Insights

Local search insights for contractors and agencies

Answers for home service owners and the agencies that serve them on what Google costs a contractor and what it should return, how to track local rankings, how businesses show up in AI answers, and how to hire techs and sell maintenance plans.

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14 articles in all topics, reviewed by Ben Desjardins

Newest

How to Show Up in ChatGPT Search for Home Services

Learn the proven steps to get your home service business recommended in ChatGPT search. Crawler access, clean profiles, and local proof that works.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 29, 2026

Topic 01 / 04

Google costs and ROI for contractors

What Google, direct mail and SEO cost a home service company, and what each should bring back.

HVAC Marketing Benchmarks: 2026 Stats by Channel

2026 HVAC marketing benchmarks with source, date and sample: search and LSA lead costs, booked-job costs, ROAS targets and what each number means.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 28, 2026

HVAC Marketing Agency Pricing (2026): Fees, Cost Factors and a Fair Quote

HVAC marketing agencies charge about $2,000 to $10,000+ a month in 2026, plus ad spend. Fees by scope, what moves a quote, hidden fees and a fair quote.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 28, 2026

HVAC Marketing ROI by Channel: 2026 Benchmarks and Sources

Sourced 2026 HVAC marketing benchmarks by channel: Google Ads cost per lead, LSA billing, direct mail response rates, SEO and social measurement.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 28, 2026

Why Contractors Lose Money on Google: Causes and Fixes

Why Google clicks don't turn into profitable contractor jobs: match the symptom to the cause across ads, map pack, organic and AI answers, then fix it.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 28, 2026

HVAC Marketing Budget: What You Will Pay and Why

HVAC companies spend 5% to 15% of revenue on marketing in 2026. Learn the proven factors that drive costs and how to price leads by booked jobs.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 26, 2026

Local Marketing Strategy for Contractors: 5-Phase Checklist

A proven 5-phase local marketing checklist for contractors. Track every lead, fix wasted spend, and scale only what drives profitable jobs.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 26, 2026

Topic 02 / 04

Local rank tracking

How to measure where you actually show up on Google, and how the main tools compare.

Local Falcon vs Sure Shot Local Rank Tracker for Agencies

Local Falcon vs Sure Shot Local Rank Tracker for agencies: grids, organic and AI tracking, white label, next steps, and where each tool wins.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 28, 2026

BrightLocal vs Sure Shot Local Rank Tracker: Which Fits Agencies?

BrightLocal vs Sure Shot Local Rank Tracker for agencies: 2026 prices, grid and AI tracking, reports, and where BrightLocal clearly wins.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 28, 2026

Whitespark Local Rank Tracker vs Sure Shot Systems: Which Fits Agencies?

Whitespark vs Sure Shot Systems Local Rank Tracker for agencies: geo-grids, AI answers, client reporting and five-client costs, checked September 2026.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 28, 2026

Best local rank tracker: 3 picks compared

Local Falcon, BrightLocal or Sure Shot? Pick a local rank tracker by the job you need done, with vendor prices checked in September 2026.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 28, 2026

Local Falcon alternatives for agencies: 5 options and who each fits

Five Local Falcon alternatives for local SEO agencies, with prices checked in September 2026, where each beats Local Falcon, and how to switch safely.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 28, 2026

The AI-Powered Rank Tracker

Local SEO buries you in tools, dashboards, and 70-page audits. Here is why I built a rank tracker that answers one question: what do we do next

Ben Desjardins

Aug 28, 2026

Topic 03 / 04

AI search

How local businesses show up in AI answers, including the two leading sources today, ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode.

How to Show Up in ChatGPT Search for Home Services

Learn the proven steps to get your home service business recommended in ChatGPT search. Crawler access, clean profiles, and local proof that works.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 29, 2026

GEO vs SEO for Home Service Companies: Which Comes First in 2026?

GEO vs SEO for home service companies: what each gets you, what carries over, how to measure both, and which to fund first in 2026.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 28, 2026

What Is Generative Engine Optimization for Home Services?

What generative engine optimization (GEO) is, how AI search picks local businesses, and the first steps home service owners can take.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 28, 2026

Topic 04 / 04

Hiring techs and selling maintenance plans

The two problems owners ask us about most, after getting found on Google.

How to Sell HVAC Maintenance Agreements: 7 Steps

Sell HVAC maintenance agreements in 7 steps: build a plan you can deliver, price it, pick who to ask, show the condition, answer objections and book the first visit.

Ben Desjardins

Sep 28, 2026