In this episode of the Home Service Marketing Pros podcast, Joe Burnich and Mike Mancini break down what really works in SEO and website marketing for electricians and home service businesses. Joe shares why electrical contractors have become his favorite niche, the biggest mistakes he sees on contractor websites, and how business owners can quickly tell whether SEO is even the right investment for them.

If you are an electrician, plumber, HVAC company, or home service contractor tired of vague marketing promises and poor results, this episode delivers clear, practical guidance you can use right away.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why Electricians Are One of the Best Niches for SEO

Joe explains why electricians have a major advantage when it comes to search engine optimization. Instead of competing only for broad terms like “electrician near me,” electrical contractors can rank for high value services such as generator installs, EV charger installations, and panel upgrades. These searches create more opportunities, higher quality leads, and better long term results.

When SEO Is Not the Right Fit

Not every business should invest in SEO right away. Joe walks through real examples where SEO is not a smart move, such as brand new businesses in large metro areas without a budget or a solid location strategy. Learn how to recognize when Google Ads, foundational website work, or a different growth path makes more sense.

The One SEO Factor Most Companies Won’t Tell You

Joe shares one of the most important but rarely discussed SEO fundamentals: physical business location. Learn how Google evaluates addresses, why proximity to city centers matters, and how renting a small office can dramatically impact local rankings when done correctly.

How to Tell If You’re Ready for SEO in Under Five Minutes

Joe explains a simple Google Maps test you can do yourself to determine whether your address is helping or hurting your ability to rank. This quick check can save you thousands of dollars and months of frustration.

Common Website Mistakes That Cost Contractors Leads

Discover the most common website issues Joe sees during consultations, including:

• Phone numbers that are hard to find or missing entirely
• Service pages that lump everything together instead of showcasing expertise
• Missed opportunities to rank for profitable specialty services

These fixes are simple but can dramatically increase calls and conversions.

Why FAQs Are a Game Changer for SEO and Visibility

Frequently asked questions are no longer optional. Joe explains how FAQs help websites rank better, convert more visitors, and show up in Google’s AI results and tools like ChatGPT. Learn why question based content is becoming one of the most important SEO strategies moving forward.

What Business Owners Must Do for SEO to Work

SEO is a partnership. Joe outlines the responsibilities that no SEO company can do for you, including:

• Actively collecting Google reviews
• Taking real photos of your team and your work
• Participating in building trust with both Google and customers

If you are not willing to do these things, SEO may not be the right fit.

How to Know If Your SEO Company Is Doing a Good Job

Joe and Mike explain the red flags that signal poor SEO service, including:

• No monthly reports or updates
• Lack of transparency
• Inability to reach your marketing provider

Visit Joe at: https://bigwestmarketing.com/
Or his Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/joeburnich

Visit Mike at: https://www.mancinidigital.com/
Or his Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/@MikeMancini

In this industry-specific episode of the Home Service Marketing Pros podcast, Joe Burnich and Google Ads expert Mike Mancini break down exactly how tree service businesses can use Google Ads to generate high-intent leads without wasting money. From keyword strategy and negative keywords to storm-driven demand and call tracking, this episode delivers practical, real-world advice you can apply immediately.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why Tree Service Businesses Are Ideal for Google Ads

Mike explains why tree services are one of his favorite industries to work with, including high urgency, year-round demand, and built-in upsells like stump grinding that increase lifetime customer value.

The Biggest Google Ads Mistake Tree Companies Make

Trying to target too much at once. Mike explains why fewer, high-intent keywords and tightly focused service areas consistently outperform broad campaigns with massive keyword lists.

How to Choose the Right Keywords

Learn why phrase match keywords are critical when starting Google Ads and how broad match keywords can silently drain your budget with low-quality traffic.

Examples of high-intent keywords discussed:

• Tree removal service
• Local tree company
• Stump grinding service

The Importance of Negative Keywords

Mike breaks down why negative keywords are one of the most overlooked but most important parts of a profitable Google Ads campaign.

Common negative keywords tree services should use:

• Free
• DIY
• Do it yourself
• Manual
• Training
• How to

He also explains how missing negative keywords can waste tens of thousands of dollars per year.

How Storms and Seasonality Impact Tree Service Ads

Tree service Google Ads campaigns can be scaled up or down quickly based on weather events and workload. Learn how smart budget control turns seasonal spikes into predictable revenue.

Why Landing Pages Beat Homepages for Google Ads

Sending ad traffic to your homepage lowers conversions. Mike explains why service-specific landing pages convert better and how page speed, layout, and clarity impact results within seconds of a click.

Why Call Tracking Is Non-Negotiable

Mike explains why he refuses to run Google Ads without tracking phone numbers and how call tracking:

• Proves what is actually working
• Feeds conversion data back to Google
• Lowers cost per click over time
• Helps identify internal sales issues

He also shares how using different tracking numbers for ads, websites, Google Business Profiles, mailers, and vehicle wraps reveals exactly where leads come from.

Real-World Case Study: When Ads Aren’t the Problem

A powerful example of how call tracking uncovered a sales issue that was costing a client tens of thousands per month, despite strong lead volume.

Key Takeaways

• Fewer, higher-intent keywords outperform large unfocused campaigns
• Phrase match keywords should be your starting point
• Negative keywords can save thousands per month
• Storm-driven demand makes tree services ideal for scalable ads
• Landing pages convert better than homepages for paid traffic
• Call tracking is essential for optimization and cost control

Resources Mentioned

• Mike Mancini’s YouTube channel with a 2,300+ negative keyword list

Visit Joe at: https://bigwestmarketing.com/
Or his Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/joeburnich

Visit Mike at: https://www.mancinidigital.com/
Or his Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/@MikeMancini

Joe Burnich sits down with Jeff “The 360 Electrician” for a special 2026 kickoff episode focused on practical AI for home service businesses. Jeff breaks down why most contractors get bad results from AI, the three “secrets” to making it work like a real employee, and how he’s using tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and other AI platforms to speed up marketing, operations, and training.

Resources and links

• The 360 Network Sing up link - https://www.the360electrician.com/offers/sHvmYM4F/checkout
  
  Coaching Link:
  https://calendly.com/the360electrician/1-hr-one-on-one-coaching-session
  
  www.The360Electrician.com for all things The 360 Electrician

If you’re an electrician, HVAC pro, plumber, carpet cleaner, or any home service operator, this episode is a playbook for using AI to move faster than your competitors.

About Jeff (The 360 Electrician)

Jeff is the creator of The 360 Electrician, a major YouTube channel focused on helping electricians become electrical contractors and helping contractors level up. He’s coached 1,000+ clients and runs contracting businesses in both California and Montana. He shares how he’s applying AI to real contracting workflows, not generic use cases.

What you’ll learn in this episode

1) Why most contractors aren’t using AI (or quit too early)

Jeff explains the common reasons electricians and home service pros avoid AI:

• They treat AI like Google on steroids (and get generic results)
• They don’t know what to ask, so the prompts are weak
• They tried it once, didn’t like the output, and gave up

2) AI Secret #1: Introduce yourself to AI first

Jeff’s biggest takeaway: AI gives generic answers to strangers, elite answers to people it knows.
He explains how to “onboard” the AI like an employee by sharing:

• Who you are, what your business does, your service area
• Your tone, preferences, and how you make decisions
• Team roles, expectations, and even things like your communication style

Joe adds that after a year on a paid plan, AI “knows Big West Marketing” and can generate highly specific plans fast because it understands the business context.

3) AI Secret #2: Build a marketing department on demand

Jeff walks through the marketing tasks AI can accelerate when your prompts and context are dialed in:

• 30 days of social content ideas for local service businesses
• Video scripts, outlines, descriptions, and keywords for YouTube
• Ad copy and creative direction (including image prompts)
• Call scripts for different audiences (GCs, property managers, homeowners, generators)
• Competitive analysis: “Here’s my competitor—how do I do this better?”

Joe highlights a key point: AI is great for polishing and improving, but you still need real expertise for foundations like SEO and a proper website strategy.

4) AI Secret #3: Automate the back office

Jeff shares operational use cases that save hours every week:

• Writing proposals faster (including using Jobber’s built-in AI)
• Comparing vendor quotes instantly
• Creating SOPs and training modules
• Generating onboarding videos based on company-specific policies

Visit Joe at: https://bigwestmarketing.com/
Or his Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/joeburnich

Visit Mike at: https://www.mancinidigital.com/
Or his Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/@MikeMancini