How much does having a professional looking website design and content influence consumers to use your HVAC company?
It seems quite logical that having an exceptional looking website with authoritative content is paramount to the success of your HVAC businesses being able to attract and convert prospects into new customers.
However, in today’s digital landscape, how necessary is having a website to attract new customers?
Further would potential customers trust your HVAC business, if you did not have a traditional website and instead opted to solely use social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram? Let’s take a closer look into this topic and find out just how influential a website is in attracting new customers to your HVAC business.
To gain deeper insights into this matter, we conducted a comprehensive national consumer research survey involving 2,000 homeowners. Our goal was to understand the significance of a website when selecting an HVAC company and assess the viability of solely utilizing social media platforms instead. Here are our findings:
Firstly, we asked the 2,000 homeowners who were also the primary decisions
maker when it comes to hiring contractors for home repairs, services, and installations, the following question:
How much does a professional looking website design and its content influence you to use an HVAC company?
The results were clear: 59% of respondents, nearly two-thirds of the surveyed homeowners, expressed that a professional-looking website design and its content had a significant influence (“A lot”) on their decision to choose an HVAC company.
Next, to gain further insights into whether consumers would trust a business without a traditional website, relying solely on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram for online interaction,
We posed the following question to 2,000 consumers:
Would you trust a business that DOES NOT have a website, but DOES have social media pages (ex. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) ?
The responses were almost evenly divided, with a slightly higher percentage, 53% indicating that they would trust a business without a website but with social media pages. However, with nearly half—47%—of respondents stating that they would not trust a business without a website, it is evident that having a website is of critical importance.
After analyzing the data it’s even more compelling that your HVAC business to have an awesome website. There is zero downside to having a website and a tremendous amount of downside in not having a website. Based on our research if you don’t have a website 59% of consumers won’t even consider you and 47% of consumers wouldn’t trust your business.
Apart from the trust factor, there are several other compelling reasons to have a professional-looking website with relevant content, the most significant being the ability to be easily discovered on search engines like Google. Also connecting with existing customers, etc.
To weigh in we asked Crystal Williams, Marketing Strategic with Lemonseed Marketing, a full-service marketing agency for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and any service industry contractor for her advice….
“I wish I could sky write how important and protective we should be with the brand of our company that we work so hard for day after day! Your brand is more than a logo or a wrapped van rolling down the street; it’s a message that spills into the minds and hearts of your community. Brand speaks to who you are as a person, as a company and as an employer. When your potential and existing customers land on your website, as a part of their customer journey with your company, it’s important that the look and feel be reflective of who you are as a company. If you want to be known as a company with lack of innovation, lack of personalization and lack of caring for the ability to book online, then BINGO you relayed that message when we landed on a bland and boring site. If you want people to expect top notch customer service, fair pricing and solutions with well a mannered and manicured team at their service, then TA DA you won them, and their hearts, with a well-designed and branded site that really conveys who you are as a company.
But a pretty site is just that, pretty. It’s not necessarily a performing site. I encourage all contractors to align their operational and revenue goals with a trusted digital partner that will make your website be discoverable through key search terms in your market and be specific to your company! Allow the experts to get your page performing for the services and cities you want to show up! You should have 2 goals in today’s world: be discoverable and be memorable. A website and digital advertising strategy are key components to that plan. ”
About the Authors
Josh Davis
Josh Davis is an executive marketer, strategist, content creator and sales leader with a long track record of successfully helping small and large businesses acquire and retain customers through his expertise in direct mail marketing.
With over a decade of direct mail experience, he understands the marketing needs of small businesses, franchise networks, and corporate entities alike. Josh is currently the Chief Revenue Officer for Mail Shark.
Crystal Williams
Founder + Marketing Strategist + Resident Lady In Charge
With well over 15 years of marketing and employee engagement experience under her belt, Crystal has an out-of-the-box way of thinking that draws attention to her marketing strategies and community involvement. Her always enthusiastic attitude makes it easy to get excited and rejuvenated to grow service companies to their fullest potential. She is a devoted wife to her husband Ray, and a mom of two boys, Ray & Carter and loves to rock a bold lipstick.
With a passion for the Service Industry, Crystal grew up in the heating and air conditioning world with her family’s HVAC (And recently Plumbing!) business in east Texas. She thrives on helping family owned and operated businesses grow to their potential and create superior company cultures with engaged employees.
Crystal is a 2005 graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University with a degree is communications. In 2018, Crystal was selected as Service World’s Woman of the Year and was recently given the honor of “Top 40 Under 40” by AHR News! Her latest exciting news is she is now a board member for Women in HVACR! She continues to be heavily involved in both McWilliams and Son Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing and her home service specific advertising and marketing company, Lemon Seed Marketing! Lemon Seed is a wholistic approach to helping contractors create, implement, and track successful marketing plans for their businesses and really build your brand. You can hear Crystal’s latest marketing rantings on the Lemon Seed podcast, From the Yellow Chair.