or are hard to understand. An air conditioning repair page might have a URL slug of /air-conditioning-repair for a useful URL slug.
Google uses bots to crawl every site when users perform a search query. These bots use URLs to correctly and quickly index your HVAC site’s content.
Image Alt Text
Images can significantly improve your SEO efforts, but only if used correctly. While captions and image titles are important, Image Alt text is crucial for Google to index your image content correctly.
As search bots crawl your site, they index image subjects and content. When your image has appropriate tags and descriptions, Google can quickly tell what it’s about, leading to possible better rankings.
Other SERP Ranking Factors
Google and other search engines use various information and details to provide helpful search results for their users. While on-page and site-wide SEO is crucial, other factors also affect your business’ ranking. A collection of elements influence SERP position instead of a singular tipping point.
Domain Age
Your site and domain age are also factors that Google considers when presenting search results. A site that is ten years old is more established than a site that is six months old and will hold more clout on SERPs.
It’s essential to keep your domain once you have one. A well-established domain displays a reputable web address and not a “fly-by-night” site that helps with ranking.
Reviews
Reviews are also a deciding factor with SERPs. As your clients leave reviews of your company on different platforms, Google indexes them as reputability. Reviews also display on your Google knowledge graph, showing prospective clients what level of quality they can expect from your company.
The knowledge graph displays many more review types than Google alone, so it’s vital to encourage your clients to complete reviews on multiple platforms such as Facebook, Angi’, and HomeAdvisor for comprehensive coverage for your HVAC business.
Location
Your business location is a crucial deciding factor in your SEO development. New or less well-known sites will have trouble competing with larger companies and sites for top keywords in large cities and metro areas. In this case, utilizing secondary keywords can give your site the boost it needs.
Analyzing SEO Success
As with any business plan, your HVAC SEO campaign should be tracked through analytics to ensure its effectiveness. Luckily, Google and many other programs offer helpful tools for measuring your SEO success.
Google delivers first-class analytics that is easy to read and transfer so you can create useful and productive progress reports.
Google Analytics
With your Google My Business account, you can access Google Analytics to help track your site’s performance on Google. These metrics clearly show how your site is doing and what can be improved.
Each metric delivers valuable information on keywords, customer conversions, and even image reactions.
Along with Google Analytics, platforms like SEMRush, Moz, and CoreMetrics provide helpful metrics and analytics that judge your marketing plan’s effectiveness. No matter what platform you use to measure your SEO plan’s success, it’s essential to keep track of benchmarks, shortcomings, and other details to make effective adjustments.
Each component of effective SEO plays a part in the indexing and tracking of your site by Google and other search engines and will decide where, if at all, your site shows on search results. Therefore, an efficient plan, implementation schedule, and analytics method are crucial for business success in the online world.
Next Level HVAC SEO Tips for 2024
Google’s recent algorithm updates, including the Helpful Content Update, have increased the power of E-E-A-T or expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. Heating and cooling websites that best demonstrate these qualities through branded signals will rank.
SEO remains the most affordable method to generate HVAC leads online. However, some of the tactics that previously led to consistent rankings on search engines are no longer viable. As a result, HVAC companies must adapt in order to maintain or increase Google visibility.
Tip 1: Digital + Branded Signaling
An HVAC company website should not aim to trick search engines but rather aim to establish a brand that search engines can trust enough to present to its users. The most effective way to achieve this is through E-E-A-T, which can be automated through the use of DataPins.
Another way to foster branded signaling is by creating content for users rather than search engines. As a result, those hundreds of thin blog posts your marketing company published on your HVAC website are counterproductive to search engine optimization in 2024.
Tip 2: Cross-Platform Brand Synergy
While a robust website is the most integral part of an HVAC SEO strategy, it’s not enough to establish a viable brand for your services. It’s important for your other digital entities, like your Google Business Profile (aka GMB listing) and social profiles, to link back to your website.
Think about Google Maps and YouTube, for example, as both platforms are now integrated within Google search results. Ensuring your HVAC company can rank on Google’s Local Map 3-Pack, video carousel, and traditional organic results is the epitome of SEO synergy in 2024.
Tip 3: Focus on User Intent
Content’s value is based on the accuracy with which it satisfies the user’s search intent. For example, if a local HVAC prospect searches for gas furnace repair services, the content that clearly outlines its gas furnace services and expertise is the most valuable to the searcher.
Google’s priority is its users (those searching for HVAC services). As a result, you must view your website as Google’s partner and something that can help satisfy their users’ search experience. When you view SEO through this lens, the required tasks become clear.
Next Steps for HVAC Companies
The emergence of AI tools like ChatGPT has sparked spirited conversations about the future of SEO for lead generation. As a top-rated marketing agency for HVAC companies throughout the U.S., our internal data shows that SEO is here to stay in 2024.
As the owner of a heating and cooling business, investing in SEO starts with a simple call to an agency like HVAC Webmasters. If you prefer to do SEO yourself for now, the first step is claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile so you can appear on Google Maps.
Instagram marketing is an untapped promotional resource for many HVAC companies in 2024. While most companies already utilize Facebook Ads for their business, few take full advantage of Instagram.
If you’ve already taken the time to establish an Instagram Business Account, cheers to you! You obviously have the foresight to understand that this social media platform isn’t going anywhere but is, in fact, gaining traction across most demographics.
Quick Instagram Marketing Tips for HVAC Companies
Create an Instagram Business Account
Take Original Photos With Natural Light
Experiment With Different Photo Angles
Engage With Comments and DMs
Write Compelling Captions
Ethically Curate Other Posts
Share Funny Memes
Pew Research Center reports that 60% of users check Instagram daily. This is a huge opportunity to connect with potential HVAC clients who regularly make their rounds on social media.
The best way to create an Instagram Business Account is to follow this guide from Instagram’s official website. I think you’ll find it easier than you expected.
And since Facebook owns Instagram, you get many of the same great metrics and feedback on posts and the ability to add pertinent business information to establish your page as a great citation for Google rankings.
In the following post, I’ll share some easy tips for stepping up your Instagram marketing for heating and cooling services.
By maximizing your presence on social media for a given platform, you can better invest efforts for what is likely to result in more calls and, ultimately, more business for your HVAC company.
Take Great Photos for Instagram Marketing
The visual-heavy aspect of Instagram can make many HVAC professionals groan, imagining it will take a photography background to gain any traction whatsoever. But this isn’t actually the case!
You don’t have to be a natural behind the camera — or even own a fancy DSLR camera — to make your Instagram account pleasing to the eye and a great source of referrals.
Let’s review a few simple tips that you can implement to improve the photos or Stories (videos you can post for a 24-hour period) that you share on behalf of your HVAC business in your Instagram marketing:
Natural Lighting Makes for the Best Photos
Isn’t it great news that you don’t have to keep a small photo studio in the corner of your shop? And aren’t you relieved that my advice isn’t to invest in a bunch of expensive photography lights?
No, you don’t need to do any of that. (Although you can. You do you.) The absolute best, most flattering photos tend to be those that utilize the power of natural light.
Any given consumer camera- and I’m heavily in favor of relying on the camera on your smartphone, to which this still applies- will perform best with plenty of natural light.
You don’t have to understand “manual mode” to take great pictures for your Instagram ads or feed posts, but you’ll benefit from the automatic settings when you let the light hit that lens.
For example, if you’re taking a photo of one of your HVAC technicians (which I highly recommend and will talk more about why in just a second), have them stand near a window during daylight hours and shoot with the window to your back.
Now, direct sun isn’t flattering due to the inevitable squints and overexposure you’ll reap. But daylight coming in through a large window will light your subject beautifully, and the resulting photo will be much more likely to get Likes (that running count below your photos, indicating a user’s appreciation).
Try Different Angles to Get Better Instagram Photos for Your HVAC Page
You may be surprised by how much more interesting your photos are when you try a different viewpoint. For example, it can be flattering for faces to take the photo from ever so slightly above eye level, creating a slimming effect on the face and body.
On the flip side, shooting from below chin level is less flattering. (Most of us have experienced this firsthand and can probably spot our better angles. The truth is, rarely is a flattering angle unique to one person.)
If you’re featuring a certain piece of equipment, a vehicle from your fleet, or a close-up of recent heating or cooling repair, try framing the focal point in a position other than the center.
It’s our tendency to plop the main thing in the middle, but it’s actually more visually interesting to focus on the person or thing that is more justified to the right or the left.
Think of the frame you’re capturing as a rectangle with three vertical sections broken up into thirds. Imagine where the lines would be separating the rectangle equally.
Take one photo with the focal point in the middle section and another with the focal point in the crease toward the right or left section. In most cases, the latter photo will be more engaging and thus invite more views, likes, and maybe even comments!
Engage with Comments and DMs to Boost Instagram Marketing
I mentioned the algorithm earlier, and engagement is another important factor that Instagram considers when placing a post on a user’s feed.
Not only does it factor in what that user—or your potential customer—likes and views, but the extent to which you respond to comments and “DMs” (Direct Messages that users can send via the paper airplane icon) can also boost your posts.
Engagement is the name of the game with social media, so staying on top of those notifications can make a difference in the performance and visibility of your HVAC company’s Instagram ads.
Easy Tips for Creating Great Captions for HVAC Instagram Posts
Here’s the key to writing content for your HVAC Instagram posts/ads: Talk to your audience on social media just as you would a potential customer in real life.
Your heating and cooling website content might be more polished and professional. While you should never be borderline unprofessional, you can loosen your tie on Instagram.
Remember Your Audience – Never lose sight of the fact that social media is meant to be social. Keep the tone friendly and light, remembering that heavy-handed messaging that looks like an ad will likely be ignored (or even hidden).
Technical Jargon is a Buzzkill – You don’t need to “dumb it down” completely, as using industry-relevant terms will make you look authoritative and help your clients feel a little more confident as they pick up on the lingo. But don’t fill captions with a technical description and call it a day; write out a full sentence, and keep it in layman’s terms whenever possible
#HashtagsAreYourFriend – Posts with a gazillion hashtags instantly look like spam. Don’t go overboard; utilizing relevant hashtags is a great way to help drive traffic to your posts. A great way to keep the captions clean is to use a max of one hashtag in the main caption, post it, and then add a few additional hashtags in the comments section. Never use more than five hashtags in total.
When Struggling to Create, Curate!
You don’t have to create every post for Instagram marketing for your HVAC business account from scratch. There is much to be said for tapping into Instagram’s social network aspect and sharing relevant content from other users.
Stealing Instagram Content is NOT the Same as Curating
Before I type one more sentence, let me be very clear: you should never steal content. What’s the difference, you ask? If you simply screenshot a great image from another user and repost it, you’ve stolen that image.
Even if the photo has a watermark, you’re essentially trying to profit from their work without giving proper credit. Utilizing an app like Repost is a great way to share content from Instagram on Instagram without breaking copyright or behaving badly.
When I say curate, I mean to look at your overall feed and create a nice balance of your own original content and borrowed/shared content. Incorporate photos of your team, your repairs, and your equipment, as well as photos that you find from other logical pages (that aren’t competitors, duh).
Maybe a builder in your service area shares photos of their new development; repost the image and welcome them to the neighborhood, and tag the builder and any associated Instagram pages for the development/neighborhood.
Memes Make People Smile
Now, please don’t let your feed lose its value by cluttering your professional page with silliness, but sharing a few funnies here and there pertinent to heating and cooling issues is a great way to show that you/your company has a personality.
Even with Memes, reposting the right way is important, so if you see an image shared that is linked back to the creator, navigate to the original post and share from there.
Instagram Marketing’s Impact on HVAC Businesses
Instagram reports that over two million advertisers use the platform to drive business results. This is no small figure, and it makes perfect sense for heating and cooling companies like yours to get in on the action.
As a homeowner, I am far more likely to shift my already-established pattern of checking my Instagram (and yes, I’m one of those 60% daily checkers) when searching for home service needs, especially if they’re right there in front of me with a beautiful feed or engaging HVAC Instagram marketing ad.
HVAC companies should approach PPC campaigns differently based on the season. Consumers’ demand for service types varies based on winter, spring, summer, and fall. That brings us to the concept of seasonal PPC for HVAC companies.
To maximize your paid advertising budget, campaigns should target the consumers’ needs, which will vary according to temperature, weather, and other seasonal variations. The following podcast explores how companies should approach PPC by season.
Suspending PPC Campaigns During Down Seasons
In some cases, suspending PPC campaigns altogether makes sense for periods. If there’s an exceedingly low demand for any services you offer, there’s little value in pursuing clicks that are unlikely to come, and if and when they do come, it will be highly irrelevant. In summary, PPC campaigns should vary by season for the following reasons:
Budget: The amount HVAC companies should spend on ads varies by season
Demand: The need for specific services changes with the seasons
Variation: The type of service required varies by season
Google Ads, formerly AdWords, is not the only platform on which an HVAC contractor can buy ads. Companies can also utilize social media advertising, specifically onFacebook, Instagram, & YouTube. Like Google Ads, maximizing ad campaigns on social media is a seasonal cat & mouse game. Your goal as a contractor is to maximize your financial resources to produce the most significant ROI.
The bottom line is what matters to most companies, and efficient deployment of marketing dollars holds the most significant influence over your bottom line, whether that’s at the end of a month, quarter, or year. With intelligent PPC management considering season, supply, & demand, the sky’s the limit for heating & cooling professionals.
Using PPC With Organic SEO
PPC works well in pockets of time, but organic SEO can keep money coming in all year long. During the low points of an HVAC season, consumers will still be looking for maintenance. It’s often not worth buying PPC ads for the term maintenance because the volume is not high enough.
Establishing an organic ranking for that keyword term won’t have to pay to get those leads year-round. Since you can cut your PPC budget during these periods, your ROI will be substantially higher than it would have been with a straight Google Ads campaign. Here’s why an organic SEO foundation is critical for year-round leads:
Budget Efficiency: Make the best use of your marketing resources
ROI: Earn a greater return on investment
Sustainability: Keep phone calls coming in year-round
Sometimes contractors mistake PPC as the ultimate quick fix for online marketing. While paid ads have great value when properly managed, they are also dangerous to rely on as a singular entity. PPC and SEO are not mutually exclusive concepts but work well together and best when combined.
Even when securing a top ad spot, 76% of users will scroll down and click the organic result. That means you must be present on organic as well. Not only that, but once a user clicks on an ad, they will only stay if the landing page is well optimized with informative content that facilitates a good user experience. SEO lays an excellent foundation for subsequent PPC campaigns in all seasons.
Seasonal PPC Tips for HVAC Companies
As the autumn season arrives, a temperature change will affect HVAC businesses, some more so than others, depending on their geographic location. HVAC companies that know how to take the best advantage of Pay Per Click (PPC) marketing can use seasonal changes to their advantage and use market inefficiencies to keep business optimal year-round.
Consider these 3 PPC tips for HVAC contractors:
Tip 1: Change Your Keyword Targets
Each season, the market demand for heating and cooling services go up and down. For example, during the summer months, contractors should see a boost in demand for the following services:
AC Repair
Central Air Installation
Ductless AC Repair / Installation
In contrast, the cooler months, particularly winter in most regions, will see a boost in these service types:
Furnace Repair
Heater Installation
Heater Maintenance
The spring and fall seasons will also see spikes, perhaps not as pronounced as the summer and winter months, but also highly dependent on the location and climate. Regardless of the circumstance, keyword targets should align with the seasonal market demands.
Using keyword research tools and location targeting, contractors can highlight services depending on their needs within a given service area and at a certain period.
Tip 2: Geo-Targeting Ad Campaigns
With knowledge of seasonal-dependent keyword relevance, contractors should further optimize their PPC campaigns with location targeting. While there are several ways to cut wasted ad spend, one often overlooked factor is geo-targeting. Consider these three tenets of geo-targeting:
1. Only market where you serve – advertising to users who live outside your service area wastes marketing dollars on people who cannot convert into customers
2. Run location-specific campaigns – The appeal of an advertisement will vary based on the location; one way to optimize revenue is to alter campaign ads to target the consciousness of specific communities
3. Supply for Demand – Pockets of towns and cities within your service radius might require a particular HVAC service type, which you can then market to and create that opportunistic supply
Much like keyword variance, location-specific targeting takes advantage of market variables. Like the seasons call for different types of services to be in greater demand, so do locations. Effective marketing is really about connecting with the consumer, and understanding how each of them is different, helps you segment PPC campaigns.
Tip 3: Spend Marketing Dollars Wisely
The 3rd and final PPC suggestions for today’s post are related to both of the previous ones. It ties them together as a complete marketing objective. To keep your revenue consistent year-round, you must account for market variables, including seasons, locations, and more. But to indeed have this strategy work optimally, you must set a dynamic budget.
Seasonal Budgeting
Just as we said, keyword relevance fluctuates based on season, so too does the amount a company should spend on paid search. In certain climates, budgets for the spring and autumn seasons may require a significant decrease in investment. Since homes are not too hot or not too cold, families become less reliant on heating and cooling units. During these seasons, there is still opportunity, and both optimizing and budgeting for them helps keep revenue at its optimal and consistent level, regardless of time.
Weekly and Monthly Budgeting
Exactly how specific can budget control get? Extremely. Today, there is so much data that marketers can determine the very time of day that a person is most likely to spend money on home service repairs. With this knowledge, companies can scale budgets based on something specific as a month and even a week. A review of your previous ad campaigns can help determine which months have been most successful in the past and why that was the case.
The bottom line for HVAC PPC campaigns is efficiency. Squeezing every last dollar out of the campaign based on research-supported targeting adds up to an impressive total at the end of the year. HVAC Webmasters can help you with every aspect of your PPC campaign.
