Uncategorized

The AI Episode with Corey Johnson of Mountain Heating and Cooling Duchess of Ductless

July 30, 2025
Editor

Join Me!

The Duchess of Ductless, Michelle LaFrance, and my client Corey Johnson of Mountain Heating & Cooling invite you to explore our AI success story.

Read more here

—

Video Overview

In this “Duchess of Ductless” YouTube video transcript, we explore the significant shift in online marketing due to Google’s AI Overview feature. This new development prioritizes offsite marketing and diversified digital assets over sole reliance on traditional websites, which are now being pushed further down search results.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of creating a robust online footprint through elements like press releases, case studies, videos, and specialized directories to secure prominent placement in AI Overviews and differentiate businesses. Through a case study with a contractor, the video demonstrates how this multifaceted approach leads to increased visibility, better customer engagement, and ultimately improved business outcomes in the evolving digital landscape.

—

The Impact of Google’s AI Overview

The video discusses the Google AI Overview and its impact on digital marketing, particularly for contractors. Historically, a strong website with good SEO was sufficient for marketing. However, the AI Overview, which began appearing in mid-May and is now rolling out across all markets by late June, has changed this landscape.

Key Aspects of the Google AI Overview:

  • It appears at the top of search results, occupying the “primo spot”.
  • Google scrapes content from the first page of search results to generate the overview.
  • Typically, it chooses three contractors for the overview, similar to the three paid ads and three map listings. Examples include Ductless Dudes, Jaros, and Tom Drexler.
  • This new feature is “freaking contractors out” because it pushes traditional websites further down the search page.
  • The AI overview is growing in size, sometimes “encroaching and taking up so much space”.

The central message of the video is the need for adapting marketing strategies away from sole reliance on a website. While a good website is still necessary, it was “never intended to be the only marketing asset.” The recommended approach is offsite marketing or diversifying one’s online footprint.

Examples of Offsite Marketing Assets Discussed:

  • Press releases for “trophy projects” or case studies which Google can pick up.
  • YouTube channels and videos, which Google “loves” and can outrank map listings. The speaker’s company invested in a YouTube channel, “the Ductless Directory,” starting in 2016 for this purpose.
  • Directories such as the “Ductless Directory,” created by the speaker to help contractors get found off their own websites.
  • Featured articles and blog posts.
  • Social media pages like Facebook.

—

Corey Johnson’s Experience

Corey Johnson, a “Ductless All-Star” contractor, shares his experience. Initially skeptical of marketing, his company’s website was “flagging.” After implementing these diverse marketing strategies, including video creation, they saw immediate results.

Their videos “owned the video platform for Bozeman,” where previously no local videos ranked. This diversification led to Mitsubishi projects becoming 90% of their workload and helped them reclaim their position as a leading “white glove” company, attracting lower-maintenance customers. Corey emphasizes that this diversity of content beyond just the website helps them differentiate themselves to customers, making sales pitches easier. For instance, customers call specifically asking about their “high altitude duct guy” expertise.

—

Additional Resources

To find a ductless heat pump contractor near you, go to: Ductless Directory Search Results

To find out more about the Benefits of Ductless Heat Pumps, go to: Ductless Directory

YouTube Links:

—

Thank you for joining us on this journey through AI and digital marketing!

Learn More