Running Meta for an HVAC company in Texas and it’s a disaster

[jakesuzzzz]

Run search?

[PortlandWilliam]

$80 a day at peak AC tune-up season in Texas is not going to work, especially with broad targeting. I’d try Search but again budget is small and big firms will eat your lunch with LSAs and high-intent ads. Would need to see the data but I imagine you’re being outbid on best searches and the few leads that filter through are the ones with lower intent. I’d do the complete opposite of a broad campaign. Go all in on their highest ROI service and build creatives solely around that with the 80 bucks a day. If nothing else, you’ll be able to compete for that service rather than going after AC repair near me etc.

[ppcwithyrv]

You’re probably right that static HVAC ads are blending in, especially when every company is running the same free inspection, financing, and energy savings angle.

Tech-on-camera job site video is the right next test, but I’d also tighten the offer and add qualifying questions because broad instant forms can bring a lot of low-intent junk.

[WhiteTeeBHF]

what’s up dude, in my humble opinion, this spend should be going to sem, not social media ads. you typically need a hvac company in the moment when you need an hvac company, so search intent on the right keywords equals very high intent, and you can capitalize on that. in an emergency moment where you don’t have prior research/resource, you’re probably calling the first 1-3 options that are at the top of the 1st page and look or are perceived to be the most legit, all while they’re basement is flooding out and they are panicking in real time.

[Fancy-Technology8565]

meta can be rough for hvac unless the creative feels genuinely local and human because most of the polished static ads blur together fast, so getting the lead tech on camera talking through real jobs and real homeowner problems is probably the smartest move you’ve got right now

[RopeRepresentative38]

For meta make a local guide to saving AC costs and make it a lead magnet. Collect thousands of emails and send them more useful info about saving money on energy bills. Those emails will get forwarded and you’ll get some leads and build a great brand.

[ManufacturerBig6988]

Honestly, the technician-on-camera idea is probably the right move. Most HVAC ads blur together now, especially in big Texas markets.

I’d also look hard at lead quality and follow-up speed before judging Meta completely. Home services campaigns can look terrible on-platform while the actual booked jobs depend heavily on who answers the phone, how fast they respond, and whether the leads were even qualified properly in the first place.

[dalbroker]

Your copy probably sux

[TWayTDay]

Good instinct on video, that will likely help. Might want to look at some unconventional approaches if nothing has worked for PPC yet. I met some folks who did marketing for a DFW home services company who said the majority of their referrals came from churches — their company is so engrained in one congregation that it’s the only HVAC service any of the members will hire.

[icaruslemmings]

$80/day for HVAC? Good luck dude. That is a tough category on any budget, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Most of us would also be struggling in your position.

Like others have said, search is a better fit but the CPCs in this category are insane. You’ll be stuck running manual CPC and getting the tire-kickers while the big guys with automated bidding scrape off the high-intent traffic. It’s not impossible to make manual CPC work, but you could blow through your budget and lose your client before you get enough data to make any meaningful optimizations.

I rarely say this but maybe give Microsoft and Yahoo ads a try. Their automated bidding sucks so you still have a fighting chance with manual CPC. Focus on pain and urgency. Tell them how quickly you respond and how soon you can be there. Bonus if they are able to book the visit online.