As search engines like Google continuously update to make sure users are getting the correct information and best possible experience each time they punch a query into the search bar, it’s vital for HVAC companies and home service professionals to reevaluate their search engine optimization (SEO) strategies to consider their audiences’ search intent.
In today’s blog, we’re going to look at informational search intent and how to leverage it to develop a better content marketing strategy to generate more leads for your HVAC company.
When it comes to users searching for the local HVAC companies, regardless if that’s from a residential or commercial standpoint, home and business owners outside of the home services space rarely know what the exact issue is; they only know they need an expert, and they need one FAST.
Therefore, you need to be a step ahead of your customers to make sure your website answers their questions and provides solutions faster (and better) than the other heating and cooling competitors fighting for real estate across search engines.
As the owner of a growing home services organization, your primary concern is keeping your technicians busy by filling the pipeline with better leads and booked appointments. Rather than focusing on the sale, search engines like Google are more willing to reward sites that serve users as a trusted source of information over those seen as too sales-centric.
In fact, of the three primary types of search intent (informational, navigational, and transactional), nearly 80% of search queries are informative. This means that eight out of ten users are typing in questions and looking for a trusted resource to provide the answer they’re looking for, which is why you need to make sure your HVAC website stands out from the competition and is responding directly to your users’ needs.
The end goal of any HVAC content marketing strategy is to drive in qualified leads which convert into paying customers. To earn potential customers’ business, you must first earn their trust and build authority in your space by separating your HVAC brand from the competition.
Once users land on your website, you have only a few seconds to grab their attention, build trust, and keep them engaged long enough to reach out and hire your HVAC company.
The best way to generate engagement through effective content marketing for HVAC and home services providers is to create relevant, optimized content that serves as a resource for your target audience. This process begins with an initial website analysis to see where you currently stand in the rankings.
From there, you have to get into the mindset of your target audience. What are their most frequently asked questions? What are the search queries that your HVAC site and service pages are coming back for? How does your competition answer these questions?
Ask yourself this question – would you ever go out to do a job for a customer without first understanding your customer’s problem and what tools were needed for the fix? The same logic applies to digital marketing services for HVAC providers. You have to understand who your ideal customer is, what they’re searching for, and which keywords can be leveraged to connect them with your company online.
Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to begin updating or creating new pieces of content from scratch based on how your site measures up to the local HVAC competition.
With users’ attention spans at an all-time low, it’s essential to keep website visitors engaged by providing them with informative, relevant content that builds trust and paints your company as the authority on particular HVAC topics and services.
This is where creativity comes into play. Rather than just creating blog after blog, consider more interactive content such as videos, checklists, and eye-catching graphics to get your message across.
Here are just a few ideas for your HVAC content strategy:
The bottom line is, regardless of which content vehicle is used to deliver informative content to your audience, use content marketing to separate your HVAC company from the competition and cut out the fluff by answering the needs of your users as quickly and concisely using lists, bullet points, and FAQ sections.
Have you ever typed a question into Google and then saw an answer box appear with the exact answer you’re looking for? These are known as Featured Snippets, which receive special treatment in the search results because Google has deemed the content to be the best possible answer for a particular question or search.
To start snagging some Snippets on Google, you’ll want to make sure you’re answering users’ frequently asked questions containing words such as:
By shifting your on-page content strategy to incorporate more Q&A style bits of information relevant to a given page, you’re telling both your audience and Google’s bots that your content has the optimized answers that end-users are searching for.
Here’s a real-life example of a Featured Snippet our team was able to claim for our client, Hutchinson Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, Energy Services, relating to suspicious or unusual smells coming out of homeowners’ vents.
By focusing on the HVAC issues that customers were concerned with, paired with the specific search intent of finding a trusted resource to answer their questions, we were able to drive considerable traffic to Hutchinson’s optimized blog post titled, What to Do if You Smell a Foul or Unusual Odor Coming Your Vents, which is currently converting over 3% of page visitors!
Informational search intent is about serving as a resource rather than a salesperson for potential home services customers. By addressing their questions and concerns, then providing the most concise, engaging answer, your HVAC website can expect to see a bump up in the rankings and also an improvement in the quality of organic leads you’re driving in through content marketing.
As one of the nation’s leading digital marketing companies for HVAC, 1SEO Digital Agency’s team has a proven track record of helping our home services clients achieve their goals and grow their businesses through meaningful marketing campaigns. Give us a call today to learn about our digital marketing solutions and to claim your free website assessment right away!
Author: Casey Quinn
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