When the AC dies on a hot afternoon, the homeowner grabs their phone, types “AC repair near me,” and calls one of the first results. If you’re there with a clear ad and a click-to-call button, you get the job.
That’s exactly what HVAC Google ads do: put you in front of the right person at the right minute. Google handles about 90% of searches, so showing up there matters.
Local searches turn into action fast. According to Google, 76% of people who search for something nearby on a smartphone visit a business within a day, and 28% make a purchase. For service calls, that’s your edge.
If your ads aren’t paying off, the issue is usually setup: broad keywords, loose locations, and generic copy. This guide shows how to run HVAC Google ads the smart way: tight targeting, bottom-funnel intent, and simple, direct pages that turn urgent searches into booked jobs.
Why HVAC Google Ads Are a Goldmine
HVAC Google ads work because they match urgent intent with instant visibility. Instead of waiting for rankings to move, you can claim prime real estate on the results page, show a clear offer, and make it one tap to call. You pay only when someone clicks, and you can point those clicks to the cities and ZIP codes that drive revenue.
Set up well, HVAC Google ads deliver:
- High-intent leads: People searching for a fix or install right now.
- Instant visibility: Go live today and test offers quickly.
- Tight local coverage: Target by city, ZIP code, or radius.
- Seasonal control: Increase bids during heat waves or cold snaps; dial back when the schedule is full.
- Call-focused conversions: Use call-only ads and extensions to turn searches into conversations.
- Clear reporting: See which keywords, ads, and locations produce booked jobs.
With HVAC Google ads, you capture demand when it appears and turn it into calls, quotes, and installs without guesswork.
Let’s Talk Keywords: The Lifeblood of HVAC Google Ads
Keywords decide who sees your ad and why they click. With HVAC Google ads, skip vanity volume and chase intent. Here’s a simple, practical way to build a keyword set that drives calls.
Start with Intent (Not Volume)
Organize your plan into three buckets. Use exact and phrase match to start; add broad only after you’ve built strong negative lists and see clean query reports.
1. Emergency / “Help me now”
Use when speed matters and you want the phone to ring.
Examples
[exact] furnace repair near me
[phrase] “ac not turning on”
[exact] HVAC repair same day
How to use: Higher bids, call extensions, call-only ads during business hours.
Tip: Layer ZIP-code targets and exclude areas you don’t serve to control cost.
2. Service + Location (Commercially Ready)
Bread-and-butter searches that book repairs, installs, and tune-ups.
Examples:
[phrase] “air conditioning installation [city]”
[exact] heat pump repair [zip]
[phrase] “duct cleaning [suburb]”
How to use: Build separate ad groups per service (repair, install, tune-up). Mirror the keyword in your RSA headlines and on the landing page.
3) Long-Tail Diagnostics (Early but Valuable)
Great for low CPCs and remarketing; pair with helpful content and soft offers.
Examples:
[phrase] “ac leaking water inside”
[phrase] “best thermostat settings for winter”
[phrase] “mini split keeps shutting off”
How to use: Send to pages with quick fixes, then offer booking, financing, or a same-day slot.
| Add Smart Modifiers
Mix and match with core services to cover real intent:
|
Don’t Skip Negatives (Starter List)
Protect your budget on HVAC Google ads with firm negatives from day one:
- Jobs & Info: job, salary, career, course, training, manual, pdf, wiki
- DIY/Retail: DIY, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Amazon, parts, wholesale
- Wrong Intent: free, cheap, coupon (if you don’t run promos)
- Wrong Items: window AC, portable AC, car AC, refrigerator, chimney
- Out of Area: cities/counties you don’t serve
Fast 15-Minute Build (Recipe)
- List top services: repair, install, replace, tune-up for AC, furnace, heat pump, mini split.
- Add 3–4 speed modifiers and your top 5 cities/ZIPs.
- Create exact + phrase versions for Emergency and Service+Location buckets.
- Load the negative list above and add more from your first Search Terms report.
- Point each ad group to a matched landing page (service + city) with click-to-call.
Sample Winning HVAC Google Ads Keywords List
| Keyword | Avg. CPC |
Difficulty
|
|---|---|---|
| emergency furnace repair | $7.80 | Medium |
| hvac tune up near me | $5.30 | Low |
| ac installation specials [city] | $6.40 | Low |
| thermostat installation service | $4.85 | Low |
| air duct leak repair [zip] | $5.90 | Medium |
| hvac companies open now | $8.60 | Medium |
| mini split installation cost [area] | $4.70 | Low |
If you’d like to build a list suited to your specific market, tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, and Keywords Everywhere make it easy to assess volume, cost-per-click, and buyer intent.
Case Study: $75K in 60 Days with HVAC Google Ads
Client: Mid-sized residential HVAC company in suburban California
Problem: Running their own ads brought clicks but few calls. Cost per lead sat around $95 and ROI was weak.
What INSIDEA Changed
- Hyper-local targeting: Built campaigns by ZIP code with higher homeownership rates and solid service density.
- Keyword focus: Shifted to urgent, service-specific intent for HVAC Google Ads (e.g., “emergency AC repair,” “furnace repair [city],” “mini split install [zip]”).
- Match types + negatives: Started with exact and phrase, added a tight negative list to block DIY, jobs, retail, and out-of-area searches.
- Call-first setup: Used call-only ads during business hours and call extensions on all search ads.
- Local landing pages: One page per city/ZIP with reviews, financing, and a clear “Call Now” CTA.
Results in 60 days
- Cost per lead: $95 ➜ $34
- Call volume: +214%
- Revenue booked: $75,000
Why It Worked
- We matched urgent intent with easy ways to call.
- We spent only in the ZIP codes that convert.
- Pages, ads, and keywords told the same story, which lifted quality and lowered CPCs.
Steal This Playbook
Use HVAC Google ads with exact and phrase keywords for emergency and service + location, add strong negatives on day one, aim ads at your best ZIP codes, and point each ad group to a matching local page with click-to-call.
Intent Pairing: Make Your HVAC Google Ads Match the Moment
Most advertisers stop at keywords. The best HVAC Google ads match the keyword to the searcher’s mindset and give the exact next step.
Use this simple formula: Query → Mindset → What to say → Where to send
| Query | Mindset | What to Say | Where to Send |
| HVAC system cost calculator | Price sensitive, comparing options | Instant estimate. Financing available. Transparent pricing. | Pricing or calculator page with monthly payment examples |
| AC leaking water inside | Urgent, a little stressed | Fast leak fix. Same-day service. Call now | Emergency AC repair page with click-to-call at the top |
| Energy efficient air conditioning installer | Efficiency and savings | Energy Star installs. Utility rebates. Lower bills. | High-efficiency install page with rebate info and case studies |
| Furnace repair near me open now | Needs help right away | Open today. Technician on the way. No surprise fees. | Call-only ad during hours or a location page with hours and phone |
| Mini split installation [city] | Has a project in mind | Ductless experts. Free quote today. 12-year warranty. | Mini-split install page with photos, reviews, and financing |
Why this works: Intent pairing keeps your ad, extensions, and landing page telling the same story. Relevance goes up, cost per lead goes down, and more urgent searches turn into booked jobs.
HVAC Google Ads: Tactical Tips Most Advertisers Miss
1. Use Call-Only Campaigns Strategically
When it helps: Emergency intent, where the goal is a phone call now.
How to set it up
- Separate “Call-Only” campaign, mobile only, scheduled for business hours.
- Count a conversion at 60–120 seconds call duration.
- Add location and call extensions; use “Maximize conversions” or a target CPA.
| Good Queries | Watch Out |
| Furnace repair now, AC stopped working, HVAC company open sunday | Answer every call. Missed calls waste budget. Use an answering service after hours. |
2. Customize Ad Copy by Season
Why: HVAC Google Ads work best when your message matches the season.
How
- Summer: Push AC repair, tune-ups, installs, and same-day service.
- Winter: Push heating repair, furnace installs, and safety checks.
- Use ad scheduling to swap copy by month; layer bid adjustments during heat waves or cold snaps.
Pro tip: Add countdowns for “tune-up specials ending soon” and highlight financing during the replacement season.
3. Crank Up the Conversions with Local Landing Pages
Why: One generic page won’t win across all service areas.
How
- Create pages per city or ZIP: “AC Replacement in Sarasota 34239” or “Furnace Repair | Austin – Mueller District.”
- Include a sticky click-to-call button, map, nearby reviews, permits or rebate info, and clear guarantees.
- Match the page headline to the ad group keyword for higher Quality Score.
Pro tip: Add a short form above the fold plus “Call Now” so both buyers and researchers convert.
These tweaks keep your HVAC Google Ads aligned with intent, season, and location, so more searches turn into real calls and booked jobs.
Myth-Busted: You Only Need to Rank First
It’s time to break this expensive misconception. Yes, landing the top spot on Google Ads looks great, but it’s not always the most cost-effective position. Often, the second or third ad position delivers nearly identical click-through rates at a fraction of the cost-per-click.
Instead of inflating your bids to sit at #1, consider testing lower positions and measuring performance; the savings can be significant.
And don’t forget about remarketing. If someone clicked your ad but didn’t convert, use display ads to bring them back. You’ve already paid for the visit. Stay visible.
Measure the Right Metrics, Not Just Clicks
Clicks are easy to track—but they don’t tell the whole story. To know whether your Google Ads are truly working, focus on metrics that reflect business outcomes.
Track these instead
- Call-through rate (especially on mobile)
- Conversion rate (form fills or calls)
- Cost per conversion (your actual cost per lead)
- Landing page engagement (bounce rates, time on site, click paths)
- Keyword-level ROI (ditch under-performers, double down on winners)
- Daypart performance (calls coming in at night? Run ads later.)
Tools like Google Analytics, CallRail, and WhatConverts allow you to connect every lead back to the specific ad—and keyword—that drove it.
Tools to Power Up Your HVAC Ad Campaigns
These platforms can help streamline your efforts and maximize ROI:
- SpyFu: See which keywords your HVAC competitors are bidding on
- CallRail: Track inbound calls and measure lead quality
- Optmyzr: Automate campaign optimizations at scale
- Unbounce: Create high-converting landing pages quickly
- Google Local Services Ads: A great complement to Google Ads, especially if you’re verified and service-focused
Book More HVAC Jobs, Month After Month
Turn HVAC Google ads and your broader digital marketing into a steady engine for booked work. INSIDEA will help you show up at the right moment, make it one tap to call, and track every lead back to the ad, page, and city that drove it.
What we’ll set up for you:
- HVAC Google Ads tuned for intent: Exact and phrase keywords, strong negatives, ZIP-level targeting, seasonal ad copy, and call-only ads during business hours.
- Local SEO that wins nearby searches: Optimized Google Business Profile, review strategy, service-area pages, and structured data.
- Conversion-first pages: Fast, mobile-ready pages for each service and city with clear CTAs, online scheduling, financing, and proof.
- Email automations that keep calendars full: Maintenance rebooks, quote follow-ups, replacement triggers, and no-show nudges.
- Clean tracking and reporting: Call tracking, form attribution, CRM pipeline visibility, and weekly insights you can act on.