How is Facebook Marketing Most Effective for Home Services Companies?

June 22, 2021 by Andrew Bachman Leave a Comment

How is Facebook Marketing Most Effective for Home Services Companies?

Facebook Marketing for Home Services is an incredibly effective way to increase brand awareness when used as a delivery method for mini-commercials.

Do you know how many Facebook users own a home?

No?

Well, neither do I. Facebook has become pretty tight-lipped about their user’s private data in recent years and they continue to limit that information as time goes on.

But if we had to guess – it would be a lot.

Don’t let this discourage you. Traditionally, Facebook Ads were powerful because of their targeting abilities which allowed you to craft the perfect audience through different defining metrics such as income, race, sex, location, interests, and more.

As Facebook has been forced to change its transparency standards, we as marketers have adapted our method of operation for the platform.

Let’s take a look at the modern approach to making an impact in your marketing with Facebook Ads…

Facebook is a Highway, and Your Ads are the Billboards

The incredibly important difference between an ad platform such as Facebook compared to one like Google is the intent of its users.

What I mean by this is that a user on Google is searching for a particular keyphrase such as “Plumbers near me” with the intent to find a plumber to fix their issue at that moment.

This is very powerful because you are able to capture the attention of prospective customers at the exact moment they need your services.

On the other hand, users on Facebook aren’t typically searching for anything.

They are scrolling through their newsfeed to read about the latest alien 👽 sighting that our government is all of the sudden admitting to or to see that lame gender reveal video for the baby of that distant cousin who they low-key stalk but never talk to.

Our approach with Facebook Marketing for Home Services companies is to infiltrate unsuspecting users in the moments they least expect it…

Just kidding.

We treat Facebook Ads the same way traditional marketers used to treat highway billboards. We want to expose as many people as possible within your service area to your brand, colors, logo, services, etc.

This gets people familiar with your name and logo and is incredibly effective when done correctly and as part of a large-scale marketing campaign.

We do this by creating short, compelling videos that deliver your brand’s message to the masses.

So Why Not Just Use Google Ads to Target Your Audience at the Right Time?

Well, smartypants – that’s a good question.

For our Home Services clients, we strongly recommend using Google Ads as the primary source for generating new service calls, right after Search Engine Optimization.

But for the sake of total transparency – Google Ads ain’t cheap, my friend.

There is a premium price to pay for the ability to target your ideal market at the ideal time. And Google knows this, which is why they don’t mind charging a pretty penny for each click they send your way.

Facebook, though. They also know that they can’t compete with such a service and their ad costs are much, much more reasonable.

We are generally getting our clients’ videos viewed for less than 0.10¢ per view.

While the person viewing your mini-commercial on Facebook may not need your service right now, they may in the future. They may also have friends and family members who need your service now or in the future. And all those friends and family members have friends and family members who may need your service now or in the future. And all of the friends and family members of all those frien…you get the picture.

Awareness Ads (which is what this type of advertising is called) on Facebook are far more affordable than traditional TV, radio, and billboard ads and they offer one incredibly important edge over their traditional counterparts.

Engagement.

When was the last time that someone shared a TV commercial with you? Or a radio ad?

With Facebook Ads, users can react to, comment on, and share your ads with their social circle.

That’s pretty powerful.

An Important Corner Piece to the Overall Facebook Marketing Puzzle

I say corner piece because it’s a relatively simple concept.

And like a corner piece on a puzzle, there really isn’t too much that you can do to put the piece in the wrong place.

But, also like a corner piece on a puzzle – it’s really not going to give you the whole picture on its own.

Awareness Ads on Facebook for Home Services companies are a great way to bolster your current marketing efforts. You have the ability to expose the masses to your brand at a reasonable cost.

This is best done in tandem with other efforts such as Search Engine Optimization and Google Ads.

Don’t let the ever-changing privacy restrictions and limitations put on these big-tech companies scare you away from digital marketing. You just need to have someone on your side who knows how to actively adapt to those changes in the most appropriate ways.

We have been marketing for Home Services companies like yours for over 10 years and are proud to constantly be evolving with the digital world that we live in.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to talk to one of our home services marketing professionals, don’t hesitate to reach out at 281-940-7463 or shoot us an email. We always love to talk shop.

Optimizing Your Social Media

November 30, 2019 by Dylan Cherry Leave a Comment

Optimizing Your Social Media

If you spend enough time building your online presence for your brand, then chances are you’ve come across the term SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and unless you’ve been removed from society for the last decade, we’re sure you’ve heard of social media as well.

But have you ever considered optimizing your Social Media profiles?

SEO is an extremely powerful tool that can be a bit complex. While not every facet can translate to the social side of your brand, there are some important techniques and tips that you can do to get the most out of your Social Media profiles and help drive traffic to your content.

Create a Social Media Optimization Plan

Content Marketing may not be new, but one of its most popular, modern iterations is through Social Media.

Social platforms used to be a bit of the Wild West.

You would create something, it would go out into the world, and the content was consumed.

These days, things are a bit more complicated.

Algorithms play a significant role in who sees your content. They can dictate, to an extent, how often it is shown, to whom it is shown, or if it is shown at all!

This is why creating a plan is vital to your content creation.

The idea is to provide valuable content to your followers to produce positive actions such as “likes”, “follows”, “shares”, or “saves”, and by creating an executable plan, you can provide quality content in a timely manner to your target market.

Identify your message and then begin to develop content that allows you to convey that message to your follows.

Having a plan involving which Social Media channels to produce content for mediums utilized, content ideas, and more will keep you organized and consistent when posting…but more on that a bit later.

Research Keywords and Hashtags

Of course, if you’re going to have a plan, then you’re going to need to do some research and what better place to start when optimizing than with keywords.

Did you know that Social Media platforms such as Instagram have their own Search Engine algorithms?

Did you know you can add Alt Text to assist algorithms in getting your content in front of the right audience, which is looking for those keywords?

Social Media has come a long way and continues to grow but a hashtag is a tool that first brought a different way of looking at “keywords” to the platforms.

Knowing the trends on each platform and understanding your audience and their relation to the various hashtags that are being searched, followed, and shared can be the difference between getting your message to the right people or missing an opportunity altogether.

Hashtag research is also important due to the unofficial, completely denied, yet confirmed shadowban.

What is a shadowban?

The practice of an algorithm deliberately not showing your content due to the hashtags you have associated it with.

Some of the shadowbanned hashtags include terms for adult websites or more explicit material; however, they also contain far more innocent content such as #HappyThanksgiving.

Shadowbans can occur if your content is associated with spamming and using “popular” hashtags with posts that have nothing to do with the content available.

Shadowbanning is a bit of a mystery because companies like Facebook deny that they exist. Still, many users have reported incidents of shadowbanning and many major outlets that have written articles on the subject.

The best practice is to use a variety of distinct hashtags that you can and will provide value to while remaining unique and creating and using branded hashtags that are more specific to your business.

You should also utilize hashtags that are for your brand in bios, stories, and wherever else traffic can be driven to your profile. The idea is to optimize every aspect of your Social Media channels to ensure you maximize traffic and the return on putting out your content.

[idea] Pro Tip: Don’t Spam Your Location Either

Machines are smart and are only getting smarter. If you are going to tag your location, be sure it is accurate and relevant to your content. [/idea]

Have a Schedule and Be Consistent

Having a plan is one thing, but without a schedule to execute that plan consistently, your Content Marketing efforts will fall flat with your audience.

Planning your content and when things will be posted will help you drive traffic and retain a relationship with your follows.

Not posting shows your followers and the algorithm that you are not someone that should be prioritized, and you will be shown/viewed less often because of it.

Notice when your page receives engagement and posts are interacted with. Post during these times and monitor your page statistics to determine the best course of action to reach your audience.

Post quality content daily at a minimum and watch your engagement, reach, and interest reach new heights.

A/B Test Your Content

Research and preparation are great, but when it comes to optimizing your Social Media profiles, you’ll never know what works best for your brand until you take action.

Theories are great but testing, them is the true measure of their worth and when implementing or scheduling content.

Creating the same content through different mediums is a great way to see how mediums perform on individual Social Media channels.

Observing and testing different times in which you post can help you pinpoint the perfect time to maximize engagement.

And don’t forget to test those hashtags!

These tests can help you generate more traffic and find the lane in which you are acquiring a more defined, possibly larger audience for your brand.

Social Media Management That Tells Your Story

Social Media should always focus on quality over quantity.

What good are a million posts if they bring no value to the followers?

What good are a million followers if they bring no value to your brand?

With proper management and optimization, your Social Media channels can build relationships with customers through storytelling and create opportunities for your follows to convert with your business.

For over 9 years, Visibly Connected has been helping home services companies reach their audience and tell their story all while growing their presence within their community.

If you’re interested in taking your Content Marketing or Social Media Marketing efforts to the next level, Contact Us Today!

Social Media, Digital Marketing & Adaptation

October 29, 2019 by Dylan Cherry Leave a Comment

Social Media, Digital Marketing & Adaptation

Social Media as a whole has had two constants in its relatively short life span on the Internet:

Nothing is constant.
Its platforms are usually underestimated in their infancy.

Just this year we, have seen these two principles displayed in full force across the Social Media landscape.

Facebook is making changes and conducting tests on both their parent platform and Instagram to dissolve the public’s view of “Likes” among other fundamental changes.

Emerging Social Media platforms such as TikTok are generating steam and providing new channels for content creators, yet there is resistance by some organizations due to the demographic.

The latter is a cycle that, when broken, can bring many long-term benefits for those willing to invest the time into their Content Marketing strategy, and it all comes down to the one thing needed to survive in the long game: adaptation.

A Modest Proposal for new Platforms

Do you remember when Facebook was a website to connect college students to network, party, and meet?

Remember when Social Media was silly altogether, and something children in high school played on after school?

Xanga anyone?

Not all Social Media has survived and thrived; however, the idea of Social Media continues to integrate with a sizable portion of the population and has evolved into a marketing dream.

Advertisers and organizations can now pinpoint audiences based on a variety of metrics, including what they are interested in or searching for using Social Media to present their message directly to customers that are looking to purchase their product or service.

But audiences grow, move, and evolve, which means organizations that fail to do so with them risk losing their attention and their trust.

MySpace, once the pinnacle of Social Media, is now basically non-existant and has lost a lot (A LOT) of data…forever.

Nostalgia aside, why does this matter?

What happens to your business if Facebook loses it all tomorrow?

What if Instagram is hacked and erased?

How does your business reach its audience if YouTube goes down?

Adapting and using new platforms provide additional places in which your audience can reach your brand and allows a bit of a safety net should another platform fail.

Diversifying your channels, even beyond Social Media, for content to be distributed is always a best practice for any Content Marketing strategy.

First Mover’s Advantage

An overlooked aspect of why brands benefit from moving to newer Social Media platforms is that their content has less competition.

Imagine having a way to directly reach people who love sneakers and provide them with sneakers while the more prominent players such as Nike or Adidas were unable to reach them. Wouldn’t that give your company a bit of an advantage?

Of course, it would!

The truth is, in the beginning, you may gain nothing, you may gain everything, but the entire process allows you an advantage and an opportunity to provide content for your audience, without other distractions from competitors, and establish trust with that audience.

All it takes is a Content Marketing plan and the faith to make a move.

[idea]Pro tip: Schedule and cycle your content. You will get more out of your content, utilize more channels, and have your message reach more of your target audience if you find ways to reuse content on different channels. For example, if text works best through one channel, provide it there but then record yourself and provide an audio option through a different channel to reach more people.[/idea]

Adaptation Doesn’t Stop With Social Media

Identifying opportunities is beneficial in business, so why do so many firms struggle when presented with opportunities in their marketing functions?

When we look at businesses that took advantage of online trends such as Amazon investing heavily in Google Ads or Wish investing heavily in Facebook Ads, we can see that utilizing Digital Marketing tools when they are new can pay off mightily in the long run.

No, I’m not saying to follow every trend blindly.

And again, I’m not promising the world on a platter overnight when your business does use practical steps to grow their reach online.

The point is simple, taking advantage of growing, sustainable online platforms when they are young can position your brand ahead of the competition and in an area for growth over the long-term.

So, how does one stay ahead of the curve and tapped into the trends taking place in the Digital Marketing world?

Partnering with a reputable Digital Marketing firm, like Visibly Connected, can help your brand stay in touch with the ebbs and flows of the Digital Marketing landscape, elevate your Content Marketing efforts, expand your reach, and help your brand explore Online Marketing in new and exciting ways.

From pinpointing your message and audience through Social Media campaigns to creating Conversions through advertising campaigns on platforms such as Google Ads, Visibly Connected has been helping brands reach their potential for almost a decade.

Contact Us Today and begin developing a marketing plan that tells your brand’s story and takes advantage of digital spaces you may have otherwise overlooked.

What Your HVAC Company Should Be Posting

July 16, 2019 by Dylan Cherry Leave a Comment

[HVAC] Making the Connection

There is a problem plaguing HVAC business pages on social media: they’re…so…boring…

It’s sad but true as many HVAC companies are strictly business and continuously asking for the sale.

Listen, you’re an HVAC company and a darn good one but when someone’s AC is blowing cold and they’ve jumped online after a hard day’s work, they don’t care about your sales pitch.

Asking for business is always encouraged on social media; however, there must be a balance and people want to know about what makes your company unique besides what you sell.

They want to know your why.

Why should they purchase from you?

Why are you any different from the competition?

And most importantly, why should they trust you?

This is social media after all so let’s get social.

Balance out those sales posts with some of these great ideas to add content to your social media strategy.

Post Things Happening In Your Community

One of the biggest opportunities missed by air conditioning companies is that they aren’t posting, tagging, and showcasing their community.

Customers can’t find you if they don’t know where you are and reminding them of your location can help bring more traffic to you.

A couple of ways business pages can showcase their community:

Post and share events being produced by other local businesses.
Attend events and post a picture or status with your location being shared.
Hashtag the name of the community you are in.
Create an “Area Served” section on your various online media to let customers know if they are able to be serviced.
Co-host events you are helping put on with other businesses and promote them on social media.

These are just a few of the many ways to communicate with your community via social media and a great way to add content to your marketing strategy for free.

Food Is Always a Crowd Pleaser

Does your business have a secret Gordon Ramsey?

Highlight them!

People love recipes and tasty photos are almost as good as the real thing.

Even if your team aren’t the best of cooks, the Internet has so many recipes available to be shared via link or video that you can add these to your social media campaigns seamlessly.

Tips & Tricks Are a Must

Providing value to your customers and audience is not a choice.

If people don’t love what you are posting, there are so many alternatives nowadays you really won’t have a chance to capture and keep their attention from your competitors.

Every day people aren’t engulfed in the world of HVAC like the fine men and women of your air conditioning company. Show them tips & tricks that can help them save time and money and watch your following grow.

Provide enough value, and you can even slip in a few lighter calls-to-action within these types of posts. Instead of asking for a sale upfront, provide value, and leave your company as a resource in which to purchase a solution.

Industry Lingo and Terms

In the same manner that many people may be unaware of things to do or look out for regarding their air conditioning units, they also don’t know the lingo.

If you walk up to a random person on the street and asked them about the SEER rating on their HVAC unit and asked their opinion on their home’s IAQ, they’d probably give you a look of confusion so great it could be a meme.

Help them out by using acronym only after explaining to your audience what they mean.

You can also create additional content by providing your audience with definitions and meanings behind various terms to help them if there is ever an issue or they decide to research equipment for replacement or installation.

This is a great way in which your company has the opportunity to provide value by becoming a resource and add to your social media content.

[idea]PRO TIP: Show Up to Date Images & Videos of “The Process”

Life as an HVAC tech is pretty interesting and by showcasing that side of things to your audience, you have a fun way to interact, provide content, and continue to stay in your brand’s specific industry.

Showing scenarios of what can go wrong, how your company can fix it, and giving tips to look out for can go a long way in establishing trust with your audience.

The next time you’re on a job, take a few minutes and share with the world the solutions you are providing your customers. Go “Live” or post a “Story” and watch the views add up![/idea]

Show Things That Go Against the Grain of the Mundane

Maybe someone in the office decided to treat the company to an impromptu juggling act.

Perhaps you met the world’s cutest kitten or friendliest dog on the job site.

Either way, the world wants to know and by showing fun company trips or things that show a human side to your business, you will connect with your audience in a more authentic way.

Success Stories & Reviews

Reviews matter if you want new HVAC business.

It’s no secret that businesses want to build a good reputation and receive positive word-of-mouth from their previous customers; however, did you know that over 90% of consumers read reviews before making a purchase?

This isn’t just including those Amazon reviews, no, this also rings true for local businesses such as yourself.

Use the power of reviews on your side and ask satisfied customers for recommendations, positive reviews, or even testimonials, heck go one step further and ask for a video testimonial!

Including these types of endorsements can paint your company in a positive light and show the level of service you can provide your audience.

Add-Ons & Additional Offers for HVAC Customers

Possibly the most sales-oriented post we will mention here but nonetheless an important one.

Educating your audience in an informative way with calls-to-action that similarly to the Tips & Tricks section will position your company as a resource and can produce increased revenue.

If your air conditioning company also does things like:

Home inspections
Furnace repairs
Mold testing
Maintenance plans
Electrical work

But your customers never know about it, how can they know to purchase these goods or services from you? Just remember to limit these types of posts as it is SOCIAL media not SALES media!!

Let customers know about the various things you have to offer them and the other solutions your company can provide aside from your core offer.

A Resource for HVAC Companies and Their Online Marketing Needs

For nearly a decade, Visibly Connected has positioned itself to provide businesses with online marketing solutions that show real results.

Everything from Search Engine Optimization to providing an ongoing social media presence that positions them above the competition is in our toolbox and we don’t rest until you see results.

Contact us today to get started improving your air conditioning company’s online marketing strategy!

[HVAC] Elevate Your Company’s Instagram

July 1, 2019 by Dylan Cherry Leave a Comment

[HVAC] 4 Quick Tips to Elevate Your Company’s Instagram

Instagram Helps HVAC Companies Gain Business

Instagram and HVAC? Yes!

Social media, it sure turned out to be a lot bigger than some teenagers posting goofy pictures, didn’t it?

These days, you really aren’t competing with other companies on an even playing field without an adequate social media presence and one of the hottest platforms out there is Instagram.

This should come as no surprise as people love visuals and the ‘gram provides plenty of ways to share, interact with, and consume images and videos.

HVAC companies realize this and are flocking to the site to showcase their hard work to their communities, but how do you build a proper following and gain business from those followers?

What else can HVAC companies do beyond posting a picture with some hashtags that can help boost their content and gain followers for their page?

Stick around, and check out our guide for maximizing your HVAC company’s Instagram page.

The 3 L’s Aren’t Just For Real Estate Anymore

Location, location, location.

Posting a picture or photo?

Tag that location!

Showing people where you are working is a great way to build a presence not only online but within your physical community. Especially with consistent tagging and posting.

By showing your location you are announcing to your community where you physically make a difference in the real world and how you can provide others in the area with HVAC solutions to their needs.

Tell Your Story, Literally

What started on SnapChat has now spread to Instagram, Facebook, and even YouTube.

The power of video cannot be underestimated and the “Stories” feature for Instagram is one of the hottest ways to keep your content fresh and connect with your audience.

Stories are shorter videos that are uploaded to typically showcase something going on during that time period. They are more “in-the-moment” and don’t fall in love because they disappear after 24 hours.

Not to worry though, your stories can be archived and kept in the backend of your Instagram account for access, later on, should you feel a need to look back at it.

Use Alt Text? What the Heck Is That Anyways

Slightly geeky but thankfully not too complicated in its definition.

Alt Text is a description given to images online that help algorithms on search engines, algorithms on social media, users who may experience technical difficulties and fail to load the entire image, and believe it or not they also help the seeing impaired understand the webpage or social media post they are visiting more clearly.

Example: you take a photograph of your crew replacing an air conditioner condenser and post it on Instagram. By going into the “Advanced Settings” while you’re posting, you will find a section labeled “Accessibility” in which under that you’ll see “Write Alt Text”. You’ll want to go ahead and put a small description here labeled something like “(Insert company name here) replacing an air conditioner condenser” or “air conditioning company replacing an air conditioner condenser”.

This small yet powerful step shows Instagram what your content is and most importantly who it is for. This will provide your content with some help of getting in front of the right audience.

Engage With Your Audience

I’ll be blunt here: HVAC companies can be at a disadvantage in their social media presence.

You’re not Selena Gomez.

You’re not the local foodie influencer who knows the latest mouthwatering bites around town.

But you still have an amazing opportunity to connect with and expand your audience regardless. One of the main components of this is going to be engagement.

Bigger accounts can rely on a lot of factors for their social media strategy but for smaller to medium accounts engaging online is still critical to:

Actually being seen by followers and potential followers.
Retaining interest from not only your audience but also the algorithms of Instagram.
Providing value to your audience and positioning yourself as an industry expert.

Simply put, people will forget you or may never even see you if you aren’t engaging on Instagram.

No, we’re not talking about spamming the world with “Great post! Follow me @(insert handle)”.

Speak to your customers.

Speak to the community.

Provide genuine comments and information to the online world you are communicating with and watch your page flourish.

[idea]Pro TIP: Take Advantage of the Views

Those extra beautiful homes you spend time in?

The perfect photo opportunity. Just be sure to have permission and present the homes in a manner of respect and privacy.

The same is true for any sort of access to interesting or beautiful views such as a commercial building that has a particularly beautiful backdrop or a famous area landmark for a “behind the scenes” view.

HVAC companies go to some pretty interesting places at times and showcasing them to your audience can build excitement and ultimately engagement.[/idea]

Gain your HVAC Company the Right Followers and Leads

Positioning your HVAC company on social media is a tricky balance of fun and business, but the right combination can have you in front of a host of new clients.

Establishing yourself on social media is a great way to continue conversations with leads and convert them effectively by building relationships.

Nobody understands this more than the experts at Visibly Connected.

Our team’s tools and knowledge of marketing HVAC companies online through social media is unparalleled. If you’re looking for help boosting your presence on Facebook, Instagram, or any other social platform, give us a call at 281-940-7463.

For more tips & tricks on lead generation for your HVAC company, check out our helpful e-book available to download for free.

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