It’s no secret. If your HVAC business isn’t showing up on Google Maps, you’re missing out on a significant number of potential customers. Studies show that 76% of people who conduct a local search on their smartphone visit a business within a day, and 28% of those searches result in a purchase. Those are HVAC leads you just can’t afford to let disappear into the ductwork.
So, since you’re asking how to get to the top of Google Maps, you’ll enjoy this practical guide.
1. Claim and Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Your GBP (formerly Google My Business) is like a digital storefront with your most important information in one place.
When you play your cards correctly, this information can also be highly visible when people are searching for HVAC services. An optimized profile increases your chances of appearing in the coveted “Local Pack”—the top three listings that appear on Google Maps.
To get started, follow these quick steps:
- Ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all platforms (directories, social media, website, etc.).
- Select appropriate categories like “HVAC Contractor” or “Air Conditioning Repair Service.”
- Keep your hours updated, including holidays.
- Upload high-quality images of your work, team, and office.
- List all services you offer, such as AC installation, duct cleaning, furnace repair, etc.
- Write a compelling description with relevant keywords. Bonus points for using a local keyword research tool to craft a highly relevant blurb here.
- Start getting more reviews and responding to each (good and bad) professionally
For a more in-depth look at setting up your Google Business Profile, check out this post next: Google Business Profile Tips for Home Services Contractors
2. Implement Local Schema Markup
Schema markup is a type of specialized code that helps you organize key information on your website so that search engines understand how to display it in search results. There are website tools available that add the code to your website for you, or you can learn to do it yourself. It may become your new favorite thing.
Here’s why schema markup is worth taking a little time to figure out.
- More useful information about your company appears in search results: hours, specials, star-rating, services, contact, etc
- Helps search engines accurately index your business for local searches
- It can lead to higher click-through rates by providing detailed information directly in search results. It reduces the barriers to lead conversion, so they schedule right now.
Google can see all of the extra activity, be it website visits or direct scheduling from your Google page. And all of that engagement tells Google that you deserve to be more visible in Google Maps and the organic search results.
This is how to get your HVAC business on Google Maps and get found!
3. Localize Your Online Presence
Embrace your localness. An estimated 30% of online searches are people trying to find local businesses. Learning how to get your HVAC business on Google Maps comes down to communicating where you are and where you serve.
Build a strong local reputation, and then you can leverage that local love to expand into new service areas. The more confident Google and your neighbors are about where your business is, the more likely you are to earn visibility on Google Maps and search in general.
4. Encourage and Manage Customer Reviews
Positive reviews not only build trust with potential customers but also signal to search engines that your business is reputable and deserves better visibility. Even borderline reviews can strengthen confidence in your company when you respond professionally.
Potential customers expect to see recent, relevant, and relatively frequent reviews on a reputable business profile. Each review becomes a local arrow pointing toward your company. This increases Google’s confidence in your HVAC company, and it’s how to get to the top of Google Maps faster.
Consider automating your review request process to get more and better reviews. For example, a paid-for service can trigger a text or email asking for a review and linking directly to your Google Business Profile.
These tools can inform you about new reviews and even send a reminder if no review is given. It can alert you about new reviews so you can respond quickly. Not only are you showing potential customers (who are currently strangers) that you listen and care, you’re also reinforcing your relationship with a customer.
Plus, this activity makes your profile feel “lived in”, potentially increasing your ranking and certainly visibility.
Not sure how to respond to 5-star reviews. You can thank people and express how happy you are that they love your work. But each response should be somewhat different and personalized without sharing private information. AI-powered reputation management software can help you craft a rough draft for reviews to speed up the process.
5. Utilize Google Posts to Earn Coveted Visibility
Google Posts allow you to share updates, offers, and events directly on your GBP just as you might on Facebook or Instagram.
Regular posts keep your profile active and provide fresh content for search engines. These don’t have to take long or be fancy. Just appear as a real person (because you are). Share what you love about your job, customers, community, and people you work with.
Still not sure what to post? Here are some starters that people love:
- Photos of latest projects
- Pics of your people working on a project
- Media mentions and recognitions
- Employee awards
- Volunteer work
- New certifications or degrees your team members have earned
- Specials
- Participation in community events
- Collaborations with local businesses
- Hour change announcements
With this many things you could post, it’s easier than you think to create a weekly posting schedule. That’s really all you need.
And often you can share the same post across multiple platforms at once using social media marketing tools. This tool can even add geotags (which are general location tags) to your posts automatically, further elevating confidence and visibility in your local community.
6. Build Local Citations
Google Business Profile is the most important profile because it’s how to get your HVAC business to the top on Google Maps. But it’s also a good idea to branch out when you can.
Start identifying local and industry directories where you can list your business. These become more arrows pointing toward your website and business. This can help you get your HVAC company to the top of Google Maps faster.
Online directory management tools can help you manage your consistent information across hundreds of directories from one place. These tools can even help you publish posts, images, and videos, and even customer-created photos across platforms, maximizing your local visibility…and honestly, not with a whole lot of extra work.
7. Earn Backlinks
The best backlinks are earned, not bought. They can boost your traffic and visibility like nothing else.
But Google has gotten very good at identifying fraudulently obtained links over the years. So, that’s not what you want.
What you really need are the kinds of links you earn from being a part of your community.
You can earn links by:
- Adding your website to social media profiles, review profiles, directories, and other business listings (as discussed above)
- Taking part in local volunteer projects—and getting employees involved when you can
- Collaborating with non-competing businesses
- Hosting online or live events in your community
- Sponsoring events
- Getting media attention
- Building an online community
8. Use PPC Wisely
Once you’re well on your way to the top of Google Maps in your service area, you have visibility you can leverage to seal the deal with new customers. Here’s where strategic paid advertising can help.
Create local ads to target the same service areas you’re building your Google Map and Google Business Profile around. Use what you’ve learned through keyword research and customer engagement to build more relevant and high-performing ad campaigns.
Reinforce why customers choose you and use your 5-star Google reputation. Now, you have the reputation to convince absolute strangers you’re the best HVAC company in their community.
9. Monitor and Analyze Performance
It’s one thing to get your business easily found on Google Maps or the search results, and on social media. These can all drive high-value leads to your HVAC company.
It’s quite another thing to track and measure the fruits of your labor. Monitoring your performance allows you to quickly see what’s working so you can do more of that, and maybe even hire more marketing people as your company grows.
Analyzing performance also identifies waste in your marketing budget so you can stop spending money on things that don’t work. And start getting reliable results.
An all-in-one marketing platform designed for local service businesses like yours can help you monitor, track, and manage everything from reviews to social media to customer communications all in one place.
Are you a little curious about how local marketing software could do all that? Schedule a free demo and see this for yourself.