HVAC contractors deal with heavy competition, especially when it comes to service-related keyword ranking. That’s why so many businesses turn to paid ads, which offer the benefits of pinpoint targeting and bypassed competitors. In our latest podcast, Nolen and Jason talk about creating a successful, cost-effective marketing plan to maximize the return on your ad investment. If you’ve considered experimenting with paid ads, or if you’ve only claimed mediocre returns in the past, be sure to listen in! Look for These Key Topics * How to Prepare for Paid Ad Campaigns* Understanding the Average Lead Journey* Smart Paid Ads Strategy for Beginners * Getting Cost-Effective Results from Your Ads Preparing for Paid Ads As with any part of your online marketing strategy, your paid ads require a firm starting position to launch off of. That foundation is your HVAC SEO (search engine optimization). If you haven’t taken care of these organic search elements yet, you’ll need to do so before attempting paid ad campaigns. Essential Organic Search Elements * Website Creation* Codebase Development* Design – Graphics and Navigation* Content Writing* Google My Business – Registration* Citation Listings* Reviews Integration Once you have a professional website for leads to pour into, then you can kick off your paid ads! Before we dive into practical starting points for your advertising, we need to re-examine the lead development process. You’ll Need a High-Performance Website for Your Paid Ads to Direct To. Understanding the Course of Lead Development In their discussion, Jason and Nolen discuss how even the buying process for a bottle of shampoo may last as long as 3 months. If something so menial requires such a long decision process, it’s only natural that HVAC leads might take even longer to transform into actual business. After all, this is a significant investment we’re talking about! Here’s how a typical non-emergency lead might progress. First, the consumer encounters an element from your company’s marketing program. That might be the product of your SEO for HVAC keywords, social media advertisements, or even word of mouth marketing. When they begin their search for their heating and cooling service, they recall your marketing and visit your site. The initial visit may only last for a few minutes. Fast forward to later in the week or even months in the future, and the consumer returns to your website once more. This time they take longer, visit a couple of service pages, then leave. At this point, they may turn to your social media page and citation sources to examine your company’s reviews. Finally, they revisit your website one more time and make the call to your office! Google Analytics Provides Valuable Insight on User Behavior.