How familiar does this sound when thinking step by step?
You have been devoting both time and money to your HVAC company’s local search engine optimization strategy. Simultaneously, you are managing your HVAC SEO campaigns and operating your business. Occasionally, you believe your efforts are producing desired results, albeit uncertain. Conversely, on other days, you are aware that something is amiss, but you lack the knowledge to resolve the issue.
Alternatively, you might have concluded that you are too occupied attending to your customers’ heating and cooling systems, thus opting to employ an expert SEO company to enhance your online visibility. Nevertheless, you may still be encountering inconsistent outcomes, leading you to ponder over variations of the following two queries:
- What is that agency doing for me? Really?
- What value, exactly, am I getting for my retainer? Really?
We have designed this guide to provide clarity on the components included in a standard local SEO campaign that is focused on achieving tangible results, such as generating actual traffic and leads for your HVAC business.
If there are certain techniques in this guide that you are unfamiliar with, it may be necessary for you to consider hiring a professional local SEO agency. In the event that you already have one, it might be necessary for you to terminate that agency and hire a new one that is capable of delivering the desired outcomes for your business growth.
Ranking twice: Google Maps rankings vs. Google Search rankings
As your HVAC company is a local business, it is necessary to achieve high rankings on two distinct locations on Google.
- Google Search (where all companies try to rank)
- Google Maps (where local businesses also need to try to rank)
If you fail to rank for both, your company will only be seen by a small portion of your intended audience. In other words, ranking in both Search and Maps allows you to essentially rank twice for the identical keywords.
Google Maps listings
- Also called: “Local listings”, “Local pack listings”, “Local SERPS” or “Local 3-pack”
- Who it targets: Local, nearby customers who are closer to making a purchasing decision.
- What it shows: A “quick look” at nearby companies (contact info, hours of operation, reviews and photos, a link to the company’s website, etc.)
Google Search results
- Also called: “Organic listings” or “Traditional listings”
- Who it targets: Customers who need to learn more information related to their question or phrase. Customers may be nearby OR they could live farther away in outlying cities.
- What it shows: Pages that have quality content and are associated with popular websites.
The main distinction lies in local intent. When individuals mention specific locations like “in Phoenix” in their searches, Google aims to provide results for nearby businesses, ideally including yours.
Why you need to rank well in both Maps and Search
By prioritizing rankings in both Maps and Search for HVAC-related keywords, you are able to expand your reach to a significantly larger audience.
- Increasing your website’s ranking “real estate” on a single Google results page
- Targeting customers who live in nearby and outlying cities
- Targeting customers who are ready to purchase HVAC services and customers who aren’t yet ready to purchase (but will be later on down the road)
Targeting homeowners who are not currently prepared to purchase HVAC services is not a futile endeavor. By offering them dependable and credible information, there is a higher chance that they will recall your company when they ultimately require HVAC services.
Ranking in Google Maps helps you attract customers in close proximity, while ranking in Google Search can help you attract customers who are further away.
How to increase your Google Maps rankings
Google My Business (GMB)
At a high level, the steps to establish a strong base for your local search campaign involve ensuring that your website and GMB listing are both comprehensive and precise. It is important to note that having a website alone or relying solely on a GMB listing is not sufficient, as the information on your GMB listing will be visible in Google searches and maps.
- Creating or claiming your GMB listing
- Verifying the listing.
- Optimizing it.
To ensure ease of use for potential customers, it is essential to have accurate name, address, and phone number (NAP) information. Additionally, provide other details such as accepted payment methods, operating hours, and emergency service contact information for your HVAC company.
When selecting your business category, remember to choose a primary category first and then can include up to 5 secondary categories. It is important to prioritize the most relevant category as your primary one.
In order to maintain the same meaning, rephrase the text below, while thinking step by step. Ensure that no information is added or removed. Additionally, create an optimized business description and start with creating Google Posts. If there is engagement from customers and prospective customers, continue writing posts. However, if there is no engagement, it is not necessary to continue. Nevertheless, it is important to regularly access the GMB dashboard as others can suggest edits that may be accepted by Google, even if they are inaccurate.
If you discover that information has been mistakenly altered, make sure to correct it. This can happen due to human error or if Google’s algorithm finds conflicting information from an online directory, for example, compared to what is listed on your GMB.
Encouraging satisfied customers to write Google reviews about your company can greatly benefit your HVAC online marketing and visibility. The consistent receipt of these reviews is a significant contributing factor to your local SEO ranking and can effectively distinguish your listing on Google Maps.
Online Directory Citations
There are two important reasons for being listed in online directories. Firstly, people looking for HVAC services prefer local companies, so they might consult directories to find the appropriate one. Secondly, having reliable references improves local SEO rankings and overall online presence.
The key to successful HVAC SEO campaigns is to focus on gradually getting business listings into reputable online directories. Rapidly adding too many listings can actually have a negative impact on your rankings.
Some of the HVAC directories that you should take into consideration are the ones that can be found at:
- ThomasNet.com
- AngiesList.com
If you want to discover additional opportunities, ponder over these inquiries. Which professional organizations are you affiliated with? Is it possible for you to be featured on their websites?
Firstly, conduct a Google search to identify the directories and websites that currently have a listing of your company. It is essential to ensure the accuracy of these listings, particularly in terms of NAP consistency.
Keyword Research
Reviewing your keyword research and refreshing your strategy is always a beneficial practice. Certain companies opt for conducting keyword reviews on an annual basis. The frequency of your reviews should be determined by the effectiveness of your current keywords for your business and their adaptability to the evolving HVAC industry.
Consider the following steps to rephrase the text while preserving the same meaning: 1. What questions should I ask myself when rephrasing the text? 2. When rephrasing, should I add new information? 3. When rephrasing, should I remove any information? 4. How can I maintain the same meaning while rephrasing the text? Note: the original text was not provided, so this rephrasing is a general response to the given instructions.
- When is the last time you refreshed your keyword strategy as part of your local SEO campaign?
- Are you certain that you’re using the best, most relevant keywords on your site?
- Is the traffic still good on your chosen keywords?
- Has the amount of competition changed since you initially conduct your keyword research?
To conduct comprehensive keyword research, utilize professional tools that provide free trials, enabling you to select the most suitable one before committing to a subscription. Available choices comprise of:
- Ahrefs
- Google Keyword Planner
- KWFinder
- SEMrush
- SpyFu
- Wordtracker
If you prefer, you can choose to hire a professional HVAC digital marketing agency to take care of your keyword research.
One of the components of your strategy includes keywords that:
- are geo-targeted
- have commercial or transactional intent
- have educational intent
- have research intent
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