Where customers find you, where they don't, and what you can do about it.
Prepared for Collins Heating & Cooling • Updated June 30, 2026
Every recommendation in this report is backed by your real data — your Google Analytics, your search rankings, and your market. No guessing.
38+
HVAC companies competing in your service area
67%
Of cities (6 of 9) where Collins shows up organically (June 29)
#3
Highland map-pack rank on most searches — behind POPA & Armando's (June 30)
112
Collins' reviews vs. 1,134 for POPA, the local leader (~10× gap)
The Short Version
→ Rankings are solid — top 5 organically in 6 of 9 cities (June 29 refresh), including St. John and Schererville added since the original report. Munster, Whiting, and Crown Point still show no organic presence.
→ The biggest remaining gap is review count: 112 vs. POPA's 1,134 — the local leader — about a 10× gap. (King's 4,182 is mostly a Chicago market.)
→ Closing the review gap with NiceJob and building out city-specific pages on the new website are the highest-impact moves — jump to the action plan if you want the bottom line.
Before You Dive In
There's a lot of information here. This is the full picture of your business, your market, and your competition — all in one place. It's meant to be a reference you come back to, not something you read cover to cover in one sitting.
This is your complete market picture. You don't need to come here for regular updates — we'll give you those separately. This is the research behind the work we're doing, so you can see exactly what we're looking at and why we're recommending what we recommend.
What's in here:
✓ Where customers are finding you right now (and where they're not)
✓ How you compare to 38+ HVAC companies competing in your area
✓ Every city you serve, broken down — who lives there, what they earn, how old the houses are, how many are homeowners vs. renters, and which cities have the most HVAC work available
✓ The types of customers calling in each area — what they care about, how they search, and what makes them pick one contractor over another
✓ Your real website traffic from Google Analytics — who's visiting, when, and from where
✓ What's changed in your market over the last 10 years — and why the old approach doesn't work the same way anymore
✓ The specific actions that will make the biggest difference
How to navigate: Use the menu at the top (or the ☰ button on your phone) to jump to any section. Start with the Action Plan if you want the bottom line first.
Your Market Looks Different Than It Did 10 Years Ago
Ten years ago, HVAC in Highland meant a handful of local shops competing for the same neighborhoods. Word of mouth and a yard sign were enough.
Today, companies backed by investment groups operate across all of NW Indiana with dedicated marketing teams, scheduling software, maintenance plans, and 1,000+ Google reviews. The businesses that show up online are the ones getting the calls.
Collins has a strong foundation — 21 years in business, a 4.8-star rating, and real expertise. The challenge now is making sure people can find you when they search. That's what this report is about.
Where Customers Look When They Need HVAC
When a homeowner searches for "furnace repair near me," Google shows results in this order:
1
Paid Ads— Companies paying for the top spots. Collins is not running ads.
2
Google Maps (the map with 3 businesses)— For local searches, this is where many of the phone calls come from. Collins appears in the Highland map pack on every core search, but ranks #3 — behind POPA and Armando's (June 30 check, business hours).
3
Website results— The regular list of websites. Collins shows up in 6 of 9 cities organically (67%, June 29 refresh) — that's solid.
4
AI answers (ChatGPT, Google AI)— A growing way people search. Collins shows up for Highland but not other cities yet.
Key Findings
The most important things we found during this research:
⚠️
Collins Is Still in the Highland Map Pack — But Has Slipped to #3
As of a June 30 business-hours check, Collins appears in the Highland map pack on every core search, but now ranks #3 — behind POPA (#1) and Armando's (#2) on nearly all of them (#4 for furnace installation). On the last business-hours check (March 31) Collins held #1 for furnace repair, so this is a real slip. It used to be better still — Collins used to show up across more of the service area. Industry guidance is that Google has tightened how it ranks businesses without a storefront address: service-area businesses tend to rank lower in the local pack outside their home city, and a business listed as closed tends to rank lower in Maps at that hour (it doesn't disappear — Collins still gets after-hours interest, just less map visibility). Combined with competitors now carrying 1,000+ reviews, that means Collins has to work harder for the same visibility it had 5 years ago. The foundation is still there — the work now is closing the review gap and building stronger pages for each city.
⚠️
You Need More Google Reviews
Collins has 112 Google reviews. POPA, the local leader, has 1,134 — about a 10× gap — and Siemer and Earl's are each over 1,200. Google favors businesses with more (and more recent) reviews when deciding who shows up on the map. Every happy customer who leaves a review helps close this gap.
👀
Cities Where Collins Has Weak Visibility
June 29 refresh: Collins appears on page 2 in Schererville (organic #16) and page 1 in St. John (organic #10 for furnace searches) but still has zero organic presence in Munster, Whiting, and Crown Point. The new city pages will help push Schererville to page 1 and expand to the missing cities.
✅
Strong Position in Highland & Dyer
Collins ranks in the top 3 for most searches in Highland (your home turf) and you're the #1 result for furnace installation in both Highland and Dyer. You have a solid foundation — the goal is to expand this strength to the other cities.
Google Reviews: How Collins Compares
Google reviews are the #1 factor in who shows up on the map. Here's where Collins stands compared to the competition:
King Heating *
4,182
★ 4.7
Siemer HVAC
1,670
★ 4.9
Earl's Heating
1,233
★ 4.8
POPA Heating
1,134
★ 4.9
Centsible HVAC
560
★ 4.9
Meyer's
409
★ 4.7
STAT HVAC
218
★ 5.0
▶ Collins
112
★ 4.8
Armando's
86
★ 4.8
* King Heating is mainly a Chicago company — NWI is a side market for them. Review counts refreshed via live data pull, June 30, 2026 (see Sources).
Your Position in Each City
How Collins ranks in each service area and who's winning each market. "Organic" means the regular website results. "Local Pack" is the top-3 businesses shown with the map. There are also paid ad slots and AI-generated results.
Highland (Home Base)
STRONG
Google results: Rank #1-2 for most searches
Map Pack: Collins #3 on most searches — behind POPA (#1) & Armando's (#2)
In the Highland map pack for every core search, but no longer #1 (June 30)
Dyer
STRONG
Google results: #1 for furnace install, #3-5 others
Map Pack (Jun 30): HVAC Rios, Houston Heating, Siemer — Collins ~#20, not in pack
Google results: Organic #10 for furnace searches (June 29)
Map Pack (Jun 30): Lansing #1, David's #2, Naughton #3 — Collins not in pack
High-income area — big opportunity
Crown Point
NOT VISIBLE
Google results: Not ranking — new service area
Map Pack (Jun 30): EcoEdge #1, All American #2, Struven #3 — Collins not in pack
Summers PHC (a large regional chain, ~4,750 reviews) advertises heavily — largest, fastest-growing market
Whiting
NOT VISIBLE
Google results: Not ranking — new service area
Map Pack (Jun 30): Lakefront #1, ThermoTech #2, Agustin Air #3 — Collins not in pack
Small market (~4,500 homes) — only small local shops; low-competition entry
Collins Rankings: June 29, 2026
Google results positions from a June 29, 2026 run (127 keywords, 6:43 PM). Google Maps positions below were refreshed June 30, 2026 during business hours (live map data pull).
Google Maps Results — Highland June 30, business hours
heating and cooling Highland Indiana: Organic #1, Map #3
new AC Highland IN: Organic #6, Map #3
Organic Rankings (21/28 keywords)
#1 for: furnace replacement, AC installation, HVAC contractor Highland, Collins brand, HVAC contractor near me Highland, AC repair Highland, heating & cooling Highland, furnace repair near me
#2 for: air conditioner replacement, AC repair near me, furnace repair Highland, HVAC contractor Griffith
#3 for: air conditioner repair, HVAC contractor Hammond
#4 for: HVAC contractor Dyer
#6 for: new AC Highland
#9 for: indoor air quality Highland
Not on page 1: heater repair, whole home air purifier, Munster (zero presence), "furnace not working," "AC not cooling." Schererville: page 2 (#16, June 29). St. John: page 1 at #10 for furnace — improving.
Who Shows Up Most on Google Refreshed June 29, 2026
We ran 18 Google searches a homeowner might type (furnace repair and AC installation across 9 cities). This table shows how often each company appeared in organic search results. Note: Google Maps / local-pack positions are shown separately in the city cards above — refreshed June 30, 2026 during business hours.
#
Company
Showed Up In
Strongest Cities
Competition Level
1
Siemer Heating, Cooling & Plumbing
7 of 9 (78%)
Highland, Griffith, Schererville, Whiting + 3 more
Toughest Competitor
1
Freeze Nation HVACNew
7 of 9 (78%)
Griffith, Hammond, Highland, Schererville, Whiting + 2 more
Toughest Competitor
1
Cliff's Heating & AC↑ was 31%
7 of 9 (78%)
Dyer, Hammond, Highland, Munster, Schererville + 2 more
Toughest Competitor
4
Williamson Heating & Cooling ↓ was 88%
6 of 9 (67%)
Dyer, Highland, Munster, Schererville, St. John + 1
High
4
Illiana Heating & Cooling New
6 of 9 (67%)
Crown Point, Dyer, Highland, Munster, Schererville + 1
High
4
Struven Heating ↑ was 27%
6 of 9 (67%)
Crown Point, Dyer, Griffith, Hammond, Highland + 1
High
4
All Star Service New
6 of 9 (67%)
Crown Point, Griffith, Highland, Munster, Schererville + 1
High
4
Meyer's Companies
6 of 9 (67%)
Crown Point, Dyer, Griffith, Hammond, Highland + 1
High
4
Summers PHC New
6 of 9 (67%)
Crown Point, Dyer, Hammond, Munster, Schererville + 1
High
4
EcoEdge Systems
6 of 9 (67%)
Crown Point, Dyer, Munster, Schererville, St. John + 1
High
4
▶ Collins Heating & Cooling
6 of 9 (67%)
Highland, Griffith, Dyer, St. John, Hammond + Schererville (page 2)
YOU
11
KMK Heating & Cooling New
4 of 9 (44%)
Crown Point, Dyer, Schererville, St. John
Moderate
11
STAT HVAC
3 of 9 (33%)
Dyer, Highland, Schererville
Moderate
11
Polar Heating & AC ↓ was 54%
1 of 9 (11%)
St. John only
Low
Your Top Competitors — Detailed Profiles Search visibility refreshed June 29, 2026
Here's what each major competitor has going for them — their website, reviews, services, and what makes them stand out. Google review counts refreshed via a live data pull (June 30, 2026); profile details from the original research; search-visibility percentages (how often each shows up in Google results) from the June 29, 2026 refresh.
Google Visibility11% of searches (St. John only) — June 29, 2026
Strongest CitiesSt. John (organic, June 29)
NATE Certified24/7 Emergency60+ Years
Armando's Heating & Cooling
Highland, IN
Consistent Map Rival
Map Position (live)#2 "heating & cooling Highland" · #4 "HVAC Highland" — above Collins on both (June 30, 2026)
Google Reviews★ 4.8 — 86 reviews (live)
WebsiteNO website — ranks on its Google profile alone
⚠ Red FlagResidential address shared by 3 businesses (possible GBP violation — reportable)
Outranks Collins in Highland MapsNo WebsiteGBP Violation Suspected
What Your Competitors Are Doing That's Working
Things the top companies are doing to win customers online. Green checkmarks = Collins does this. Red X = Collins doesn't do this yet.
What They Do
Who's Doing It
Why It Works
Collins?
A webpage for each city they serve
Williamson, EcoEdge, Siemer, Summers
Google shows the most relevant local page for each city
Has pages, needs more content
Constantly asking for reviews
Siemer (1,600+), POPA (1,100+), Earl's (1,200+)
More reviews = higher on the map = more calls
112 reviews — ~10x behind POPA
Running specials & deals
Siemer (6 active), Earl's (6), Meyer's, Lansing
Creates urgency — "I should call now"
Has a specials page
Maintenance membership plans
POPA, Siemer, Meyer's ($15/mo), King
Steady monthly income + keeps customers coming back
Doesn't have one
Blog with helpful articles
Siemer, Earl's, Summers, King
Google rewards websites that regularly add useful content
No blog
24/7 emergency service
POPA, King, Polar, Summers
Catches customers who search at night and weekends
Not offered
Online appointment booking
POPA, King, Summers
Customers can book without calling — less friction
Contact form only
Financing options shown on website
POPA (Wells Fargo), Earl's (18-mo), Siemer (0%)
Removes the "I can't afford it right now" objection
Not offered
BBB Accreditation
Siemer, Earl's, Meyer's, Lansing, STAT
Trust badge that shows in search results
A+ rated (not accredited)
What Your Competitors Are Offering Right Now
These are the deals and promotions your competitors are running as of March 2026:
Siemer HVAC
Free Diagnostic with any service repair
25% off second air-quality product
$50 off standard sump pumps
$100 off battery/water sump pump systems
Winter Furnace Clean & Check $69
0% financing options
Earl's Heating
$10 off furnace or AC tune-up
$50 off any boiler repair
$200 off Navien tankless water heater install
$200 off Air Scrubber installation
$50 off Aprilaire filter w/ new furnace
18-month special financing
Lansing Heating
$100 off new high-efficiency furnace
$50 off Roto-Brush duct cleaning
Special discounts for veterans & first responders
Senior citizen discounts
Meyer's Companies
$15/month Whole Home VIP Program
$25 off any service call
$75 off water heater installation
Wells Fargo flexible financing
▶ Collins Heating & Cooling
$100 off new AC installation
$100 off new furnace installation
$25 off Aprilaire filter installation
$50 off REME HALO air purifier
Website Features: Who Has What
What each competitor's website offers that Collins' doesn't (yet):
Company
Website Tool
Pages
Blog
Book Online
Chat
City Pages
Siemer
WordPress
50+
✅
✅
—
27 cities
King Heating
WordPress
50+
✅
✅
—
20+ cities
Earl's
WordPress
30+
✅
✅
—
—
Meyer's
WordPress
25-30
✅
—
—
20+ cities
Williamson
WordPress
30+
—
—
—
Every city
POPA
WordPress
15-20
—
✅
—
—
Summers
WordPress
100+
✅
✅
✅
25 locations
Lansing
WordPress
30+
—
✅
—
9 cities
STAT HVAC
Wix
15-20
—
—
—
—
EcoEdge
WordPress
30+
—
—
—
All cities
▶ Collins
WordPress / Divi
15
—
—
—
6 cities
Where Competitors Have Profiles Online
Customers also check Yelp, BBB, Facebook, and Nextdoor — not just Google.
💡
The short version
Collins already has profiles on Google, Yelp, BBB, Angi, Facebook, and Nextdoor — coverage is fine. The real gap isn't where Collins shows up, it's the Google review count. The biggest priority is maximizing the free platforms Collins is already on, especially Google.
💪
Competitor Weakness: Meyer's & Summers Have Poor Yelp Ratings
Meyer's has a 1.9-star Yelp rating (24 reviews, mostly 1-star); Summers sits at 2.4 stars across 228 reviews. Homeowners who research them will see that — an opening for Collins to be the better-reviewed choice.
Suspicious Competitor Practice Worth Reporting
One competitor stands out as possibly breaking Google's rules to gain map placement:
🚨
Armando's Heating & Cooling — Possible Fake Business Address
Listed at a residential house (8204 Kennedy Ave, Highland) shared with 3 unrelated businesses — which likely violates Google's rules and can be reported. Even so, it's a real rival: with no website at all it holds #2 on "heating & cooling Highland" and #4 on "HVAC Highland," above Collins on both (verified live June 30, 2026), on just 86 reviews vs. Collins's 112. Reporting may help; out-reviewing it is the reliable fix. (We also flagged two listings with questionable addresses, Economy and American Heating — lower priority.)
The Bottom Line
✅ Where Collins Wins
Strong in Highland & Dyer — top 3 for most searches
In the Highland map pack on every core search — #3 (behind POPA & Armando's), June 30 business-hours check
#1 for furnace installation in Highland and Dyer
Shows up in 6 of 9 cities organically (67%, June 29 refresh)
Excellent reputation — 4.8 stars, A+ BBB
"Repairs first" approach that customers love
Talk to the tech directly — no middleman
Already has city pages for 6 service areas
Google Business Profile is well-maintained with weekly posts
❌ Where the Challenge Is
The competition is deeper than it used to be — 38+ companies now compete across these cities, which means fewer leads per city for everyone, and each one is harder to win
Businesses with a storefront get a head start in Google Maps — we close that gap with stronger pages and more reviews, but it means working harder for map placement outside Highland
112 reviews vs. POPA's 1,134 (the local leader) — about a 10× gap that grew while competitors were actively collecting
Schererville and Munster — Schererville on page 2 (#16), Munster not on page 1 yet. St. John improved to organic #10 (June 29) but still needs stronger pages to hold the spot. All high-competition cities with established local competitors.
Only 15 website pages vs. 50+ for top competitors
No blog, no online booking, no financing, no maintenance plan
No advertising running currently — competitors are spending $3K-$50K/month
AI search — showing up in Highland, but not yet in other cities
What to Do Next (and What It's Worth)
Prioritized by impact. Biggest needle-movers first. Each one links back to the data in this report.
1. Start Using NiceJob After Every Single Job
Worth: $18K–$48K/year
Collins has 112 reviews. POPA, the local leader, has 1,134; Siemer and Earl's are each over 1,200. NiceJob is already installed and ready — every job that gets a review request closes the gap. Siemer built its lead by asking for a review after every job through Podium, and now sits at about 1,670.
Siemer uses Podium and grew by ~600 reviews in 12–18 months. (See: Review Gap)
Reaching 250+ reviews strengthens Highland map placement and opens up visibility in other cities.
First step: After the next completed job, send the first review request. Make it part of the close-out — every job, no exceptions.
Timeline: 6–12 months to reach 250+ reviews at a steady pace.
2. Extend Your Listed Google Hours
Worth: $18K–$36K/year
Collins is listed as open 49 hours/week. When you're listed as closed, Google is less likely to surface you in Maps — so a real chunk of evening interest goes to whoever shows up instead. Your Google profile already gets 127 after-hours clicks, with the 5pm–9pm window the busiest. Extending your listed hours (even with voicemail) helps you show up for that evening intent at zero cost.
See the data behind this ↓
About 66% of website traffic arrives outside listed business hours — roughly 1,263 visits/year. (You're only open 29% of the week, so this is in line with normal browsing patterns; the point is that evening intent is real and worth being visible for.) (See: Traffic & Analytics)
Your Google profile sends 127 clicks after hours. The 5pm–9pm window alone accounts for ~60 clicks. (See: Visibility Hours)
Listing 7am–9pm Mon–Sat would go from 49 to 84 hours/week — a 71% increase in visibility.
Important: Not everyone searching at 10pm has an emergency. Many are researching and planning to call the next day. They pick from what they can see — and when Google lists you as closed, you tend to rank lower, so more of that attention goes to competitors who are listed as open.
First step: We'll audit your directory listings first (Yelp, BBB, Angi, Facebook, etc.) to make sure hours match everywhere, then update Google. A voicemail greeting handles after-hours calls.
Timeline: Google reflects the change within days.
3. Build Strong Pages for Schererville, Munster & St. John
Worth: $24K–$60K/year
Schererville is on page 2; Munster still has no organic presence. St. John is now showing up at #10 for furnace searches but needs stronger pages to hold that spot. These are among the highest-income markets you serve — St. John averages $127K+ household income with 97% homeownership. Siemer, Cliff's, and Williamson each show up in 67–78% of all searches because they have a page for every city.
See the data behind this ↓
Schererville: 29,600 people, $86K median income, 80% homeownership. STAT HVAC and Siemer dominate. (See: City Rankings)
St. John: 26,100 people, $127K+ median income, 97% homeownership, grew 27% since 2020.
These are also the best targets for paid ads. Cities where Collins doesn't rank well naturally are exactly where ads would have the most impact — filling the gap while the new pages build up.
First step: The new website (build in progress; timeline under revision) includes these pages. Each one needs unique, locally relevant content — not just the city name swapped into a template.
Timeline: 3–6 months after pages go live for Google to start ranking them.
4. Strengthen the Installation Pages
Worth: $24K–$48K/year
Collins ranks #1–#2 for repair searches but drops to #4–#6 for installation searches. Installation jobs are the big-ticket work ($3,000–$8,000 vs. $150–$500 for repairs). Every installation search lost to a competitor is the most expensive missed call.
Moving from position #5 to #2 could mean 2–4 extra installation leads per month. At $5,000 average: $24K–$48K/year.
First step: On the new site, build out installation pages with: what's included, what equipment Collins installs, timelines, and 2–3 customer stories about installation experiences.
Timeline: 3–6 months after new pages are live.
5. Report the Suspicious Google Listings
We're handling this
At least two competitors appear to be breaking Google's rules to get map placement they shouldn't have. Armando's is listed at a residential house with 3 unrelated businesses at the same address. American Heating has a 4.9 with zero online presence outside Google. We'll file the reports — no action needed on your end — and if a listing gets removed, Collins moves up. But don't count on it: Armando's has held its Highland map spot consistently (verified above Collins again on June 30) with no website at all, so the durable fix is out-reviewing it — see the review-velocity plan above.
Future Opportunities (When Budget Allows)
Google Local Services Ads — pay only when someone calls. $25–$85 per lead, ~55% close rate. Estimated: $36K–$72K/year on a $1K–$2.5K/month budget plus management.
Maintenance membership plan — POPA, Siemer, and Meyer's all offer these ($15–$25/month). Steady monthly income + locks in customers for future replacements.
Blog content — Meyer's has 300+ posts and it shows in their search visibility. Seasonal tips and common HVAC questions help Google rank the site higher.
That's the plan. The detailed findings and data behind it follow below — dip in wherever you want the proof.
How Fast Are Competitors Getting Reviews?
It's not just the total — it's the pace. Companies that actively ask grow much faster.
💡
The takeaway: pace matters, and Collins has the tool ready
The leaders add roughly 15–80 new reviews a month (King ~50–80, Siemer ~30–50 via Podium, Earl's and POPA ~15–30). Collins is near zero right now. NiceJob is already set up — using it after every job is the single fastest way to close the gap, and it compounds month over month.
Social Media: Who's Active Where
Where competitors are active beyond their website and Google listing.
📸
Where to Focus: Facebook & Google Are What Matter Here
For NW Indiana homeowners ages 45–60, Facebook and Google drive the real business. Collins already has a Facebook page (356 likes) — in line with most local competitors. Instagram is largely noise for this market. A blog on the new site would help Google rankings; Meyer's shows that consistent helpful articles (300+ posts) build search visibility over time. No local competitor is on TikTok — an open lane if Collins ever wants it.
📺
King Heating Runs TV Commercials
King is the only competitor advertising on TV (tracked on iSpot.tv). It also acquired Hollaway-Meyer's in Hammond (serving the area since 1927), putting a well-funded, multi-brand competitor (7 acquisitions, 50–200 employees, signing bonuses) directly in Collins's service area.
Website Speed
⚡
Collins's site speed is fine; the new build will be faster still
Collins loads in about 0.84s — in the same range as the fastest competitors (POPA 0.50s, Siemer 0.80s) and well ahead of the slowest (King 1.68s, Meyer's 1.87s). Speed isn't a problem today; the new build keeps it in the "good" range, which helps Google rankings and keeps phone visitors from leaving. (Load times measured March 2026.)
Who's Spending Money on Ads
Who's paying for ads, who's handling their marketing, and roughly how much they're spending:
Company
Marketing Agency
Estimated Monthly Ad Budget
Paid Ads?
How They Run It
Summers PHC
Carroll Media (AI lead gen)
$15,000-$50,000+
Very High
AI-powered lead finding, print ads in NWI Times, high school sports sponsorships
King Heating
5Fold Marketing (home services)
$10,000-$30,000+
Very High
TV commercials, tracks every call from ad to completed job, $14 back for every $1 spent on ads
Siemer
EMSC (Chicago marketing agency)
$3,000-$8,000
High
Podium reviews, speed optimization tools, ad tracking
Earl's Heating
No agency found — uses ServiceTitan
$2,000-$6,000
High
ServiceTitan call tracking, ad tracking, Facebook tracking
Lansing Heating
MTA360 (HVAC specialist)
$2,000-$5,000
High
HVAC-specific agency endorsed by Carrier, Trane, Bryant
Meyer's
NUVEW (Crown Point, IN)
$1,500-$5,000
Moderate
Microsoft Clarity analytics, local NWI agency
POPA
None detected (likely DIY)
$500-$2,000
Low
Basic WordPress, minimal tracking
▶ Collins
None
$0
None
Google profile actively managed, website redesign planned
STAT HVAC
None
$0-$500
Minimal
Basic Wix site — no analytics at all
💰
What Do Google Ads Cost in This Market?
These are industry benchmark numbers for what competitors are typically paying — not quotes or proposals. The average cost per click for HVAC keywords in this market is about $9 per click. Emergency keywords like "24-hour AC repair" can cost $30-$50+ per click. Most small HVAC companies spend $3,000-$5,000/month on ad spend alone. A more affordable option: Google Local Services Ads cost $25-$85 per lead with about a 55% close rate. Important: These figures are the ad spend only — what goes directly to Google. Running ads also requires ongoing professional management (strategy, setup, optimization, reporting, and adjustments), which is a separate cost on top of the ad budget. Most of the competitors listed in this report are paying an agency to manage their campaigns in addition to the ad spend itself.
💥
King's Agency Documented 1,400% ROI
5Fold Marketing published a case study showing they achieved $14 back for every $1 King spends on ads. They track every phone call from ad click to completed job using ServiceTitan. King also runs TV commercials — the only NWI HVAC competitor advertising on television.
💡
Opportunity: Facebook Ads Are Underused in This Market
Only Summers and King appear to run Facebook/Instagram ads consistently. Industry benchmarks show Facebook leads typically cost $20-$75 for service calls and $40-$200 for installations in ad spend. These numbers reflect what goes to the platform — professional campaign management is an additional investment. That said, this channel is wide open in NWI since most competitors aren't using it.
🏆
What the Leaders Are Actually Running (Offline & Community)
Summers is the most aggressive — heavy Facebook ads (~930 leads in 90 days), NWI Times print, Valpak direct mail, high-school sports sponsorships, and community drives. King pairs Google Ads and TV with ServiceTitan call tracking. POPA runs seasonal print, the Home & Remodeling Expo, and local cause marketing. Meyer's runs NWI Times print plus its 300+ blog posts. This is context for where the well-funded competitors put money — not a checklist Collins has to match.
AI Search: Where You Show Up Now
More homeowners use Google's AI answers and ChatGPT to find contractors. It's still a small slice of Collins's traffic today (about 0.2% — a handful of visits), but it's growing.
✅
Collins Already Shows Up in AI Results for Highland
Ask Google AI or ChatGPT "best HVAC company Highland Indiana" and Collins is mentioned and recommended — with positive language about honest advice and fair pricing. For the other cities, competitors with more city-specific content show up instead.
🚀
Most Competitors Aren't Ready Either — That's the Opportunity
Only 2–3 companies in all of NW Indiana show up well in AI search; everyone else is roughly where Collins is. The website rebuild (a page for each city, answers to common questions, and clear business info) is exactly what these tools look for — so it should put Collins ahead of most competitors for AI search with no extra work beyond what's already planned.
How Collins Stacks Up
A quick side-by-side grading of Collins vs. the top competitors on the things that matter most:
Factor
Collins
Siemer
POPA
Earl's
Williamson
Google Reviews
D (112)
A+ (1,670)
A (1,134)
A (1,233)
C (137)
New Reviews per Month
D
A+ (Podium)
B
B
C
Google Maps (Top 3)
B− (#3 in Highland pack; absent in most other cities, Jun 30)
A
A+
A
C
Google Search Results
B (67%)
B+ (67%)
D (11%)
A (78%)
B (67%)
Google Business Profile
A (weekly posts)
A
B
B+
C
Website Quality
B
A
B
A-
B
Website Content
C (15 pages, no blog)
A (50+ pages, blog)
C (15 pages)
B+ (30+ pages, blog)
B (30+ pages)
City Pages
B (6 cities)
A+ (27 cities)
D (none)
D (none)
A+ (all cities)
Advertising
D (minimal)
B+ (EMSC agency)
C
B (ServiceTitan)
C
Social Media
D (FB only)
B+ (FB + IG)
B (FB + IG + YT)
C (FB only)
D
Reputation (rating)
A (4.8, A+ BBB)
A+ (4.9, A+ BBB)
A+ (4.9, A+ BBB)
A (4.8, A+ BBB)
A (4.9)
Trust & Differentiators
A (owner-operated, repairs-first)
A (Carrier President's Award)
A (58 yrs, Trane Distinguished)
A (50 yrs, Trane Specialist)
B (family-owned)
Grades are relative to NWI market competitors only, not national benchmarks.
What These Changes Could Be Worth
Rough estimates of what fixing these things could mean in extra revenue, based on what's typical for HVAC companies in this area:
Opportunity
What It Takes
Est. Additional Revenue/Year
Timeline
Moving from #3 toward #1 in the Highland map pack
250+ reviews, Google profile improvements, steady new reviews coming in
$18,000 - $48,000
6-12 months
Ranking in Schererville & Munster
Stronger city pages, targeted content, more local presence
$24,000 - $60,000
6-12 months
Improving installation keyword rankings
Strengthen existing install pages with content & reviews
$24,000 - $48,000
3-6 months
Google Local Services Ads
$1,000-$2,500/mo ad budget + management fees
$36,000 - $72,000
Immediate
Review generation system
NiceJob is already in place — use it after every job
Compounds all other gains
Ongoing
Estimates based on average HVAC ticket values ($3,000-$8,000 for installations, $150-$500 for repairs) and typical call-to-job rates for local search. Actual results depend on capacity, pricing, and close rate.
Who Lives in Each City You Serve
Who lives in each city you serve. The three things that drive HVAC work: how much people make, whether they own their home, and how old the houses are. Source: U.S. Census Bureau / American Community Survey (ACS), 2024.
Top Target
St. John ~26,100
Highest Value
Median Income$127,449 – $131,467
Homeownership97 – 98%
Median Home Age~2005
Med. Home Value$406,300
Seniors (65+)16.3%
Growth+27% since 2020
Top Target
Munster ~23,700
High Value
Median Income$105,764
Homeownership86.1%
Median Home Age1969 – 1972
Med. Home Value$312,000
Seniors (65+)17.9%
HVAC UrgencyHigh — aging 1960s–70s stock
Top Target
Dyer ~16,500
High Value
Median Income$101,183
Homeownership90%
Median Home Age1991
Med. Home Value$322,200
Seniors (65+)22.4% (highest)
HVAC UrgencyModerate — 1990s systems aging out
Core Market
Schererville ~29,600
High Value
Median Income$86,020
Homeownership79.8%
Median Home Age1988
Med. Home Value$325,000 – $385,000
Seniors (65+)19.4%
HVAC UrgencyHigh — 1980s systems in replacement zone
Home Base
Highland ~23,500
Mid Value
Median Income$76,219
Homeownership77.2%
Median Home Age1963 – 1976
Med. Home Value$240,000 – $260,000
Seniors (65+)18.2%
HVAC UrgencyHigh — oldest housing after Hammond
Core Market
Griffith ~16,200
Mid Value
Median Income$76,009
Homeownership72.4%
Median Home Age1964 – 1966
Med. Home Value$221,028
Seniors (65+)~14 – 17%
HVAC UrgencyHigh — heavily 1960s construction
Volume Market
Hammond ~77,100
Lower Value / High Volume
Median Income$53,950
Homeownership62.5%
Median Home Age1952 (oldest)
Med. Home Value$159,870 – $185,000
Seniors (65+)12.1%
Hispanic Pop.40.9%
Top Target
Crown Point ~34,500
High Value
Median Income$101,686
Homeownership85.5%
Median Home Age~1993
Med. Home Value$294,800
Seniors (65+)18.3%
HVAC UrgencyModerate–High — 1990s systems aging out
Small Market
Whiting ~4,500
Small Market / High Renter Rate
Median Income$71,708
Homeownership~53%
Median Home Age1938 (oldest in area)
Med. Home Value$198,900
Seniors (65+)~10%
Hispanic Pop.65.3%
About 72,000 Homeowners in Your Service Area
Across all 9 cities, there are approximately 72,000 owner-occupied homes — these are the households that hire their own HVAC contractor. Hammond has the most total homes (~18,400 owner-occupied) but the lowest incomes and highest renter rate. Munster, Schererville, Dyer, St. John, and Crown Point are the highest-value targets: high incomes, high homeownership, and homeowners who pay for quality work without shopping purely on price.
The average household income across the area is roughly $82,000. The average age is about 42. This is a middle-class to upper-middle-class suburban market where trust and reliability matter more than being the cheapest option.
Who's Actually Calling You
Who is actually calling? These profiles describe the real people making HVAC decisions in your service area.
Household income: $75,000 – $110,000. Owns a 3-bedroom ranch or split-level built between 1965 and 1990. Has lived there 10–20+ years. One or both work in healthcare, manufacturing, trades, logistics, or education. May commute to Chicago.
Their furnace is 12–18 years old. They know it is getting old but put off replacing it until something breaks. They call for a repair first. If the repair estimate is high, they think about replacement.
What they want: Someone who shows up on time, is honest about what the system actually needs, gives a clear price upfront, and does not try to sell them something they do not need. They will check Google reviews and ask a neighbor before calling.
How they find Collins: Google search ("furnace repair Highland IN"), Google Maps, neighbor recommendation, or seeing the van in the neighborhood.
Calls on the phoneChecks Google reviewsPrice-aware, not price-drivenHates high-pressure sales
Secondary: The New Suburban Family
Ages 32–42 • St. John, southern Schererville, newer Dyer
Household income: $100,000 – $135,000. Owns a 4-bedroom home built 2005–2018, around 2,500–3,000 sq ft. Both partners are professionals — one likely commutes to Chicago or works remote/hybrid.
Their HVAC is builder-grade equipment approaching 15–20 years old. They are noticing higher energy bills and efficiency issues. They are interested in upgrading to better equipment and may be open to air quality products (purifiers, humidifiers) if presented naturally.
What they want: Professionalism, cleanliness (shoe covers, cleanup), and clear communication. They will compare 2–3 contractors before deciding. They read multiple Google reviews carefully and may check Nextdoor or local Facebook groups.
How they find Collins: Google search ("best HVAC contractor near me"), reading reviews carefully, Nextdoor recommendations, or local Facebook groups.
Researches online firstCompares 2–3 contractorsOpen to upgrades / air qualityValues professionalism
Tertiary: The Hammond Homeowner
Ages 35–50 • Hammond
Household income: $45,000 – $60,000. Owns (or inherited) a 2–3 bedroom bungalow or ranch built in the 1940s–1960s. The HVAC system is old and breaks down frequently.
Price is the primary factor. They will get multiple quotes and repair as long as possible before replacing. They value honesty above all — "Just tell me what it really needs." More likely to ask family and friends for recommendations than to search online.
Important note: Hammond has the largest population (77,100) but the fewest potential HVAC customers per capita due to high renter rates (37.5%) and lower incomes. Collins should serve Hammond customers well but should not over-invest marketing budget here versus Munster, Schererville, Dyer, and St. John.
Price is #1 factorRepairs over replacementWord-of-mouth drivenLargest city by population
The Review Gap: Collins vs. POPA
Reviews are one of the biggest factors Google uses to decide who shows up on the map — and they also help convince customers to call. The gap here is not small.
POPA Heating & Cooling★ 4.9 • Est. 1968 • Highland, IN
1,134 reviews (June 30, 2026)
▶ Collins Heating & Cooling★ 4.8 • Est. 2005 • Highland, IN
112
~10x gap
Collins needs roughly 1,021 more reviews to match POPA (as of June 30, 2026)
Why this matters: Google uses review count and recency as one of the main factors for who ranks in the Local Pack (the top 3 shown with the map). POPA has been collecting reviews steadily for years — and has a 37-year head start (est. 1968 vs. Collins's 2005) plus a larger operation — while Collins went about 2 years without actively asking.
The plan and realistic target: NiceJob is now in place to automate a review request after every job — the same habit Siemer used (via Podium) to reach about 1,670. Collins won't match POPA's total, but 250–300 reviews at 4.8+ with steady monthly velocity is enough to push from #3 toward #1 in the Highland pack and to start ranking in the other cities' packs — especially alongside a faster website and stronger city pages.
Your Website Traffic — Real Numbers from Google Analytics
Last 12 months of actual visitor data from GA4, pulled June 29, 2026. This is who's visiting your site, when, and from where.
66%
of visits land outside your listed hours
Plenty of people look you up in the evening. (You're only open 29% of the week, so this is in line with normal browsing — not a crisis.) Extending your listed hours and adding voicemail lets you show up for that evening intent without changing your schedule.
1,922
Total sessions last 12 months
+46%
Traffic growth Jul–Dec vs Jan–Jun
301
Peak month Jan 2026 (furnace season)
65.7%
Traffic during off-hours
What This Means
Your site got 1,922 visits in the past year. That's steady growth — the second half of the year had 46% more visits than the first half, helped by the newer city pages added to the current site getting indexed. December and January were the busiest months (furnace season), which makes sense.
About 66% of traffic arrives outside your listed hours — roughly 1,263 visits after 5pm, on weekends, or on holidays. Keep that in perspective: you're only listed as open 29% of the week, so this is about what normal browsing looks like. The useful takeaway is that evening interest is real, and right now you rank lower in Maps during those hours.
The fix is low-effort. Extending your listed Google hours (even with voicemail after hours) helps you show up more in Google Maps in the evening and gives those visitors a way to leave a message. You don't have to work at 9pm. You just have to be reachable.
Where Traffic Comes From
How people are finding your website — corrected from raw GA4 data
Direct722 (37.6%)
Organic Search711 (37.0%)
Paid Social (Buffer/Facebook)246 (12.8%)
Referral103 (5.4%)
Organic Social81 (4.2%)
Unassigned56 (2.9%)
AI Assistant3 (0.2%)
Key finding: Organic search is now tied with direct traffic as the top channel (711 vs 722 sessions). This tracks with the newer city pages on the current site getting indexed — that kind of growth compounds over time, and the new build should extend it.
What the labels mean, in plain English: "Direct" = people who typed in your address, used a bookmark, or tapped your Google listing. "Organic Search" = people who found you through a Google/Bing search. "Paid Social (Facebook)" = clicks from your scheduled Facebook posts — the analytics tool tags these "paid," but you didn't spend any ad money. "Referral" = other sites linking to you (Yelp, Armstrong Air, etc.). "Organic Social" = other unpaid social clicks. "Unassigned" = visits the tool couldn't sort. "AI Assistant" = ChatGPT, Perplexity, and similar tools.
Devices
What people use to visit your site
Desktop50.6%
Mobile47.8%
Tablet1.6%
Almost half your visitors are on phones. The current site is slow on mobile — the new build should push mobile past 60% once load times stop scaring people away.
Top Landing Pages
Where visitors enter your site. The homepage handles almost everything — as the service pages build up traffic, they'll start pulling their weight.
Homepage1,216
Contact69
AC Installation40
Reviews32
Everything else<30
Takeaway: Once the service pages get indexed by Google (new site build), they'll start capturing people searching for specific services — "furnace repair Highland Indiana" should land on the furnace repair page, not the homepage. That means more relevant traffic and more calls.
Traffic by City
Which cities are sending visitors to your site. Only cities with enough data to report are shown.
Hammond
51
51
Highland
46
46
Munster
35
35
Schererville
29
29
Griffith
16
16
Dyer
7
7
Surprise: Hammond leads — not Highland. This makes sense because Hammond is the largest city in the service area (76,000+ people). St. John didn't generate enough traffic to show up here, which lines up with the demographics data (smaller, newer community).
That's roughly 1,263 visits in the evening, on weekends, or on holidays. You're only open 29% of the week, so a majority landing off-hours is expected — but it confirms there's real evening interest, and right now you rank lower in Maps during those hours.
What to do about it: Extend your listed Google hours. Add voicemail. The site does the selling — you just need to give people a way to leave a message when you're not there. A voicemail at 8pm is better than a missed opportunity.
Google Business Profile Clicks by Hour
Every GBP click that led to your website, broken down by hour of day. Green bars = your listed business hours. Gray bars = when Google shows you as closed.
220
clicks during business hours (63.4%) • avg ~24/hr
127
clicks after hours (36.6%) • still active evenings
12 AM
8
8
1 AM
3
3
2 AM
1
3 AM
2
2
4 AM
3
3
5 AM
4
4
6 AM
7
7
7 AM
9
9
8 AM
18
18
9 AM
22
22
10 AM
25
25
11 AM
38
38
12 PM
31
31
1 PM
31
31
2 PM
20
20
3 PM
18
18
4 PM
17
17
5 PM
22
22
6 PM
16
16
7 PM
13
13
8 PM
9
9
9 PM
7
7
10 PM
6
6
11 PM
3
3
Open hours (8am–5pm)
Peak hour
After hours
What the data shows: Your Google Business Profile sends 220 clicks during your listed hours and 127 after hours. During the day, GBP clicks run 3–7x higher than overnight. The evening window is where the opportunity is — 5pm to 9pm alone accounts for roughly 60 clicks. Extending your listed hours into the evening could capture more of that traffic, since Google is more likely to show businesses marked as "open" in Maps and Search results.
When You're Most Visible on Google Maps
When you're listed as open, Google is more likely to rank you in Maps; when you're listed as closed, you tend to rank lower (you don't vanish — you still get after-hours interest). Extending your listed hours widens the window when you show up best.
29%of the week you're listed as open
Collins is listed as open 49 of the 168 hours in a week. For the other 119 hours you rank lower in Maps — including the evening window when plenty of homeowners are looking. Extending your listed hours is a simple, zero-cost way to widen that window.
Growth option: Extending your listed Google hours — even with voicemail after hours — widens the window when you rank well in Maps, at zero cost. You don't have to answer the phone at 9pm. Being listed as open just helps Google rank you in the evening.
Example: Listing 7am–9pm Mon–Sat would go from 49 to 84 listed hours/week — 71% more of the week ranking at your best.
Why We're Building a New Website
The current site has served Collins well for over 10 years. But the way customers search and the technology they use has changed — the new site is built for how things work today.
What's Changed Since the Site Was Built
Almost half your visitors are on their phone — the current design was built before that mattered. The new site is built for phones first.
The site is slower than it needs to be — Google ranks faster sites higher, and customers leave when pages take too long to load on a phone
AI search is changing how people find contractors — the new site is set up so Google AI, ChatGPT, and Siri can read and recommend Collins
Competitors have caught up — companies like Williamson and Siemer have 30-50+ pages each. More content = more chances to show up in search results
Customers expect more from a website today — clear service pages, easy navigation, answers to common questions, and a phone number they can tap without scrolling
✅ What's Already Strong
All 15 pages are in Google — every page on the site is showing up in search results
Service pages have real, helpful content — not marketing fluff. Answers to real questions customers are asking
Phone number is front and center on every page — easy to tap and call
Google Business Profile is active — weekly posts keep Collins visible in Google Maps
The writing sounds like a real person — customers can tell it's an actual local business, not a corporate template
Good reputation across the internet — 4.8 stars on Google, A+ on BBB, 5.0 on Angi
What the New Site Will Do Better
Faster on phones. Nearly half your visitors (48%) are on a phone. The new site loads significantly faster — which means fewer people leaving before they see your number, and Google ranking you higher because of the speed.
Better experience for customers. Clear navigation, dedicated pages for each service, answers to common questions, and a layout that makes it easy for someone with a broken furnace at 10pm to find your number and call.
Built for how search works now. Google and AI tools are changing how they decide which businesses to show. The new site is structured so these tools can understand exactly what Collins does, where you do it, and why customers trust you.
The new site is being built to deliver all of this. Build is in progress.
Who's Using the New Website (and What They Need)
Based on who lives in your service area, here's what the new website needs to get right.
👤
22% of Dyer Residents Are Seniors (65+) — 19.4% in Schererville
These are two of the highest-value markets in the service area. Dyer has the highest senior population of any city Collins serves. Seniors are more likely to prioritize comfort, reliability, and trust over price — ideal Collins customers. But they need a website they can actually use.
📱
What the New Site Needs for This Audience (Ages 40–60, 16% Seniors)
Big, readable text. No tiny light-colored text that's hard to read. The average age in this market is 42 — people need to read the site without zooming in. Easy-to-tap buttons. Every button, phone number, and link needs to be big enough to tap with a thumb — especially for the 40–60 age group on phones. Phone number front and center. Visible without scrolling, on every page. This audience calls — they don't fill out web forms as a first step. Simple navigation. 5–7 menu items max. Clear labels like "Heating," "Cooling," "Air Quality," "Reviews," "Contact." No complicated dropdowns. No autoplay video or flashy animations that could distract or confuse older visitors.
The New Site Has to Work Great on Phones
Your Google Analytics shows 48% of traffic is already from phones — and that number will likely climb with a faster site. Every page, every form, every phone number must work flawlessly on a phone.
The primary customer persona (ages 45–60) is searching on their phone, often during a heating or cooling problem. If the site is slow or hard to use on mobile, they call the next company in the search results. The new site is being built to work great on phones from the start.
Data Sources & Methodology
Search Rankings
Google organic search results — 26 keyword/city searches performed March 23, 2026
Business-hours ranking check — 28 keywords, March 31, 2026 at 10:48 AM CT
Organic ranking refresh — 127 keywords, June 29, 2026 at 6:43 PM CT
Google Maps / local-pack refresh — 9 cities, June 30, 2026, business hours (live DataForSEO map pull)
5 keyword groups: AC installation, furnace repair, HVAC contractor, AC repair, furnace installation
9 cities: Highland, Munster, Griffith, Schererville, Dyer, St. John, Hammond, Whiting, Crown Point
Top 10 organic results captured per search
Historical ranking data from search position tracker (March 2, 2026 baseline — 32 keywords)
Review & Reputation Data
Google Business Profiles — direct review counts
DataForSEO API live pull (verified review counts, June 30, 2026)
Yelp business listings
BBB.org business profiles
Angi / HomeAdvisor listings
Facebook business pages
Nextdoor business pages
Competitor Websites
Direct website audits of 10+ competitor sites (March 2026)
Page counts estimated from navigation and sitemaps