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As an HVAC contractor, you may wonder if HVAC SEO is worth your time and money. After all, there are only so many hours in the day, and you have other important tasks like providing quality customer service and preparing your technicians.
Developing an SEO strategy may seem too complex and time-consuming. But the truth is SEO for HVAC companies can be a powerful tool for growing your business. Optimizing for search engines can increase your website's traffic and visibility, leading to more customers and sales.
If you want to improve your website's ranking, you need to start by understanding how SEO for HVAC contractors works and which strategies you can use to improve your website's visibility and ranking.
What is HVAC SEO?
HVAC SEO is a strategic campaign that optimizes your website to rank higher on the search engine results pages (SERP). When your site is among the first listed in organic search results, you’ll increase your visibility, so more users click on your webpage.
For example, a person looking for HVAC contractors for a repair or a new air conditioning system may type “AC repair” or “air conditioning” into their search bar. Google then uses its algorithm based on various ranking factors to populate a results page with paid advertisements and organic search results, including featured snippets.
With strong HVAC SEO, services that your business provides will appear on the first page of search results. This top position gives your business an advantage over your competitor. When searching for a local business, 92% of people select it from the first page of search results.
HVAC SEO Strategies
Boosting your rankings in 2023 for your business’s website means paying close attention to how well your HVAC company's SEO is working. By paying attention to a few key areas, you can optimize your website for Google, increase new customer traffic, and grow your business.
The best SEO for HVAC contractors includes the following strategies.
- Use strategic keywords
- Offer quality content
- Pay attention to meta tags (and HTML elements)
- Increase user accessibility
- Strive for mobile optimization
- Have a local focus
- Create a Google business profile
- Grow a social media presence
- Assess performance by analyzing metrics
- Take advantage of “low-hanging fruit” keywords
To help with this, some HVAC companies will work with an HVAC SEO agency. An agency like this will understand that SEO for a plumber differs drastically from HVAC SEO and can comprehend the unique needs of each.
Here are some HVAC SEO tips you can implement whether you decide to DIY it or work with an agency.
Use Strategic Keywords
Strategic keywords are most relevant to your business and have the highest potential to convert prospects into customers.
Perform keyword research to determine which words and phrases your customers will most likely place into a search. For example, popular keywords related to plumbing and HVAC SEO may include “plumbing and HVAC near me” or “HVAC blowing hot air.”
Include your target keywords in your title, your headings, and within the body of your content across all of your web pages. But beware of keyword stuffing. When you awkwardly overfill your content with too many keywords to rank higher, it not only looks spammy to Google but will also turn off your readers.
Offer Quality Content
For Google to rank your HVAC website, it must meet Google’s standards for high-quality content. Google strives to meet its users' needs. To accomplish better search results, Google assesses web copy based on expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness, otherwise known as E-A-T. That means creating content that is interesting, informative, and helpful to your readers.
If you're looking to improve your HVAC SEO, one of the best things you can do is to regularly add fresh content to your website. This can be in the form of new blog posts, new product pages, or even just new content on existing pages. Not only does fresh content help to improve your SEO, but it also helps to keep visitors engaged with your website.
Pay Attention to Meta Tags
You need to pay attention to your website's HTML code and meta tags for your HVAC website to rank higher in search engine results pages. To optimize your website's HTML code for better SEO, use strategic keywords in all titles, descriptions, header tags, alt tags, and anchor text.
Meta tags are a vital part of your website's code that helps search engines understand, index, and categorize your site's content. There are a few different types of meta tags, but the most important ones for SEO are the title tag, meta description, and keywords tag.
Increase User Accessibility
User accessibility considers two critical factors, fast load times and easy access to information. In other words, you’ll turn away your potential customers with a slow-loading webpage or an unorganized site.
HVAC customers often seek urgent repairs. If your page loads slowly, they’ll click away from it to one of your competitors. Statistics show that one in four visitors will leave a website that takes longer than four seconds to load.
Once visitors are on your HVAC business’s website, keep them engaged and convert them into customers with helpful information, such as phone numbers, hours, location, and services you provide.
Strive for Mobile Optimization
Since an estimated 63% of organic search engine visits occurred on mobile devices, mobile optimization should take high priority. Design your HVAC website to ensure that when a potential customer searches for your services, your web pages automatically adjust to fit the screen size of the user’s device.
Mobile users look for quick, legible, to-the-point information. So, make sure your content is easy to scan and digest. Use large fonts and whitespace to break up your content and make it easier to read.
Have a Local Focus
Local SEO optimizes your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches. Claim your Google My Business listing, which allows you to control your business's appearance in Google Maps and local search results.
To improve local SEO, HVAC contractors need to make sure the local listing is accurate and up-to-date with your correct company’s NAP (name, address, phone). Also, include photos, business hours, and a description of your products and services. Consider using Google Local Services ads as a part of your HVAC SEO marketing strategy.
Create a Google Business Profile
One way to create an online presence is to create a Google business profile. This profile will show up when people search for your business on Google. Plus, it's a great way to connect with potential customers and promote your business.
Consider listing your HVAC business on local directories or with popular review sites, including Angie’s List (now just Angi), Yelp, or HomeAdvisor. Not only will it give your business added exposure, but you’ll also earn backlinks to your company’s website. Generating quality backlinks tells search engines that your site is a credible source of information and, in turn, improves your site's ranking.
Grow a Social Media Presence
If you're not active on social media, you're missing out on a huge opportunity to reach new customers and grow your business. Social media is one of the most powerful tools in your marketing arsenal to improve your SEO and visibility.
When you create a community on social media, you give people a place to connect with you and each other. This engagement can build brand loyalty and encourage people to consistently rely on your HVAC services. Be sure to create high-quality content that people will want to share and link to it.
Assess Performance by Analyzing Metrics
When it comes to website metrics, you need to measure many different factors to ensure your website's SEO is on track. Analytic resources such as Google Analytics can offer accurate, up-to-date information on various metrics.
One of the essential website metrics for SEO is website traffic. This metric tells you how much traffic your website gets from organic search traffic. Other important metrics include analyzing bounce rate, time on site, impressions, keyword rankings, and page views per visit.
Take Advantage of Low-Hanging Fruit Keywords
With keyword research, "low-hanging fruit" refers to keywords that rank relatively easily due to high search volume and low competition. Ideally, you want to focus on low-hanging fruit keywords that are relevant to your HVAC business and have a high conversion rate. This way, you can get the most bang for your buck with your ranking in search engines.
Keyword research tools such as Google AdWords Keyword Planner and Semrush can help you find low-hanging fruit keywords. By focusing on these keywords, you can quickly rank higher in search engines and start driving more traffic and sales to your website.
Benefits of SEO for HVACÂ
SEO is essential for growing your HVAC business. Good SEO practices on your website result in your company’s name appearing on the first page of Google search results and, most importantly, in front of new customers searching for HVAC contractors.
Here are four benefits of SEO for HVAC businesses:
- Reach more customers
- Build trust and credibility
- Stand out from the competition
- Generate more leads and sales
Prepare Your HVAC Team with Better Scheduling Software
Now that your SEO strategies have boosted interest in your HVAC business, it’s time to prepare your team for the increase in service calls with better scheduling software.
Smart Service software can help your HVAC business grow by streamlining your efficiency and improving your customer service. Request a free demo of Smart Service to see how a comprehensive HVAC software solution can position your team for success!
