Search engine optimization (SEO)

It takes time, expertise, and a little bit of know how, but SEO has proven to be a very reliable form of digital marketing. Finding a quality SEO company, however, is a different story altogether. SEO is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Make sure the company you work with takes the time to get to know your business and its culture.

Some key elements to a quality SEO strategy would include:

• Claiming your local business listings: Doing so will not only ensure customers find you, but they’ll help you boost your search rankings.
• Boosting your internal linking structure: Just as important as building links that are pointed to your website, boosting your internal linking structure can increase overall site health and help you rank for keywords you wouldn’t have already started ranking for.
• On page optimization: There’s a fine line between optimizing a page for keywords, and ‘keyword stuffing’. Make sure your proposed SEO company knows this. More often than not, companies will practice black and grey hat tactic which will get your website penalized by Google. Always make sure you write for your customers, not the search engines.

As a proven long-term strategy to any business, it’s important to stay on top of the trends in today’s fast-moving world. Nowadays, the majority of potential clients are looking at their phones. Using quality SEO techniques is an excellent way to keep your business in front of potential customers. You’ll not only show up on the first page of major search engines, but you’ll grow your business’s brand, too.

Pay-per-click advertising

Where SEO is a marathon, pay-per-click advertising (PPC) is a sprint. PPC is extremely useful in getting results upfront while implementing long-term SEO strategies. If you have the budget for it, implementing a PPC campaign can almost immediately get you the customers you are looking for. It is important to note, however, that your ads abide by the following guidelines to get the most out of your investment:

• Pick the right keywords: More often than not, when small business owners launch a PPC campaign they pick broad keywords which will gain them the most exposure. This is a big no-no. Pick direct keywords that customers would be using at the time of hiring your services. Instead of “AC Repair” pick something like “AC Repair Company in Fresno”. By doing so, you’ll notice a drop in the amount of exposure but a drastic increase in conversions.
• Target the right geographical areas: Just as important as picking the right keywords; it’s essential to target consumers who are in the correct geographic area for your services. Instead of choosing an entire city, select individual communities, and neighborhoods.
• Retarget potential customers: Once you’ve launched your PPC campaign, it’s necessary to set-up a pixel-based retargeting campaign. This will help you retarget consumers who have already seen your website and invite them to come back and purchase your services.
• Create a landing page: After launching your PPC campaign, make sure you direct all leads to a conversion-oriented page on your website. The key is to remove all mental friction for potential customers and make it simple for them to contact your business.

There are several different methods to digital marketing, each having their perks and drawbacks. What's going to be the primary deciding factor is your business’s particular wants, needs, and goals. By combining a robust SEO and PPC campaign, you’ll have an efficient 1-2 punch knockout of a digital marketing strategy.

Newsletters and email marketing

Another beneficial way of retargeting established customers is to run an email marketing campaign. However, you must be careful in doing so. There are both right ways and wrong ways to take on email marketing. When sending out an email,  always use email marketing best practices.

• Send valuable information: Only send useful or useful information to your customers. Whether that be in the form of coupons or special promotions. Also, try to post more than just a sales pitch. When it comes to building a relationship with your customer, it’s essential to do more than just push your next sale. Take the time to wish them happy holidays or let them know of some up-and-coming changes in the industry which could affect them.
• Don’t overdo it: Everyone has their tipping point, and too many emails can lead to unsubscribes. Try to send out your emails on a steady schedule. For HVAC businesses, I’ve found the best time to send is either once a month, or once every two weeks.
• Branding is essential: Limit fonts and colors to those who are directly related to your brand. Try to veer away from bright, shocking colors like red or lime green. This will not only boost your company’s branding efforts, but you’ll come off as a professional who knows what they’re doing.

What kind of advertising and marketing strategies have you found most useful for your HVAC business?

Publication date: 2/5/2018

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