The benefit of online advertising is that it is easily trackable, and can be optimized based on incoming data and results. We've been running online ads with a high degree of success for local service businesses for over 25 years.
The types of ads we recommend depends on the specialty area of the HVAC company and their local competition, Meta and Google are the primary advertising platforms but Bing and LinkedIn are also highly effective in some local markets.
Meta (Facebook and Instagram)
Meta ads are easy to run, the company makes it easy to give them money -- but the ad platform is difficult to master. The key to Meta advertising is to optimize the training pixel (AI) and avoid the potential pitfalls of Meta's constantly-shifting ad requirements and rules.
Why the ads work, is that Meta has lots of data on its customers and their online activities. The demographic tends to skew older, which is a great market for HVAC customers (homeowners).
Primarily helpful for Business-to-Business (commercial HVAC), not as useful on the residential end of things.
Bing
Bing doesn't have a large market share, but the searches on Bing tend to have higher commercial intent and also tend to skew towards higher income demographics. Bing ads are primarily search-based, Pay Per Click (PPC).
Google is very important for local HVAC businesses, not only for searches but also for Google Maps. It's a very complex advertising platform with many nuances.
Pay Per Click Ads (PPC) are keyword-based. The ads are very complex and display differently to a user depending on the keyword phrase they type in, their geolocation, their search history, and whether they’re on a laptop or on a mobile phone. PPC ads can also be direct lead generation ads when using an ad extension like a telephone number.
Setting up effective PPC ad campaigns is time consuming and highly detail-oriented, at least if you’re aiming for cost efficiency and effectiveness. Our PPC ad campaigns are much more complex than the industry average; lots of keywords and lots of ad groups, tight geotargeting, seasonal ad campaigns where relevant (hot and cold weather), and strict monitoring of results.
Related to PPC, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is also based on keywords. We're very, very good at SEO -- but it takes time to develop. We're happy to talk your ear off about SEO if you schedule a free consult call with us! Great SEO that generates free website traffic is our long-term goal with every client.
Google also offers Cost Per Lead Ads (CPL), which are also known as Local Services Ads. They are a type of advertising designed for local service-based businesses such as plumbers, electricians, attorneys and HVAC technicians. These ads appear at the very top of Google search results when users search for local services in their area – advertisers are charged on a per-lead (CPL) basis rather than per click (CPC).
To participate in Local Services Ads, businesses must go through a verification process to ensure they are legitimate and licensed. Google also provides a "Google Guarantee" badge for businesses that pass the verification process, which gives customers added confidence when choosing a service provider.
CPL ads have become essential for local service providers as Google displays these ads at the top of many Search Engine Result Pages (SERP) results. An increasing number of customers who are searching for local HVAC service don’t look past these ads because they’re at the top of the page and are displayed very authoritatively.
CPL ads are also a great way to build out Google Reviews, which are a vital component of your Google Business profile. They not only influence potential customers' perceptions of your business, they also affect your ranking on SERPs and Google Maps results.
What Are Keywords?
Keywords are the foundation of CPC and SEO. A simple breakdown of types of keywords:
- Primary Keywords: “air conditioner repair near me” and “New York air conditioner repair”. These keyword phrases are generally difficult and time–consuming to SEO rank for.
- Longtail Keywords: “ductless HVAC installation” or “energy-efficient HVAC system” “residential HVAC installation service in the Bronx”. These keyword phrases are generally easier to SEO rank for.
- Negative Keywords: Negative keywords are terms you don’t want to show up in PPC ads, preventing irrelevant clicks. For instance, if you only offer residential services then adding “commercial” as a negative keyword will prevent unqualified leads from clicking on the PPC ads.
- Semantic Keywords: Semantic keywords are words or phrases that are related in meaning or context. For example: ‘air conditioning’ and ‘air cooling’. Semantic keywords are important for SEO because Google uses semantic analysis to understand the intent behind a user's search query and deliver relevant results. During our research, we look for semantic keyword opportunities in your local market.