We have written on this topic before as it relates to the HVAC industry. However, this year, in addition to the yearly fall slowdown due to moderate temperatures, we have more homeowners whose budgets are being stretched thin from increased costs of gasoline, utilities, food and more. Below are three search engine advertising actions your company can use in the slower seasons to keep your phones ringing with new customers.
(1) Use sponsored link ads to attract customers looking for Indoor Air Quality equipment
While maybe not as motivating to every human as extreme heat or cold, the online search volume for IAQ products tends to be less seasonal than A/C or heating searches. Someone suffering from pollen allergies or humidity levels that are too high or low can be very motivated to get relief. The topics of whole house air filters, humidity control, ventilation, or carbon monoxide prevention are good demographic matches for Internet users, who tend to have higher average household income and education.
(2) Reach customers while they are searching online for a related topic or benefit and direct them to your website or special offer.
Related to the above, an example of this “side door approach” would be a sponsored link text ad campaign using keywords such as “pollen relief”. Your potential customer may be searching with medication or medical treatments in mind, but might buy a whole house air filter system for their home or office. In cost per click advertising, there is no incremental cost for an ad that does not get clicked. Another example would be someone searching online for information on lower utility bills. Serve them up an ad with a rebate or off-season special offer for a new high-efficiency heating and A/C system.
(3) Use the contextual mode of advertising offered by engines such as Google AdWords.
Instead of reaching customers while they are actively searching (like the two above examples), with content (also call contextual) ads you reach them with sponsored link text ads while they are reading related content. The content can be a consumer information site, a blog, Gmail, etc. In the past few months, there have been improvements in this mode of online advertising that make it worth a look, once you have maxed out the search option in the geographic area your company services.
About the Author
Gary Walker has a BS in Environmental Science and more than 25 years experience in marketing, sales management, customer service and search marketing. He is qualified as a Google AdWords professional and with Yahoo! Search Marketing. His company, TopSide Media, uses online search technology and internet publishing to connect the best local HVAC companies with consumers to achieve more indoor comfort while saving energy.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
