Tag Archives: SEO

Does Your HVAC Website Convert Enough Customers? (Podcast)

Heating & cooling contractors often wonder why their HVAC website doesn’t bring in enough leads. Most of the time, it is the result of low click volume, a product of poor web design, codebase, and search engine optimization. But what about advertising? For contractors running PPC campaigns, the low click volume could originate from a poorly managed advertising strategy on Google, Facebook, or elsewhere. Despite these everyday occurrences, there are instances when traffic comes in, but leads don’t. In cases like this, the problem is with conversion rate optimization. If your website is frequently visited but is not converting those visitors into leads, here are some of the reasons websites don’t convert:

Call To Action

Every high conversion website has a clear and convincing call to action. Unfortunately, there are too many websites that don’t have their basic information listed on the header and footer of their homepage. Every visitor should know who you are, where you are, and what you do. Those three things are non-negotiable. It is not enough, however, to list a phone number. A readable text size must appear so that users can easily see it. You want the phone number to read clearly for the prospective customer. You also want the phone number to be clickable on mobile devices by integrating click-to-call functionality. This way, mobile users can become leads with a simple click making it more convenient to generate new clients online.

HVAC CTA Example Screenshot

Personalization

An underrated factor in website conversion rates is personalization. What do we mean by that? Have you ever been to an HVAC website that has stock photos or low-quality photos? These kinds of images may currently be on your website. What you may not have considered is how a lack of personalization can impact conversions. Visitors who see personable contractors are more likely to call than those who see stock photos or images of angry-looking HVAC employees. This concept is more rooted in traditional marketing than digital marketing but the two merge in this instance. Consumers who have a level of comfort with the business will be more likely to engage with them, which manifests itself in the form of online leads for HVAC.

Personolization Example Screenshot

Site Speed Optimization

Visitors who bounce off your page immediately will not convert. One of the most typical reasons for an incredibly high bounce rate is site speed. When sites fail to load within 3 seconds, most visitors will bounce—visitors who access the site through mobile accounts for more than half of all users. Speeding up your website can help conversions but achieving higher speeds takes some technical sensibilities. For one, your site can’t have too many large files on it, including images that may slow downloading speed. Furthermore, your HVAC site must have a clean codebase which means no obtrusive JavaScript or excess WordPress plugins from 3rd parties. Clean designs tend to load fast, increasing conversions.

Google Page Speed Insights Screenshot

How SEO & Website Conversions are Related

We mentioned earlier in this post that most failing websites don’t have a conversion problem as much as an SEO problem. But the reality is that these two things are inherently connected. Google ranks websites, at least partially, based on how users behave on them. You cannot convert visitors you don’t have. Conversely, higher conversions often lead to higher rankings because the same principles that foster conversions also send positive signals to Google. HVAC Webmasters provides digital marketing services for contractors across the United States. We optimize sites for search ranking and conversions while implementing your company photos and offering three logo revisions (if necessary) to improve presentation.

Buying Leads Can Be a Pitfall for HVAC Companies (Podcast)

Buying a lead is not the worst idea for an HVAC contractor. After all, leads drive your business. Unfortunately, in our experience, when HVAC contractors do buy leads, the leads are expensive, and the contractor is unhappy. But the issue with purchasing HVAC leads expands even further beyond the negativity surrounding them. Buying leads can be a pitfall for your company and might discourage you from investing in marketing resources that increase your brand visibility and generate sales sustainably.

Finding a Lead Source for HVAC Companies

If you are a heating & cooling contractor, who struggles to find a solid lead source, you aren’t alone. Although buying leads as a concept is not foolish since every business’s goal is to profit, the practice presents challenges. Low-quality distributors who offer “shared” leads rather than exclusives are the most common problem. But even with so-called exclusive prospects, HVAC companies are climbing uphill to secure the sale.

Getting More Leads

Despite well-documented disgust with lead sources many contractors continue to buy them. Why? Because at the end of the day they still want more leads. Securing a sale brings money to their business and becomes a cyclical process. The profit is just enough to seem like it’s worth it for the heating & cooling business. Getting more leads can be a challenge especially with sources offering shared leads. Worse yet, it often distracts contractors from other forms of marketing, like SEO, that will actually end up producing more sales over the long run.

Investing in Your HVAC Company

When you purchase a lead from a 3rd party platform, their brand benefits most. Next time the customer needs HVAC services, they will probably go back to the source instead of your HVAC company. Your goal should shift towards investing in your brand and growing the allegiance of consumers. This way, you will generate sustainable business for your company and not shell out hard-earned funds to 3rd parties.

Custom Websites

The first thing you’ll need is a custom website with schema markup. A website can be the central hub of your HVAC company and create a foundation for sales. Unfortunately, today, most websites use templates, either from a WordPress theme market or from DIY website builders like Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace. While they have their advantages, of course, they don’t have the type of long-term potential that custom sites do. As a result, they limit ROI in terms of organic optimization and the long-term control of your brand, which we want to avoid.

Google My Business

Nobody will take your company seriously without a Google My Business listing. You might ask how GMB is different from a 3rd party lead platform. First, you are not investing money. Google My Business listings are free and allow you to rank in the Local Map 3-Pack. Second, you can link your website URL to your GMB listing so that your web property becomes associated with the Google listing as well as the Google Reviews. All of this is free of charge for companies.

Search Engine Optimization

The best leads come from organic clicks on Google. For example, ranking for terms like “ac repair” and similar phrases can drive searchers to your website or Google My Business Listing. In either case, with websites optimized for conversions, you can earn most of your profit organically. SEO is the best long-term strategy for online marketing since it is an investment in yourself and becomes a sustainable profit generator for years and decades to come. 

A Full-Scale Approach

A single strategy may not always work out, but the combination of several techniques helps HVAC companies earn sales online. Investing your marketing dollars in leads only or ads only discourages long-term growth. You can still buy HVAC leads, but only if you optimize your brand at the same time. Using SEO, you can reap the long-term rewards of a complete and robust web presence. Try partnering with a full digital marketing agency like HVAC Webmasters, the top-rated agency in 2021.

How You See HVAC SEO vs. How Google Sees It (Podcast)

Sometimes, contractors have a false perception of a quality website. What you see as a website that looks good to your eyes might not even rank in the top 20 for its target keyword. The best websites can be easily crawled by Google and rank on page one of SERPs for relevant terms. SEO for HVAC contractors is about many factors, and Google considers them all.

Here’s what you’ll learn in today’s podcast episode:

  • Visual Appeal Doesn’t Always Translate to SEO
  • SEO Myths vs. Reality
  • The Primary Function of a Website for HVAC Companies

Visual Appeal Doesn’t Guarantee Rankings on Google

The best-looking HVAC websites don’t consistently rank on page one of Google. Great-looking sites often fail to rank at all. Since many websites neglect SEO, they do not rank for keywords and rely 100% on direct traffic or branded search. In the worst cases, websites might not rank for their brand name after failing to optimize their homepage correctly. While good-looking sites might convert those who visit based on your business card, word of mouth, or a truck wrap, you still lose more customers than you gain by failing to optimize your website. So next time you see a competitor bragging about their websites’ design, ask them how much traffic they get from organic search results.

SEO Myths Vs. Reality

Some HVAC contractors mistakenly believe in SEO myths. For instance, one of our clients asked if they can insert more keywords on their homepage. Since the page already had several cases of the target word, adding more would hurt its ranking and disappoint readers. Antiquated SEO strategies that worked in 2007 no longer work now in 2021. Another myth some companies believe in is the branding myth. While it is crucial to brand your company for Google, it is not as important in a traditional sense. Google wants to see that your company is listed on reputable directories and has a consistent name, address, and phone number. They don’t care about the philosophical brand notions of your logo colors, etc.

The Primary Function of HVAC Websites

As a home service provider, you shouldn’t want to enter your website into an art contest. The function of your site is to generate HVAC leads and grow your company online. Inserting calls-to-action is a great way to achieve your goals, but some companies think it makes their site look bad. Some even believe it hurts their SEO efforts. The reality, however, is that CTAs are essential for online success and don’t hurt SEO when adequately implemented. The pros at HVAC Webmasters handled hundreds of client accounts and used our data to create the top-performing sites on the web. Ask about our web design services and contact us today.

SEO Doesn’t Work for You Because You Don’t Work SEO (Podcast)

Today’s HVAC Marketing Plan podcast from HVAC Webmasters explores the primary reason why most HVAC companies fail to succeed online. In 2021, almost every contractor has a website, and many even believe they are doing SEO in some capacity. However, if you’re not working on your SEO, your SEO won’t work for you. It’s not enough to put up a website and write up some titles and meta descriptions. Effective SEO requires an investment of either time or money, and sometimes both.

In this podcast episode, you will learn:

  • SEO is ongoing
  • Everyone wants to rank #1
  • Branding is key
  • Organic search provides the best ROI

SEO is Ongoing

SEO is not a noun; it’s a verb. To succeed online, SEO is an ongoing process that requires regular adjustments and refinements. Google consistently updates its algorithm to best suit user needs and to combat spam. For example, Google Places is now Google My Business, and HVAC companies that have failed to optimize their GMB listing have been unable to rank in the Local Map 3-Pack. As a result, these companies get fewer calls, fewer reviews, and less business. Conversely, HVAC websites regularly add content, generate reviews, push their brand, and get the most customers.

Everyone Wants to Rank #1

HVAC companies often complain that a competitor outranks them on Google. The reality is that that company works harder on its online presence than yours does in 2021. They consistently get reviews, add content, and optimize their pages so that more users click through their digital assets. They want to rank #1 even more than you do because they put in the necessary work to achieve their goals. Sure, you’d like to rank #1 on Google, but so would every other company in your region. The defining factor is who puts the most into their SEO efforts.

Branding is Key

In rare cases, a superior website fails to outrank one with a more popular brand. In the SEO landscape, branding is a prominent signal. HVAC companies who have established their brand by doing great work and building a reputation get an advantage online. One way to strengthen your brand is to generate as many reviews as possible. You can use a tool like DataPins to send automated review requests through text and email. As more people review your HVAC company, your brand name becomes more recognizable. Then, as you gain more customers, they begin to search for your company name online, further building authority.

Organic Search Provides The Best ROI

If SEO requires effort and expense, then is it worth the time for HVAC companies? The answer is yes. Even companies that invest significant portions of their budget in SEO generate a higher ROI from organic clicks than any other marketing tactic. For instance, a PPC campaign will cost you quadruple what an SEO campaign will cost and produce lower-quality leads. Traditional advertising methods like billboards and print ads also generate a lower ROI than organic SEO. The bottom line doesn’t lie, and SEO is the best investment for profit.

Sign Up With HVAC Webmasters

Do you like what you’ve heard from this podcast? HVAC Webmasters can help take your SEO to the next level so you can get those rankings you covet from your competitors. Furthermore, you can start closing more sales and building your brand. With consistent SEO, you will outperform competitors in every aspect of their online presence. We are happy to offer a free consultation to discuss your SEO plan for 2021.