Understanding HVAC local SEO is the key to ranking on top of the Maps search results in your service area when a consumer is looking to hire an HVAC company for a maintenance call, repair, or installation.
With so much competition in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning industry and the rising costs of Facebook ads and Google pay-per-click ads, it’s made search engine optimization results even more desirable. Being found at the top of the organic results can generate website traffic, HVAC leads, and new business around the clock – without having to pay a set price for every click.
Google’s organic results are constantly changing and as local SEO has evolved, so has its Maps section. It started as a simple list of local businesses, but these days most local-based searches display an interactive map on the top, next to the local pac results, giving users the ability to see the location of each business in proximity to their current location.
Being found at the top of these results can be a game changer, and instantly increase volume across all tracked metrics, from visits all the way to service appointment conversions. Your Google My Business profile is the gateway to being found in the Maps results, and it requires more than simply claiming your GMB profile to move up and remain at the top.
Let’s dive into some simple yet effective HVAC local SEO tips to help get your Google My Business profile ready for optimal visibility.
Optimize Your Description for Your Main Location-Based Keyword
Your business description is limited to only 750 characters, making it very important that you understand how to write an optimized description that looks professional and natural to consumers, while also helping Google’s algorithm understand your services and location – resulting in displaying your business to the correct audience.
It’s impossible to effectively optimize your description for all of your target keywords – there simply isn’t enough space. The best approach to take here is to make sure you select the proper category for your listing – HVAC Contractor – and then use your most popular service and your location in the description.
Let’s explain this in more detail. Selecting the HVAC Contractor category tells Google what you do, and the algorithm understands what this entails – heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. The average consumer, however, doesn’t search “HVAC” on Google.
They search for terms like “air condition repair in [location]” and “[location] heater repair” when they are looking for help. So, if your business is located in a warm climate and primarily deals with AC installation and repair, you would want to optimize your Google My Business description for a keyword such as “air condition repair in [location].”
Take Advantage of the ‘Posts’ Feature to Share Information and News
The Google My Business product has undergone some recent changes to make it more interactive and engaging. Before it was simply a directory page with basic information related to contacting the business.
Now it’s become more of a social media profile, with a news feed that you can post little short messages on. These are shown on your profile and are a great way to let potential customers know of specials and USPs that differentiate your HVAC business from the others.
Posts are short-form, with a maximum character limit of 1,500, which is approximately 225 words. Does your HVAC company offer a 24-hour service line for emergencies? Do you have an AC service special promotion currently running?
This is a great place to mention this, as this information can attract interest and drive leads and phone calls. Making a couple of posts each week also keeps your feed active, which is more appealing to a consumer than a GMP profile that appears to be inactive.
Make HVAC Google Reviews a Top Priority
Attracting Google reviews for your HVAC company needs to be a priority. They contribute directly to your conversion rates as well as your ranking in the Google Maps results. Make an effort to ask all of your previous customers to leave you a review, and include a direct link to your Google My Business listing.
You will find that many previous customers will gladly do it, especially if you make it as simple as clicking on a link provided to them. You can then follow up several times, and if need be, offer incentives to secure the more difficult previous customers.
Discounts on future AC flushings, discounts on repairs, etc. – or even Starbucks gift cards. Get creative, because the more Google reviews you can secure for your HVAC business, the better. Consumers trust businesses that have a large number of reviews.
Google also rewards businesses that are constantly adding new reviews and maintaining a high average star rating. Once you clear your backlog, you can set up automated events in your
Enable Text Communication to Increase Your Leads Volume
With a large number of Google searches occurring on mobile devices, it gives you the ability to drive phone calls to your business and convert those leads into appointments and service calls. Mobile phones are the number one communication tool, but not to make calls – the majority of communication occurs via text messaging.
Google My Business now has a feature you can enable that allows consumers to contact your business via a text message. You assign a mobile number (the texts are routed through Google so the consumer never knows your mobile number) and confirm it to activate it and field all messages through your mobile number – or one you assign to handle inbound texts.
This is a great way to allow more consumers to comfortably reach out and inquire about your HVAC services. While someone might not want to pick up the phone and speak to someone, they are comfortable sending a text message – this little feature is free and will increase your inbound HVAC leads simply by enabling it.
Monitor Your Data Regularly to Find Out How Customers Are Finding You
The analytics and insights available will show you how many times your listing was shown in the search results, what keywords and queries triggered it to be displayed, and how many actions your listing received – phone calls, direction requests, website clicks, etc.
Use this information to identify the areas your HVAC SEO needs to improve. Are you receiving a lot of impressions but low engagement? Are you showing up for terms that don’t have hiring intent?
Data and numbers don’t paint a gray picture – they tell you exactly what is happening with your Google listing. Where it is showing up in the search results, when it’s being clicked on, what other actions are and aren’t happening, etc.
Analyze this information as much as possible to make improvements in where your business shows up in the search results.
Final Thoughts
When you can rank on top and experience the influx of phone calls, website visits, appointment bookings, and customer acquisition that comes with that type of exposure you will understand first-hand why local SEO for HVAC companies is so desirable and worth a full-time effort.
If your business doesn’t have the time or staff resources to support a full-time local search engine optimization effort we would love to speak with you and tell you about our HVAC local SEO options available.
We help heating, ventilation, and air conditioning companies rank at the top of the local search results within their service area, helping them acquire new customers and generate more revenue month after month.
To learn more, or to ask questions related to the local SEO tips for HVAC companies outlined above, please contact us today to schedule a time to speak with our team. We would love the opportunity to learn more about your business and discuss making you our next HVAC marketing success story.
