The World Wide Web is filled with content designed to appeal to large HVAC businesses about how to grow your business through social media. The smaller operations often get left behind in the modern social media crunch.
It doesn’t have to be that way though. There are things small HVAC companies and organizations can do on social media that will help you get the exposure your business needs so that you can grow your client base. These are 9 things you might want to try to build brand awareness and develop a loyal customer base through social media.
- Post Photos of Unique Jobs
The social media world is bigger than you may realize. Even Twitter now allows image posting. In fact, most social media networks allow the posting of images and videos, giving you a lot of room to work with. What this means is that you can cross-post the same images of unique jobs, tough tasks, and accomplishments for which you are proud of on the following social networks to gain more traction for these images:Sharing these images allows your business to gain traction and become part of the daily dialog among people who follow you online and who may be likely to share your images with their followers.
- Optimize Posts, Pictures, and Videos for Your Local Market
It is one of the commonly overlooked practices that can make a world of difference when it comes to your social media presence within your target community. If you’re competing as an HVAC business on a global scale, there are hundreds of thousands of HVAC websites you’re in competition with. However, in your community, those numbers may dwindle to dozens of local businesses instead.This not only tells potential customers the communities your HVAC business keeps cool in the summer and warm in the winter, but it also helps you build a better presence when people search for terms like:
- HVAC near me
- HVAC in my town
- HVAC in [insert city here]
These are the people you WANT to optimize your posts for because they are the people most likely to need the services you offer where you offer them.
If you operate in a large city and service different areas or suburbs of the city, make sure you take the time to optimize your social media posts for all the areas you service so no area is left out of your optimization efforts.
- Don’t Forget to Create a Blog You Funnel all Social Media Posts Through
Social media posts are often quick, quirky, and fun. However, they need to lead back to a single location that works for your business. Your HVAC business blog is the ideal location. On your blog, you can capture email addresses by getting people to sign up for your email list where you can send them weekly reminders about how to promote better HVAC health and when to schedule service each year to avoid business seasons and potential delays. - Use Hashtags Well and Often
Small businesses live and die by clever hashtags when it comes to social media. You don’t have the large crowds of followers like larger HVAC organizations so you need to err on the side of clever when creating hashtags.Hashtags are useful but don’t spend all your time focusing on clever and memorable things. Also include simple things like #HVAC, #Construction, #Dreamhouse, etc.
How many hashtags should you include in your social media posts? While Twitter limits the number of characters you can include, and you’ll have to be selective when choosing a hashtag for Twitter posts, that isn’t the case with other platforms. Some say the ideal number is between 10 and 20 hashtags while others say go for 30. Play around with it and see what appears to get the best response from your audience.
- Tag Big Brands in HVAC in Your Posts
This is a great tool for building brand awareness for your small local HVAC business. Make sure to tag the big brands in your posts. This isn’t about tagging competitors. It’s about tagging the companies you work with. The companies that sell the equipment you use in your HVAC business.They like it too because it raises brand awareness for them. You both benefit from something that takes so little time and attention for you to do. Simply learn the “handles” of other businesses in your industry and tag them whenever it is appropriate to do so.
- Post Dream Home Photos and Explain How You Can Make that Happen
Everyone likes to dream. Post dream home photos of kitchens, bathrooms, radiant flooring systems, and clever hacks you can do for your customers and let your customers know how they can transform their home into a dream with a little help from you. - Be Relatable – Use Humor and Real-World Images
People want to see your humorous side. Use silly dad jokes and other appropriate humor, you want them to see you and your business as someone they can relate to. More importantly, interact when these bad jokes get comments from your followers. Be sociable in your social media exchanges. But always remember that the people viewing your stuff and reading the comments are potential customers. Keep it clean, light, and pleasant at all times. - Share Before and After Images
Before and after photos are one of the best tools you have to showcase your good work. Post them well and often to let people see the transformations you can bring about in their homes. Post these on all platforms with a reminder that your followers should call your HVAC business when they are ready for a change. - Post Images Showing Customers When They Need to Call You
Another way to attract customers who didn’t even know they were looking for a change is to post images of HVAC materials and equipment that are past their prime so that homeowners or other small businesses know, without a doubt, when they need your services to prevent bigger disasters.
Social media has changed the way the world works for small HVAC businesses, like yours. You now have a tool you can use to give your business a boost among your likely audience that isn’t complex or costly to use. Use it well!
