We recently presented some questions related to digital marketing in the not-so-distant future, and small business best practices related to digital marketing, to Josh Smith, vice president of marketing for the Home Services division at Scorpion. He manages the development of the marketing team that handles all home service accounts across the organization.
This is a sidebar to THIS ARTICLE on field practices and digital innovations following COVID-19.
CB: First, a look back, Josh. Which areas of digital marketing did you see HVACR contractors adopting the most in 2020? Has any area been more utilized than others, and why?
Josh Smith: Local Services Ads (LSAs) have been the most significant adoption that we have seen this year, and that is a trend we've seen since Google launched LSAs three years ago. These leads are inexpensive and typically high quality because they have Google's stamp of approval with the Google Guaranteed Badge. The most recent development with LSAs is the introduction of bidding capabilities on the platform. Google is rolling this feature out nationwide much faster than any LSA development to date.
CB: How has advertising or operational best practices changed as a response to COVID-19?
JS: In 2020 we saw a bigger push for social media advertising. At the start of the pandemic, there was a massive shift in consumer behavior due to stay-at-home mandates. Many businesses shifted to remote work models, which placed people in their homes and in front of their computers for much longer periods of time. We saw Facebook traffic increase upwards of 50%, and Instagram traffic increase over 30%. This created a huge opportunity for businesses to advertise on social media.
We saw Facebook traffic increase upwards of 50%, and Instagram traffic increase over 30%. This created a huge opportunity for businesses to advertise on social media.
Due to the pandemic, HVAC contractors were also expected to pay heightened attention to particular hygienic measures in their daily interactions with customers. This is crucial, and will continue to be so until the pandemic ends. It's important because it shows that HVAC contractors are mindful of their clients' health and safety and can help customers feel safe booking a service job.
CB: Looking to 2021, which areas do you believe will catch on more, based on discussions or observations?
JS: We are going to see a continued increase in the social media world. With the current climate from the election and the anticipation of how that will carry into 2021, we can already see new social media channels pop up. The goal right now is to identify if they are viable or not.
We expect to see an increasing need for maintenance packages and new HVAC installations as we move out of the winter season. People are continuing to stay home, which means that we'll see more wear and tear on the house — leading to increased home services needs and opportunities to build solid relationships with customers.
'When you book a particular client, the path they took to retain your services is incredibly critical to know. The challenge for a business owner is that it takes too much time to map out the data.' -- Josh Smith
Lastly, I think we will see an increased need for technology to help the average HVAC business owner manage their business in one place. Currently, there are many potential technology options that assist in operating your business, from your CRM to social media to your online reviews and SEO to newsletters and email marketing. There is a growing need to do that all on a single platform.
CB: It sometimes seems like there is no place else to go as far as technological development. But are there general areas of digital marketing you don’t mind sharing, which will really make contractors take notice? For example, functions to help technicians in the field, customer service representatives and dispatchers, customers, working with financials, etc.
JS: We are definitely on the precipice of significant technological development in the HVAC industry. There will be more technology companies claiming to help with marketing, but very few that are thinking with business operations in mind. Contractors need to seek out technology that combines the efforts of digital marketing and customer management. For example, when you book a particular client, the path they took to retain your services is incredibly critical to know. The challenge for a business owner is that it takes too much time to map out the data. Business owners need something that analyzes all that data and requires minimal effort. I expect to see a massive innovation in this area that will benefit the whole home services industry.
CB: Anything else you’d like to add?
JS: We provide tons of great info for home services businesses on our podcast called The Sharpest Tool™. You can listen to it anywhere you subscribe to podcasts, including iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Simplecast, TuneIn, and on our website, as well at scorpion.co/tst.
Josh Smith is the host of “The Sharpest Tool”™ podcast from Scorpion. With his high energy and home services expertise, he loves to talk about leadership, motivation, taking life by the horns and crushing the goals that clients set out to accomplish.
Scorpion is a premium provider of marketing and technology solutions for the home services industry. As a partner for business owners, Scorpion delivers a better way through honest guidance, effective strategies, and award-winning growth technology for clients who need a clear path forward. To learn more, visit ScorpionHomeServices.com.