Get the latest in digital marketing tips that affect the HVAC, home performance, and better building industries. Hosted by Josh Kennon and Jake Van Paepeghem, EnCircled covers everything from search engine marketing and PPC, to building science and tech.
"Talking Electrification with Zach Lawrence and Gabe Lieb of Efficiency First California" - Ep. 9
A timely voicemail shows Cassandra's commitment to the success of her clients (even during a supply shortage), and Jake and Cory invite Gabe Lieb and Zach Lawrence onto the show for the first-ever outside guest in this season finale. Zach and Gabe discuss the latest in California’s home electrification movement, including the state of rebate and incentive programs, and why what’s happening in California matters to contractors around the country.
Thank you for listening to EnCircled, and stay tuned to our mailing list and weekly webinars to learn when season three begins!
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email us directly at: AskEC@energycircle.com
29 Sept 2021
"PPC vs. SEO: Where should you spend your time and money? with Peter Troast" - Ep. 8
Should you pay to have your digital ads displayed all across the internet in hopes of bringing traffic to your HVAC, home performance, or solar website, or should you focus your time on optimizing your website for organic search engine results? We talk with our fearless leader and Energy Circle CEO, Peter Troast about how these two tactics work, when the right time might be to use each strategy, and how these two rivers actually flow to the same ocean. Plus, Cassandra Hutcheson walks us through how seasonal marketing prep is like ordering a pumpkin spice latte in mid-July.
Tune in to the next episode for a special guest talking about using rebate and efficiency programs to market heat pumps and electrification!
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email us directly at: AskEC@energycircle.com
14 Sept 2021
"Addressing the FAQs about SEO" - Ep. 7
Are there any shortcuts to improving your website for online search results? Does it really matter if you end up on the first page? How long should it take to start seeing SEO results? What does the acronym "SEO" even mean? Jake Van Paepeghem, Cory Allyn, and Cassandra Hutcheson fire off the FAQs about SEO with one of our search engine optimization specialists, Abby Yolda. Plus, Cassandra walks us through how things have changed in the customer mindset since 2020, using a familiar medium that will have sports fans feeling right at home.
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email us directly at: AskEC@energycircle.com
31 Aug 2021
"The Three Problems We See from Contractors Writing their Own Content" - Ep. 6
Why do you need good content on your website, and what are some common problems to avoid that will make your content better? Join us for a special round-table discussion with the Energy Circle content team - content writers Cory Allyn, Lily Collins, Emily Silverman, and Jake Van Paepeghem, moderated by our paid search specialist Cassandra Hutcheson. We discuss keyword research, on-page formatting, and the importance of avoiding too much technical jargon.
Plus, Cassandra gets to ask all of her burning questions related to what it's like to write content for the HVAC, home performance, and solar industries!
Link to the "oddly satisfying" videos of spray foam installation: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefoamboys (https://www.tiktok.com/@thefoamboys)
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email us directly at: AskEC@energycircle.com
27 Jul 2021
"Google’s Local Services Ads: What Are They and Should You Be Running Them?" - Ep. 5
Local Services Ads have rolled out nearly everywhere, but that doesn't mean they are easy to deploy! Resident LSA wrangler Cassandra Hutcheson is here to share essential insights about this display ad option, and talk Jake and Cory through maximizing local visibility in the digital marketing sphere.
Download the LSA whitepaper referenced in this episode, here. (https://www.energycircle.com/energy-circles-guide-google-local-services-ads)
Bonus content alert! :rotating_light: Are you dealing with a labor shortage and a fully booked calendar? The team has some tips on how smart customer service can keep leads alive even when you're booking out months in advance.
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email us directly at: AskEC@energycircle.com
13 Jul 2021
"Why 'Posting & Praying' Isn’t Enough Anymore - w/ Former Solar Recruiter, Caylin Henderson" - Ep 4
Recruiting has emerged as the primary issue for many sectors, but the HVAC, home performance, better building, and solar industries are no stranger to issues with finding good help. Jake, Cassandra, and Cory bring in our resident recruiting and candidate experience expert, Caylin Henderson to talk about how you can put your digital marketing efforts to work finding better candidates and securing a capable workforce that allows your business to grow.
Plus, Cassandra is able to provide some red flags to look out for when dealing with the snake-oil salespeople trying to pitch you a marketing agency that is too good to be true.
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email your questions to: AskEC@energycircle.com
29 Jun 2021
"Online Reviews: How To Get More of the Positive, and How To Handle the Negative"— Ep 3
For many contractors, reviews are the most important tool in showing trust to potential customers online, and for some, a bad review is like a bad spring break tattoo — it happened a long time ago, it won't go away, and it's hard to cover up. In this episode of EnCircled, Jake and Cory chat with Energy Circle local SEO specialists Ian Hammond about the importance of reviews, how Google sees reviews, how to get more reviews for your own business, and how to handle the negative ones when they come (and they will come). Plus, Senior PPC Strategist Cassandra Hutcheson wraps with Jake about your PPC analytics are like a Hollywood call sheet during "Sh*t Cassandra Says".
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email your questions to: AskEC@energycircle.com
15 Jun 2021
"The Three Most Common Mistakes We See when Setting Up A PPC Account" — Ep 2
Have you ever slogged through the process of setting up your own Google Ads account, only to get frustrated with the lack of results? Energy Circle PPC strategist Dora Leav, and Senior PPC strategist Cassandra Hutcheson talk to Jake and Cory about three of the common mistakes they see when it comes to preparing search engine marketing campaigns for an HVAC, solar, home performance, or better building business — including all the football metaphors you could ever need.
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email your questions to: AskEC@energycircle.com
1 Jun 2021
Season 2 Premiere: "Are Streaming Ads Worth It for the Better Building Industry?" - Ep 1
Welcome to Season 2 of EnCircled! There have been some changes around here, and we are feeling very hopeful about the year to come. Joining us is Senior PPC Strategist Cassandra Hutcheson with a Rom-Com style take on her interactions with Google Ad Reps, and Senior Content Producer Jake Van Paepeghem and Senior Content Strategist Cory Allyn discuss the state of streaming ads, and which streaming service(s) are the most viable for the HVAC, home performance, and better building industries when it comes to generating affordable, qualified leads.
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email your questions to: AskEC@energycircle.com
4 Jan 2021
Episodes 8 - "Combing Through Peter Troast's 2021 Predictions for Marketing in the Better Building Industry"
One of our favorite year-end traditions here at Energy Circle is Peter Troast's ritual of predicting what the next year might hold when it comes to digital marketing in the better building industry. Even after the least-precedented year in modern memory, Josh, Jake, and Energy Circle CEO Peter Troast take the last episode of season one to comb through Peter's predictions for 2021, noting what predictions he got right last year, as well as some other marketing tips and best practices for HVAC, home performance, and solar contractors.
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email your questions to: AskEC@energycircle.com
21 Dec 2020
Episode 7 - "What Does the Future Hold for the Investment Tax Credit?" with Abby Yolda
No holiday season would be complete without discussing renewable energy tax policy, right? Solar contractors have been preparing for the upcoming federal Investment Tax Credit step-down, which would leave homeowners without one of the most lucrative solar incentives available. Energy Circle expert Senior Solar Marketing Strategist Abby Yolda returns this episode to discuss the future of the ITC, how contractors can prepare for whatever happens next including an extension, and—bonus!—her favorite Christmas beverage recipe:
Vodka or Gin (nothing too fancy):
1-3 cinnamon sticks
orange peel with about 10-15 cloves
3 star anise
thumb-size knob of fresh ginger, peeled
a few drops of vanilla
handful of cranberries
10 cardamon seed pods
Let is sit for a few days up to 2 weeks - keep checking/tasting it to make sure the flavors come through but not overpower it.
When ready to drink, remove all the bits and strain it and then enjoy!
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email your questions to: AskEC@energycircle.com (mailto: askec@energycircle.com)
7 Dec 2020
Episode 6 - Common Misconceptions About DIY Websites with Ranganayaki Somaskandan
Cheap DIY websites can be tempting, but are you really getting a better deal when it comes to online marketing for your home performance, solar, HVAC, or better building business? Jake and Josh speak with the master developer here at Energy Circle, Ranganayaki Somaskandan, about DIY versus managed websites, the challenges that DIY websites can present, and how you can avoid the pitfalls of "drag and drop" templates or poor website performance. Plus, Jake and Josh try their hand at stumping Ranganayaki with internet acronyms.
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email your questions to: AskEC@energycircle.com
23 Nov 2020
Episode 5 - Where Facebook Fits Into your Marketing Mix with Rob Wilber
Just about everyone is still using Facebook, but not everyone knows how to use Facebook to market their HVAC, home performance, or solar business. Jake and Josh talk to Energy Circle's resident Facebook paid advertising expert, Rob Wilber about the difference between organic and paid in the Facebook realm, as well as how to best target your online audience. Plus, a very special guest visits Rob on the podcast to discuss her Thanksgiving plans.
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email your questions to: AskEC@energycircle.com
9 Nov 2020
Episode 4 - Is Call Tracking Really Worth It? with Ian Hammond
The election is (finally) over - but don't worry we aren't ready to get into that quite yet. In this episode, we talk with Senior Digital Marketing Strategist and resident data tracking and analytics expert, Ian Hammond, about the benefits of tracking phone calls for marketing purposes. Ian knows the ins and outs of call tracking, and provides some insight into how other HVAC, home performance, solar, and better building industry contractors have leveraged the data from their phone calls to optimize their marketing efforts.
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle (https://www.energycircle.com/) team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email your questions to: AskEC@energycircle.com
26 Oct 2020
Episode 3 - PPC Insights On When To Start Your Seasonal Campaigns, with Cassandra Hutcheson
What is the data saying about how to plan a seasonal campaign for your HVAC, home performance, solar, or better building business? Josh and Jake chat with Energy Circle PPC strategist Cassandra Hutcheson about how search traffic data can affect when you switch your website messaging from cooling season to heating season and more.
If you've got questions for the Energy Circle team, we want to answer them on the podcast! Email your questions to: AskEC@energycircle.com
12 Oct 2020
Episode 2 - Who is the authority on ventilation these days? With Cory Allyn
"Does science actually know"? Josh and Jake speak with Energy Circle content writer Cory Allyn about how ventilation is playing such an important role in the fight against Covid, and how some of the recommendations that are currently out there for schools, businesses, and hospitals have led to industry confusion. Plus, Jake and Josh discuss the hot topics surrounding the intersection of politics and the better building industry.
FAQ for Aerosol Transmission of COVID-19: https://tinyurl.com/FAQ-aerosols (https://tinyurl.com/FAQ-aerosols)
28 Sept 2020
Episode 1 - Looking at Solar Trends with guest Abby Yolda
Welcome to the first episode of EnCircled! For our podcasting premier, we take a look at where trends in consumer awareness around solar batteries and backup generators are headed, and how you can prepare your website and other digital marketing tools to best capture the recent surge in solar interest. Plus, Jake and Josh get into "why does the world need another podcast?", and look at some of the popular questions we get here at Energy Circle.
24 Sept 2020
SNEAK PEEK - EnCircled: An Energy Circle Podcast
Energy Circle is starting a podcast! Take a listen to what you can expect from the digital marketing experts for the HVAC, home performance, solar, and better building industries in the first season of EnCircled. Featuring Josh Kennon, Jake Van Paepeghem, Abby Yolda, Cassandra Hutcheson, and Cory Allyn.
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