How do your customers find your business today?
A few years ago, we’d describe it in four steps: someone needed a service, searched for it on Google, visited a website, and made a call.
Today, that same person might discover your business on social media, check your Google reviews, ask AI for advice, and compare your website with competitors before deciding whom to contact. Google itself describes today’s consumer behavior as a combination of searching, streaming, scrolling, and shopping, while noting that AI is increasingly changing how people explore and make decisions.
Don’t get us wrong: Google still matters. A lot. But customers have more ways to find you now.
This means we need to make more strategic moves and continuously adjust our marketing, SEO, and content strategies to help our clients succeed. And here’s how we do it today.
How Do Customers Find a Local Business Today?
Let’s make this practical.
Imagine you’re an HVAC installer in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Your potential customer has an aging furnace that’s making strange noises. They need professional help, but they don’t know which company to call.
Five years ago, your marketing strategy might have focused heavily on ranking for “HVAC installer near me.”
That search still matters. But today, the customer might also ask ChatGPT, “My furnace is 15 years old and keeps making a weird noise. Should I repair it or replace it?”
That’s a different kind of search, and it’s one reason helpful website content has become so valuable.
But there’s more to the story.
Let’s follow this customer through five possible stages of their search and see where your marketing can make a difference.
1. Asking Friends and Neighbors for Recommendations
First, they ask around in their neighborhood group chat for recommendations.
There’s little you can do to control these conversations directly, except for good old-fashioned customer service. Do a great job, make sure your email signature includes your contact information, and give customers a business card or even a refrigerator magnet with your phone number.
When someone asks for an HVAC recommendation, you want your previous customers to remember you.
2. Searching Google for an HVAC Installer Near Me
Next, they Google “HVAC installer near me.”
And here’s where the competition really begins.
What should your business have to increase its chances of getting a call from that first search?
- A strong position in Google Search. Ideally, your business appears among the top 10 organic results for relevant local searches. Good SEO helps you compete for those positions.
- A convincing website. Your services should be clearly described, with contact information that’s easy to find.
- Recent, positive Google reviews. Aim for at least 10 reviews as an initial milestone, including three or more from the past season. More relevant, genuine reviews can strengthen customer confidence.
But even having all three doesn’t guarantee that someone will call you.
They might open your website, compare your reviews with another company, and decide they need more information.
So what happens next?
3. Seeing Your Competitors on Social Media
After searching for HVAC services, your potential customer may start seeing advertisements from HVAC companies on Facebook or Instagram. Because Big Brother seems to know what we’re looking for.
Here, your competitors are already trying to win their attention.
If you’re running social media ads as well, make sure your business looks and sounds familiar across platforms. When someone encounters your business again, they may recognize it from their earlier search. That familiarity can increase the chances they’ll consider you when they’re ready to call.
4. Asking AI for Advice
The customer may still not feel confident enough to choose an HVAC installer.
So they turn to ChatGPT or another AI platform and ask for advice.
Maybe they want to know which companies install a particular furnace brand in Grand Rapids. Or perhaps they’re trying to understand the difference between repairing and replacing their heating system.
Here’s where AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) comes in.
AEO helps AI platforms understand your business and recognize your website as a useful source of information when answering questions.
Helpful FAQ sections and blog posts that answer real customer questions can improve your chances of appearing in AI-generated answers.
If an AI platform references your business or includes a link to your website, you have another opportunity to earn that customer’s trust and finally get the call.
5. Choosing Who Gets the Job
But even after the customer contacts you, their journey isn’t necessarily over.
It’s common for someone to reach out to several HVAC installers before making a decision.
And here’s where your marketing meets your actual customer service.
The company that responds first, answers the customer’s questions, and offers a convenient installation date has a real advantage.
You might have excellent SEO, convincing reviews, and a website that answers every question. But if a competitor responds while you’re still waiting to return the call, you could lose the job.
This is just one possible customer journey before someone reaches your business. As you can see, at every stage, you have a chance to win or lose a potential customer. So how do you improve your chances of winning? Let’s get into it.
How to Adapt Your Marketing to the New Customer Journey
Every stage of the customer journey is another opportunity to win their business. Here are the recommendations we follow at Madroit Marketing to help our clients make the most of those opportunities.
1. Make your website convincing.
Your website needs to turn visitors into customers, regardless of where they came from. Check that it has:
- Clear descriptions of your services and service areas.
- Easy-to-find contact information and calls to action.
- Examples of your work and reasons to trust your business.
2. Turn customer questions into content.
Don’t limit your SEO strategy to keywords. Think about what customers want to know before contacting you:
- What questions do they ask you every week?
- What concerns stop them from making a decision?
- What services or options are they comparing?
Use these questions for service descriptions, blogs, and FAQ pages. This helps you reach customers during their research and increases your chances of appearing in AI-generated answers.
3. Take your Google Business Profile and reviews seriously.
Your Google Business Profile can influence someone’s decision before they even visit your website.
- Keep your hours, services, and contact details accurate.
- Regularly ask satisfied customers for genuine reviews.
- Respond to reviews and update your business photos.
Reviews help customers judge your reputation and can contribute to how your business is represented in AI search.
4. Keep your business recognizable everywhere.
Customers may encounter your business several times before calling. Make sure they recognize it each time.
- Use consistent branding and messaging across your website, Google, and social media.
- Keep service descriptions and business information accurate on every platform.
- Check outdated profiles and third-party listings that could confuse customers or AI tools.
5. Invest in the channels your customers use.
You don’t need to be active on every platform. You need to be visible where your potential customers are looking.
- Check which channels currently generate calls and inquiries.
- Prioritize platforms that fit your business and audience.
- Make sure your advertising and organic marketing support each other.
Your customers are already moving between platforms. Make sure your marketing gives them a reason to choose you at every stage.
Madroit Marketing is a full-service digital marketing agency. If you own a local business in West Michigan, or anywhere for that matter, and want to attract more customers, or you’re a national brand looking for a new marketing partner, get in touch with us. We have a lot to offer.
