Your online presence is more important than ever these days.   Think about it like this: You drive by a retail clothing store, and it looks run down. The displays in the windows are outdated, messy, and  look like the owner doesn’t care.  Would you decide to shop in this store?  Probably not.  Your online presence is your HVACR company’s retail storefront.  It must look modern, have helpful content the searcher is looking for, and be up-to-date. 

What is it Saying About Your HVACR Business?

You’re an HVACR business owner.  What do you see when you look at your business online?  Let’s be honest: Would you choose your company over some of your competitors?  Try it, I dare you.  If you would not choose your company when you’re looking for “air conditioner repair” or “furnace service,” then what do you think the consumer will do?

Create Your Online Brand

Your “brand” is who you are, it’s what you stand for.  Think about what homeowners are looking for.  They want  a trustworthy and honest company they can rely on to complete the job in a timely manner.  Over the years, we have found that consumers look for three things from a heating and air company.  They want to TRUST you. It’s a big deal to invite a service provider into their home or business.  They want VALUE from their purchase.  Remember, the average homeowner only purchases heating and air 2.5 times in their lifetime.  And finally, they want it FIXED NOW.   And this will outweigh the first two if you cannot provide fast, timely service.  This should be your underlying message on your website, social media, and in any traditional marketing you do.  The best advice is to be yourself; if you are naturally funny, then that can be portrayed in your online presence.  If you are a more serious person, that’s OK too, just be yourself.  People will notice and appreciate the authenticity.

How Easily Can You Be Found?

I know this sounds crazy, but can your HVACR business be found online?  You would think that, in the digital age, a home services business would be easily found online, but you would be surprised.  Many companies in our industry have lived off word-of-mouth advertising for years and are not focused on their online presence.  While word of mouth is great to drive business, we cannot rely on it in today’s world.  Consumers are using multiple outlets to find contractors just like you.  Here is a short list of “must-do’s” in order to thrive in the digital world:

•    Website: It must be optimized to rank on search engines like Google (SEO – Search Engine Optimization).
•    Google Business Profile: Make sure all your business information is correct (hours, services, current pictures, service area).
•    Google Local Service Ads: Also known as “Google Guaranteed.” This is a “pay per lead” service that sits at the top of the search engine results page. It’s the first thing consumers see today when they search for something along the lines of “air conditioner repair near me.” Being a pay-per-lead or phone call service, you will not be charged unless they call you. (Charged after 30-second duration.)
•    Social Media: If you have profiles, they must be up-to-date and posted on a regular basis; if not, you should not be on them. Examples:
o    Facebook – Gen X and Baby Boomers.
o    Instagram – Gen Z, Gen X, and Millennials.
o    YouTube – Can be everyone.
o    Tik Tok – Gen Z.
o    LinkedIn – Traditionally a B2B (Business to Business) platform, but it has gained tons of traction in recent years.  Think about it like this: business people own homes and businesses.  

Is Your Online Profile Up-to-Date?

It is so important to keep your profiles current with the proper messaging. We see so many contractors with outdated websites and social profiles that have not been posted to in months or years and have inaccurate data.

Let’s discuss the most important one: your HVACR website. Does it look clean and modern?  Example: We are transitioning from summer to fall. What message does the consumer see when they land on your website?  Are you showing summer-related content and images, or have you updated to fall-related topics. You should be conveying a fall theme with messaging enforcing the importance of getting ready for fall and winter.  Information discussing fall tune-ups and maintenance is perfect.

So, How Do You Build an Online Presence?

Building a great online presence is a process that takes time.  You start with your HVAC company’s website.  It must provide the best user experience for the searcher.  Remember, in our world, our target customer is in pain.  They have a broken air conditioner or furnace, so when they land on your website, make sure you give them exactly what they are looking for:
•    Website: One that looks modern and easy to navigate. Make sure it looks good on all devices (mobile, tablet, desktop or laptop). Mobile is the most important, Google indexes websites on mobile first.
•    Reviews: Managing your Google and other online reviews is critical, consumers read reviews today before they hire home services companies. Do not neglect this.
•    Answer or solve their problem immediately when they land on your site. (Ex: The consumer searched “AC Repair.” Your website shows you specialize in air conditioner repairs, you have guarantees on your workmanship, you show you are a trusted provider, and you offer some coupons.)
•    Helpful Tips: Consumers today want to search for how to repair things. They want a DIY answer. Give them a list of “things to check before you call” or “signs that you need repair.” These can be listed on your website repair pages and can be great blog topics.
•    Helpful Videos: These can be way more powerful than words. People love to watch a video these days over reading.
•    High-Quality Content: Consumers are looking for engaging content in written and video form.  Your business should be viewed as the authority for the services you provide.

Tools To Create Your Online Presence

•    SEO: Your website needs the proper service pages (Ex: AC Repair, Furnace Repair, Maintenance, About Us, Financing, Specials). It also needs to be optimized with the proper keywords that consumers are searching. This is accomplished through the proper page titles, on-page content, and meta descriptions.
•    Social Media Posting Software: Platforms such as Birdeye, Hootsuite, or Sprout Social allow you to post to multiple channels at one time. They also provide a one-stop shop to respond to questions and comments.
•    Review Management Software: All reviews need to be responded to, both good and bad. Birdeye and Podium are great options and offer AI response tools.
•    Listing Management Software:  This creates consistency for your business profile, ensuring your business name, address, and phone number are correct across many websites.  Ex: Google Business, Yelp, Apple, Facebook, Bing, and many more.

Your Online Presence Summarized

Your online presence allows you to make impressions on potential customers before you ever have contact with them.  So treat it with the utmost importance. Keep your brand consistent across all online platforms.  Whichever online ones you use, keep them up-to-date, or it’s time to deactivate them and say bye-bye.  Take a peek at your local competition.  What are they doing?  How do they look?  Your goal is to present your HVAC business as the best choice in your market.  Do this and you will earn the consumer’s trust and, ultimately, their business.

Will Merritt is the Managing Partner at Effective Media Solutions, a full-service marketing agency.  With 27 years of experience in the HVAC field, 10 of that in marketing for contractors, our agency has keen insight into our industry that others do not. Contact Will at will@myeffectivemedia.com or (704) 507-7858. “We Speak HVAC.”