Key takeaways
- Use the Offer post type for financing and promos so the dates and terms are visible, and archive it when the window closes.
- Naming a payment amount, number of payments, or promotional period requires the rest of the terms and 'subject to credit approval.'
- Post the rebate program name and that you handle the paperwork; keep dollar amounts on a website page you update monthly.
- Run manufacturer promos only where you hold the dealer designation; best timing is February through April and September through October.
Why financing and rebates belong on your Google profile
A homeowner comparing three HVAC companies in the three-pack is usually comparing one thing: how they are going to pay for a $15,000 replacement. The company whose profile says "0% financing available, subject to credit approval" and "LADWP heat pump rebates handled for you" gets the call over the one that only says "family owned since 1998." Financing turns a repair call into a replacement sale, and rebates turn a maybe into a yes in the shoulder months.
The profile has four places this content can live: posts (the most flexible), the business description, the services list, and the Q&A section. The website is the fifth and most important, because every post should link to a page with the full terms. Done well, it takes an hour a month. Done carelessly, it produces removed posts, CSLB complaints, and one-star reviews from people who expected a rebate that no longer exists.
The rules you are working under
Three sets of rules apply, and none is complicated. Google's Business Profile content policy prohibits misleading content and offers that cannot be redeemed as described; a post that still says "$1,500 off through June" in August can be removed, and repeated problems can get posting restricted. Google Ads has a stricter financial-products policy, but it applies to paid ads, not profile posts.
The second set is truth-in-lending advertising rules. If a post names a monthly payment, a number of payments, or a "no payments until" period, it has to carry the rest of the terms: the repayment period, the rate after any promotional period, and whether interest accrues during it. Add "subject to credit approval" every time. A plain "financing available" has no such obligation. The third is the CSLB: contractor advertising in California must carry your license number and cannot be misleading. The rule covering all three: say only what is true today, show the conditions, and link to the details.
How to write a financing post
Use the Offer post type, not Update, because it gives you a start date, an end date, and a terms field. Title: "0% APR financing on new AC and heat pump systems." Body: two sentences about what qualifies and who your lender is, by name. Terms field: "Financing through [lender], subject to credit approval. 0% APR for 18 months with equal monthly payments; standard rate applies after the promotional period. Ask for full terms." Link to your financing page and add a photo of an installed system, not a stock image of a calculator.
Set the end date to match the lender's promotion, and put a calendar reminder to pull or refresh the post the day before. Do not promise approval, do not say "everyone qualifies," and do not post a monthly payment amount unless you can show the price and term behind it. If the lender changes the plan mid-promotion, update the post the same day.
Utility rebates: LADWP, SoCalGas, SCE, and TECH Clean California
Rebate posts work because they are specific to where the homeowner lives, so lead with the program, not the amount. For City of Los Angeles addresses, LADWP's residential rebate program covers qualifying central AC, heat pumps, and smart thermostats. SoCalGas has offered rebates on qualifying gas equipment, though its lineup has been shrinking as the state pushes electrification, so check what is active. SCE customers have their own electric-side programs, and Burbank, Glendale, and Pasadena each run separate rebates through their city utilities. TECH Clean California pays heat pump incentives through enrolled contractors, so you have to be on the list to post about it.
A good rebate post reads: "LADWP rebates are available on qualifying heat pump systems. We handle the application for you. Call for current amounts." It stays accurate for months. Check each program page before posting, because amounts change and programs pause when funding runs low. Add a Q&A entry for "Do you handle rebate paperwork?" too.
Manufacturer promos, the services list, and the website
Carrier, Lennox, Trane, Daikin, and Mitsubishi run spring and fall dealer promotions with rebates or financing on specific equipment tiers, usually with a six-to-eight-week window and a requirement that the installer is a designated dealer. These make good Offer posts because the manufacturer supplies the dates, terms, and artwork. Use their language, keep their dates, and take the post down when the window closes. If you are not a designated dealer for that brand, you cannot run its promo, and posting it anyway is the fastest way to lose future dealer status.
Financing is not a service, so do not create a "Financing" item in the services list; it matches no search and reads as keyword stuffing. Put one sentence in the business description instead: "Financing available, subject to credit approval. We handle LADWP, SoCalGas, and TECH Clean California rebate paperwork." On the website, keep one Financing and Rebates page with the lender's name, current terms, each rebate program with a link, and a last-updated date. Every post links there.
Seasonal timing: when each post earns the most
Financing and rebate posts work best when systems are not broken and buyers have time to think. The LA calendar looks like this. February and March: manufacturer spring promos launch, and AC replacement financing posts go up before the first warm week. April: heat pump rebate posts, when utility and TECH programs often reopen with new funding. June through August: keep one financing post live for the emergency replacement buyer whose compressor just died in a heat wave, with a deferred-first-payment message if your lender supports it and you state the terms. September and October: manufacturer fall promos and furnace or heat pump rebate posts, before the November cold week. November and December: a year-end post for buyers trying to use a rebate before the program year closes.
Keep each post live for its real window, archive it when the window ends, and review the financing page on the first of every month. That rhythm keeps the profile honest.
Questions HVAC companies ask
Can I say '0% financing' in a Google Business Profile post?
Yes, if it is a real plan your lender offers and you include the conditions: the promotional term, what happens after it, and 'subject to credit approval.' Use the Offer post type so the terms and end date are visible, and link to a financing page with full details.
Is it a problem to post rebate amounts?
Only if the amount is wrong when someone reads it. Rebate amounts change and programs pause when funding runs low, so a post with a dollar figure goes stale fast. Post the program name and that you handle the paperwork, and keep current amounts on your website, updated monthly.
Can I run a Carrier or Lennox promotion if I install their equipment but am not a dealer?
No. Manufacturer promotions are limited to designated dealers, and the terms usually say so. Posting one you are not eligible for creates a sale you cannot honor and can cost you dealer status later. You can still offer your own financing and the utility rebates on qualifying equipment.
Should financing be listed as a service on my profile?
No. The services list is for the work you do, and a 'Financing' item does not match any search Google would route there. Put one sentence about financing and rebate paperwork in the business description, run Offer posts for specific promotions, and keep the full terms on your website's financing page.
