Advance Ohio

09/01/2026

“Buying leads might fill your calendar today, but building your brand is what keeps it full tomorrow. The contractors who win long-term are the ones homeowners recognize and trust before they ever search for a quote.” -Tim Drummond, Sales Director

Read about the hidden cost of buying leads:

You need more jobs. Revenue is flat. So you do what seems logical and sign up for HomeAdvisor or Angie’s List and start buying leads.

08/28/2026

77% favorability is a powerful advantage. But if prospective customers don't know you exist, it can't drive growth.

The most successful institutions are turning financial education content into awareness, trust, and future membership.

Read more: https://hubs.ly/Q04vLL0w0

Local credit unions are the most favorably viewed financial institution type in the United States, according to our 2026 American Financial Consumer study. Seventy-seven percent of American consumers view local credit unions favorably — ahead of local banks, regional banks, national banks, and eve...

08/21/2026

You're generating leads. The phone is ringing. Forms are being filled out.
So why aren't more prospects becoming customers?
The answer may not be lead quality.

Today's buyers research your business the moment they contact you. Reviews, website experience, social presence, and brand credibility all influence whether they take the next step.

If leads are disappearing after first contact, it may be time to examine the trust signals your brand is sending.

Read more:

You’re paying good money for leads. The phone rings. Prospects fill out quote forms. But then… silence. Follow-ups go unanswered. Appointments get canceled. And you wonder, why aren’t you getting better leads?

08/19/2026

Our 2026 American Financial Consumer research is in, and it points to five clear priorities every marketing leader in banking should act on this year.

From how you show up in AI answers to where your referrals actually come from, the data shows exactly where the opportunity is and where most institutions are falling behind.

The window to act is open: https://hubs.li/Q04tDRpv0

08/14/2026

49% of consumers use Google Search to research financial products. But search behavior is changing.

Consumers are now asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overview ‘what’s the best local bank near me?’ — and getting AI-generated answers.

Do you know what those answers say about your institution? →

When a consumer is ready to open a new account or switch institutions, their first move is almost always digital. Forty-nine percent of consumers in our study use Google Search to research specific financial products. Thirty-four percent rely on friends and family recommendations. Twenty-eight perce...

08/13/2026

49% of consumers Google your institution before deciding. 34% ask friends and family. 28% check reviews.

Now add this. People are asking ChatGPT and AI Overviews "what's the best local bank near me" instead of searching directly.

Most banks and credit unions aren't even in that conversation yet. Show up first in AI answers, win the newest research channel.

Learn how you can get seen:

When a consumer is ready to open a new account or switch institutions, their first move is almost always digital. Forty-nine percent of consumers in our study use Google Search to research specific financial products. Thirty-four percent rely on friends and family recommendations. Twenty-eight perce...

08/11/2026

Furnace dies, pipe bursts. Nobody grabs the phone book anymore. They Google it.

97% of homeowners research online before booking. If you're not on page one, you're invisible.

Visibility next to trusted local news content beats a random banner ad every time. That's instant credibility, not just a click.

Learn more:

When a homeowner’s furnace stops working or a pipe bursts, their first move isn’t to grab a phone book—it’s to open Google or their favorite local news site. For plumbers, HVAC technicians, roofers, and electricians, local visibility is the difference between being the first call and being f...

08/10/2026

Most businesses think one great campaign wins a customer. The businesses actually winning are doing something different: https://hubs.li/Q04sj6X80 Get insights like this delivered monthly. Subscribe to our newsletter.

You have two competitors: the business across town and the skepticism prospects carry before they ever contact you. The second one is harder to beat. It does not respond to a single campaign or a great offer.

08/07/2026

Weather's coming for your customers' pipes, roofs, and furnaces. Is your advertising ready to catch them the moment it hits?

Weather-based advertising switches on automatically when the freeze, storm, or snow hits, putting your ad in front of homeowners the second they start searching. Set it up now, let the weather do the targeting all season long.

Learn more:

For home service companies, weather isn’t just conversation—it’s revenue. A sudden cold front, a spring thunderstorm, or a summer heatwave can trigger the phones to ring off the hook. But what if your marketing could anticipate those shifts automatically?

08/05/2026

Millennials are buying homes, starting families, and making the highest-stakes financial decisions of their lives — right now. They are also the most digitally engaged financial research generation in our survey.

31% look at fees first. Then reviews. Then Google. Then your website.

Is your institution showing up the way they’re looking? → https://hubs.li/Q04s1HcR0