Homeowners have started using Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT to find local HVAC Companies, which means SEO for AI search is now integral to your marketing campaign.
While Google remains the dominant source of HVAC lead generation, yielding 11 times more monthly unique visitors than ChatGPT, Google has integrated its Gemini AI platform into standard search results.
Most HVAC businesses want to leverage the new channel to engage with prospects, while others are preparing for the future of AI search.
Improving your company’s visibility on AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity is known as LLMO or large language model optimization.
Below, I’ll explain how to implement SEO for AI search into your HVAC marketing strategy:
Factors That Influence ChatGPT and LLM Visibility
Brand Mentions
How frequently credible online sources mention your HVAC business or “brand” directly influences LLM results.
Your brand can include all variations of your company name and location, as well as anything a user might type in while searching for your company.
For example, if your business name is Air Pro Heating & Cooling, LLC, the exact version of your official business name, as well as variations like Air Pro Heating and Cooling or Air Pro Heating Denver (based on your location), all relate to your brand.
Domain Authority
LLMs like ChatGPT also consider domain authority, although they likely use a different formula than Moz, Ahrefs, or Majestic.
Nevertheless, the authority of your domain will impact your LLM visibility just like it does on Google, Bing, and other search engines.
Domain authority is primarily determined by the quality and quantity of backlinks pointing to your domain, as well as their consistency over time.
Relevance to User’s Chat
LLM chat responses like those from ChatGPT are often even more personalized than Google results.
Most users are already logged into ChatGPT before starting a chat, so that responses may be based on their previous chat history.
Furthermore, the context in which a question is asked has a broader range than a standard Google keyword, and the user may ask a follow-up question, which can impact the responses.
Business Listings and Citations
LLMs are also trained on business listings and citations from Google Business Profile, Facebook, Yelp, and Better Business Bureau.
NAP Consistency and reviews (with responses) generate positive LLM signals for HVAC companies.
ChatGPT may rely on Facebook recommendations more than other review types, making it a worthwhile consideration for HVAC businesses.
E-E-A-T
Google’s E-E-A-T acronym also applies to LLMs. While Google’s Gemini AI platform is more closely related to the specific E-E-A-T guidelines, other platforms still use similar principles.
The point remains: expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness impact how LLMs view and grade your HVAC business.
Sometimes E-E-A-T can feel more like a concept than something tangible, so consider the example of jobsite social proof, where your website shows evidence of recent HVAC jobs.
What HVAC Companies Can Do to Optimize on ChatGPT / LLMs
Invest in Digital PR
LLMs analyze and predict language sequentially with words or phrases. For example, “air” is tangentially related to “conditioner” but also “purifier” and “quality.”
You can use digital PR to ensure your local HVAC company is put in the proper context for LLM training data.
For example, if your digital PR campaign results in your company appearing on lists like “10 best HVAC companies in Denver,” your company will begin to be associated with “best” and “Denver,” which is precisely what you want.
Build a Digital Brand Through SEO
Ditch old-school SEO agencies and tactics, such as keyword stuffing or mass-producing pages. Instead, focus on building a brand through digital signals.
It starts by creating a Google Business Profile and multiple social media pages, such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, to establish a strong brand footprint.
From there, you must consistently send out brand signals, such as customer reviews, credible backlinks, social proof, and mentions.
Showcase HVAC Jobs With Social Proof
Use a tool like DataPins to showcase jobsite check-ins on your website and its various pages.
DataPins consolidates dozens of local SEO signals, including schema markup, geo coordinates, mini maps, unique job photos, SEO-friendly job descriptions, and more.
Not only do traditional search engines like Google pick up these signals, but LLMs like ChatGPT do as well.
Engage on Reddit and Other Forums
Reddit is a foundational part of how many large language models (LLMs) have been trained. As a result, a thread discussing your HVAC business or local HVAC companies may become a training dataset for ChatGPT.
You can participate in these threads directly if you choose to do so. Anything that sounds promotional or manipulative will be banned by moderators or ridiculed by other users.
Consider hosting a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) about your HVAC business to strengthen your brand and provide new information from your perspective.
Examples of ChatGPT Optimization for HVAC Companies
How can local HVAC businesses know that any of these strategies for ranking on LLMs actually work? We have examples of actual companies ranking on ChatPT using the abovementioned tactics.
ChatGPT Map Ranking
The screenshot below shows one of our HVAC Webmasters’ clients in the #1 map position on ChatGPT.
This client used the strategies outlined in this guide, with our assistance, to secure this ranking.
ChatGPT Text Ranking
The example below shows ChatGPT recommending another one of our clients (#1 on their list) and directly referring to a recent project, thanks to DataPins.
The top ranking increases prospect engagement, and a thorough, detailed description converts users with a specific intent.
Examples of Google AI Overviews for HVAC Companies
Although a lot of the commentary around AI has been linked directly to ChatGPT, Google remains the largest source of promotion for local HVAC companies.
Google has integrated AI into its primary search results through Google AI Overviews (AIO), with these features appearing on up to 47% of all searches.
Check out some examples of HVAC companies ranking within these AIOs, below:
Google AIO HVAC Service Ranking
The screenshot below shows how a local HVAC company optimized for a specific HVAC sub-service using the DataPins job site check-in tool.
These high-intent search queries primarily come from users looking to find a local provider quickly, making them highly valuable for conversions.
Google AIO HVAC City Ranking
The following screenshot shows how HVAC companies can secure AI Overview mentions in secondary cities (those outside their primary location).
As you can see, this company ranks high on AI search for a nearby city, expanding its visibility beyond the primary location and leading to more brand recognition and engagement.
Summary of How To Optimize Your HVAC Company for AI Search
Throughout this guide, you’ve learned which factors ChatGPT and other LLMs use to generate responses.
For example, brand mentions, domain authority, relevance, citations, and E-E-A-T all play a role.
We introduced multiple proven strategies to influence your HVAC company’s visibility within AI responses based on those factors.
Whether it’s digital PR, branded SEO, DataPins, or Reddit engagement, these strategies have been successful in the HVAC industry.
To learn more about optimizing your HVAC business for LLMs like ChatGPT, contact my agency for a free consultation.
