For most HVAC companies, content creation is not top of mind. Servicing clients, keeping up with industry trends, and continuing education may take priority over writing a few blogs. But the benefits of a great content creation strategy for HVAC are big. With the right content, you can achieve a high SEO ranking and greatly increase the leads coming in from your website. At the core of every inbound marketing strategy is great content. Otherwise, how will you offer your customers the helpful and relevant information that brought them to your site in the first place?
While content creation for HVAC may seem overwhelming or impossible at first, it’s easier than you may think. Don’t fall into the trap of doubting your content strategy. Asking questions like, “Who wants to read about air conditioning?” can be answered with thorough keyword research. You’ll be surprised at how many people are looking for answers to Google searches like “how to fix broken AC” or “how often to change air filter.” Hop on the content creation train with the following types of content.
Editorial Calendars
If your SEO articles and whitepapers are upper levels of your content pyramid, your editorial calendar is the foundation. Without an editorial calendar, there is no strategy guiding the creation of SEO articles, eBooks, videos, etc. Your editorial calendar should address which pillar page your blogs should link to, what keyword you should be using, and even the title and subject matter of every blog. While this may seem like overkill, it’s really not. A good calendar can help you achieve your content creation for HVAC goals.
SEO Articles
SEO articles are slightly different from your everyday blog. While they will most likely follow along the same lines in format and subject matter as a blog, they’ll be focused on raising your SEO ranking for one keyword. For example, one SEO article may focus on “HVAC companies in Frederick.” The title/topic could be “How to Prep Your Frederick HVAC System for Winter.” Throughout the article, you should use the keyword (HVAC companies in Frederick) between three and five times. The end result of writing this SEO article is hopefully a first page ranking for the targeted keyword search.
Expert Articles
Whereas SEO blogs focus on achieving a high ranking for a specific keyword, expert articles focus on positioning your HVAC company as an authority. For every three SEO articles you create, there should be at least one slot for an expert article in your content creation for HVAC strategy. Expert articles have a higher level of expertise than an SEO article and answer more complex questions. One example of an expert article could be “The Impact of Renewable Energy on HVAC Pricing.” The average homeowner probably isn’t searching for that topic, but these articles play an important role in establishing your HVAC company as an authority in your industry.
Whitepapers
If SEO blogs are roughly 800 words and expert articles are around 1000 words, whitepapers are in the 3000 to 5000-word range. Whitepapers are very similar to an eBook but have a more professional focus. If you organize your HVAC content creation strategy appropriately, you may be able to combine several blogs into one whitepaper. Blogs and articles should make up the majority of your editorial calendar but be sure to include maybe one whitepaper per quarter. Whitepapers also make great downloadable content. Consider creating a pop-up with a download form for a whitepaper. Be sure to keep your form short and concise and emphasize the value of the download.
Testimonial Videos
When most people think content creation for HVAC, blogs are one of the first things to come to mind. But video is another important piece of your strategy. Testimonial videos are a collaborative project with your best clients. Select the three clients that you have the best relationship with. If they’re willing, create a testimonial video that combines their stories of working with you, why they started, what problems you helped them solve, and why they would recommend you.
Testimonial videos create powerful content. Not only can prospective clients see the experiences of previous clients, but they can put a face to a name and hear the clients’ own words. A short sentence on a website can be easily faked. A false video is much harder to create.
Landing Page Videos
Landing pages are crucial for any lead generation strategy. When creating a video for a landing page use a conversational tone that helps to establish a relationship with the visitor that’s considering converting. Landing page videos that play automatically can greatly increase the length of time that a visitor spends on a page. Always include closed captions – not only is this inclusive for an audience that’s hard of hearing, but most people watch videos on mute unless they have headphones or aren’t in a public space.
While landing page videos aren’t as crucial to a content creation strategy for HVAC, they’re a great way to increase your website’s conversion rate. Include a few of them in your editorial calendar, about one per quarter.
Case Studies
Case studies are the written version of a testimonial video. They can be downloadable, like a whitepaper, but it’s a good idea to have a few that are unguarded. Case studies should be written with the permission of the client. Make sure each case study is data-driven with a clear outcome of the client’s relationship with your HVAC company. In the beginning of your content creation strategy, you’ll want to create at least four or five case studies. But once these are published on your website, you can take a break from case study creation for a year. After a year goes by, consider updating your case studies with new clients.
No matter what industry you work in, great content should be at the core of your marketing strategy. Content takes time, energy, and knowledge to create. Writing isn’t everyone’s strength and that’s okay— repairing an air conditioner certainly isn’t one of mine! If you need help with your content creation for HVAC, talk to us today. We can help you create high-quality content guided by an overarching data-driven strategy.
