When a storm knocks the power out, a generator installer's phone can light up the next morning. But a standby unit isn't a same-day job. It needs sizing, a pad, a transfer switch, a gas line or tank, and the permits your town requires.
Ready.gov says a winter storm warning is usually issued 12 to 24 hours before the storm is expected to begin.[1] So the families who have a standby unit running by the next storm picked an installer in a calm week. This plan is about being the one they picked.
The examples use Raleigh, North Carolina; the steps are the same in other towns. What we check for electricians and generator installers is on our page for electrical contractors.
What do homeowners ask before they buy a standby generator?
Size, fuel, cost, permits and upkeep, plus whether the house needs a new panel. These are example questions of the kind homeowners type into Google or ask ChatGPT:
- "What size generator do I need to run my whole house?"
- "Natural gas or propane for a standby generator in Raleigh?"
- "How much does a whole-house generator cost installed?"
- "Do I need a permit to install a standby generator in Wake County?"
- "How often does a standby generator need maintenance?"
- "Do I need a panel upgrade for a generator?"
Once people start looking for a local business, the choice goes quickly:
75% of consumers pick a local business within 30 minutes; 72% compare three or fewer.
Source: BrightLocal consumer search behavior study · (opens in a new tab)
So write each question down in your customers' words, and check that your site answers it. If it doesn't, the homeowner reads someone else's answer, and an AI assistant has nothing from your site to repeat.
Which pages sell a generator install?
Pages built from your own installs, answering each question that slows a sale down. One install page can cover sizing, fuel, permits and cost; upkeep and panel upgrades get their own pages. How to write a service page has the order I'd use.
- Sizing: how you size a unit, what you check in the panel, and whether you cover the whole house or chosen circuits.
- Fuel: the fuels you install, what the gas line or tank work involves, and who sets a propane tank.
- Permits: which permits you pull and which inspections follow, town by town.
- Upkeep: what a yearly service visit includes, what it costs, and whether you service units you didn't install.
- Cost: a price range with the month you checked it, what's included, and what moves the price.
Your permit office may have written part of that page already. The building department in Newington, Connecticut, says fixed generator wiring needs a qualified electrical contractor, and that you may need an electrical permit.[2] It also says a double-pole, double-throw transfer switch can prevent back feed, a current that can make power lines live during an outage.[2]
Find your own town's or county's page and link to it. For the cost part, our guide to posting prices shows how to set the range.
One install page for a generator installer in Raleigh
- Heading: whole-house standby generator installation in Raleigh and Wake County.
- Who it's for: homes on natural gas or propane that want the heat, the fridge and the well pump running in an outage.
- How we size it: a panel walk-through and a written list of the circuits the family wants on.
- Price: the range for most installs, the month checked, and what's included, such as the pad, transfer switch, gas line, permit and startup.
- Permits and inspections we handle, with links to the city's and county's permit pages.
- Six to ten photos from one real install, the yearly service plan, and a way to request an estimate.
Illustrative example
Should you list the generator brands you sell?
Yes, but only the dealer statuses you hold today, in the maker's own words. If a maker lists you on its dealer locator, check that the name, phone, website and service area there match your Google profile.
The FTC says federal law requires an ad to be truthful, not misleading and, when appropriate, backed by scientific evidence.[3] So name the dealer level the maker gave you, and nothing above it. If you only service a brand, say just that, and ask the maker before you use its logo.
Which photos and reviews help a homeowner choose you?
Photos of the parts a homeowner can't picture: the pad, the gas line, the transfer switch beside the panel and the finished unit. On your website, caption each one with the job and the town, such as "transfer switch beside the main panel, North Raleigh, October 2026."
Google wants photos in focus and well lit, with no significant alterations or heavy filters, so the image represents reality.[4] How to photograph your jobs covers the shots.
Ask every install customer for a Google review the week after startup, with your direct link. Don't ask them to mention the transfer switch: Google's policy says merchants shouldn't request specific content.[5]
Google's policy also bars incentives, such as payment, discounts or free service, for posting a review or for changing or removing a bad one.[5] And it bars asking only the customers you expect to be happy.[5] Asking everyone also grows your review count:
47% of consumers won't use a business with fewer than 20 reviews.
Source: BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey · (opens in a new tab)
Reply to each review: keep it short, thank the customer and mention the job. Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking.[6] How to ask for Google reviews has scripts you can text.
Why do panel upgrades need their own page?
Because homeowners ask about them by name, and the job has its own permit, price and timeline. Say what you check, how long the work takes and what drives the price. Link the page to your generator pages, and link them back.
Leave the federal tax credit off that page. The IRS says its Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, which covered some panel work, can be claimed for improvements made through December 31, 2025.[7] So it doesn't cover the work you quote now.
How do you talk about storms without scaring people?
Stick to facts from official sources, and let the homeowner draw the conclusion. NOAA's hurricane center says the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.[8] Ready.gov says a winter storm can cut off heat, power and communication services.[1]
That's enough. Skip photos of downed lines and wording like "before it's too late," and don't promise a family power through every storm.
A short readiness note for past customers helps more: when to book the yearly service, and who to call if the unit won't start. If a customer also keeps a portable unit, add Ready.gov's rule. It says generators and fuel should always be used outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows, doors and attached garages.[1]
What should a generator installer skip?
- "Authorized dealer" without the status. Claim what the maker gave you, and update it when it changes.
- A page for every suburb. Near-copies made to rank for similar searches in each city can count as doorway abuse under Google's spam policies.[9]
- Storm photos that aren't yours. Post your own installs, not news photos of damage.
How to get more generator leads in eight weeks
| Weeks | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | On your Google profile, add generator installation, generator maintenance and panel upgrades as separate services, plus ten install photos | Google says a service may be highlighted when local customers search for it[10] |
| 3–4 | Write the install page: sizing, fuel, permits and a dated price range | It answers the first questions homeowners ask |
| 5–6 | Add an upkeep plan page and a panel upgrade page, linked to the install page | Homeowners ask about both jobs by name |
| 7–8 | Ask past install customers for reviews, check your dealer locator listings, and ask your buyer questions in Google and ChatGPT | It shows what a homeowner sees before the next storm |
Start in early November and you finish around the new year. Run the same check again in May, before hurricane season opens on June 1.[8] Our AI search plan for contractors shows how to ask buyer questions and write down the answers.
What no plan controls
The weather decides when the phones ring, and Google and AI assistants decide what they show. What you control is what a family finds when it looks: clear answers, real installs, honest prices and recent reviews.
If the eight weeks won't fit around your installs, the Found Sprint ($1,500 fixed) is up to 10 fixes from your Complete Visibility Report. We do them within 30 days once we have access and an agreed scope. The pages cited here were checked on October 27, 2026.