If you own or manage an HVAC company, you know keeping the phone ringing is important. Paid social media ads, like the ones you see on Facebook and Instagram, can help make that happen. One of the biggest questions HVAC companies are asking about in 2025 is how they should be allocating their advertising dollars on paid social platforms.
Most HVAC companies ask us the same question...
"Should I spend money on ads to build my brand or to get more leads right away?" - confused & frustrated HVAC owner
The answer depends on your goals, your budget, and how well-known your company is in your local area.
As a digital marketing agency that works with HVAC businesses daily, we review the pros and cons of how budgets are allocated daily with our own clients.
Understanding your present market visibility is a great starting point. We usually start with identifying how many people in your local area are searching for your brand and/or the services you provide every month.
Let's break it all down...
First, Know Your Numbers!
Before running any kind of ad, you need to know some key things...
- Branded Search Volume - The number of customers in your local area who search for your brand each month.
- Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) - This is how much money you need to spend to get one new paying customer.
- Lifetime Value (LTV) - This is how much money the average customer brings in over time.
For example, if it costs you $100 in ad spend to gain a new customer, but that customer ends up spending $2,000 with you over a few years, then your investment paid off - even if it didn’t seem like a “big win” at first!
Option 1: Run Ads That Focus on Getting Immediate Leads
This is the fast-track method. The goal is to get calls, form submissions, or quote requests right away.
Examples of types of lead-generating ads and offers...
- Discounts - “$49 A/C Tune-Up”
- Emergency service offers - “24/7 HVAC Repairs Near You”
- Limited-time deals - “Save $200 on a New Unit”
- Seasonal promotions - Labor day sales
Option #1 Pros:
- Faster results
- Easy to track
- Brings in people who need service now
Option #1 Cons:
- Can be expensive if too many people click but don’t convert
- May only attract one-time buyers looking for a deal
- Doesn’t build long-term brand recognition or trust
Option 2: Invest in Brand Awareness Ads
Brand awareness ads are different.
These ads aren’t always focused on getting someone to call you today - instead, they help people recognize your company name, remember your logo, and think of you first the next time they need help with their heating or cooling.
One of the major benefits of brand awareness ads is that they can improve your SEO results over time on both Google and Bing.
When more people search for your business by name, it tells search engines that your business is trusted and popular. This can help your website rank higher in search results and bring in more organic traffic, without paying for every click.
The most important ingredient to making a branding campaign work is staying with it!
Building a brand is done through consistent messaging, built over a long period of time, often through many different channels.
Ideas for types of ads that build brand awareness...
- Show videos of your team at work
- Share tips for saving energy
- Highlight 5-star customer reviews
- Talk about your history in the community
Option #2 Pros:
- Builds long-term trust
- Increases word-of-mouth
- Boosts your visibility on major search engines over time.
- Makes future lead-generation campaigns cheaper (people already know you)
Option #2 Cons:
- Slower results
- Harder to track success in the short term
- May not bring in leads right away
Finding the Right Balance
In some cases, the best strategy is a mix of both.
Start with brand awareness if your company is new or not well known in your local area - people won’t click or call if they’ve never heard of you!
These ads build trust and make it easier to win future business.
Lead generation ads can work best during peak seasons, like summer heat waves or freezing winter nights, when people are more likely to need your services right away.
Effective Ad Spend on Social in 2025 for your HVAC Company
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to paid social media ads for HVAC companies... there's tons of factors and variables to consider that are specific to each individual business.
Working with an experienced marketing agency like HLM can help uncover the right opportunity mix for your HVAC business.
For over fifteen years HLM has been helping home service companies fill their dispatch boards. If you are searching for a marketing agency to help you attract more customers and generate leads consistently, contact HLM to speak with a marketing expert today.
