A fuel-switching campaign is targeted marketing aimed at homeowners who are deciding whether to keep, replace or change their heating system. It combines a landing page with an honest comparison, search and social ads aimed at the right homes, and follow-up content that answers the questions those owners ask. The goal is a smaller number of better enquiries: people who have already started comparing.
What it is
The short answer: a campaign built around a price or program trigger, aimed only at the homes it affects.
Triggers we track on HeatingNews.ca include heating oil prices up 57.8% year over year in September 2026, electricity increases such as NB Power's 4.29%, and provincial program changes. Each trigger affects a specific group of homes. A campaign tied to oil prices should reach oil-heated households, not every homeowner in the region.
Who it is for
The short answer: contractors who sell more than one heating option, or who convert homes from one fuel to another.
- Oil heating companies that also install heat pumps or electric systems.
- Heat pump specialists in regions with many baseboard or oil-heated homes.
- Gas contractors offering hybrid systems with a heat pump and gas backup.
- Boiler companies serving older housing stock with hydronic systems.
If you install only one system and do no conversions, a heating-season ad plan may suit you better.
What's included
The short answer: the comparison, the page, the targeting and the follow-up.
- A running-cost comparison for your region using current published prices, with every assumption shown: consumption, price per unit, system efficiency, and the date of each figure.
- A landing page that presents the comparison honestly, including cases where switching does not pay.
- Search ads for comparison queries such as "oil vs heat pump cost [province]".
- Social ads limited to the areas and home types most likely to be affected.
- Program lines that name only programs confirmed open with the administrator, with "as of" dates.
- Call and text tracking, so we can see which messages produce real enquiries.
A worked comparison format
We present comparisons like this, with your local numbers:
| Item | Current system | Proposed system |
|---|---|---|
| Annual heat needed | [your estimate] | same |
| Fuel and unit price | [price, source, date] | [price, source, date] |
| Seasonal efficiency | [assumption] | [assumption] |
| Estimated annual cost | calculated | calculated |
The homeowner sees how the number was reached and can change the assumptions with you on the phone.
Every comparison carries a date, and we refresh it when a source price changes.
Timeline
The short answer: four to six weeks to launch, then monthly adjustments.
- Weeks 1–2: confirm which fuels and systems you sell, gather pricing sources, check programs.
- Weeks 3–4: build the comparison page and ads; you review the claims.
- Weeks 5–6: launch in a limited area, measure, then widen.
- Monthly: update prices and program lines; pause messages when a trigger fades.
How results are measured
The short answer: qualified enquiries and booked assessments, by message and area.
We track calls, texts and emails from the campaign, the share that become in-home or virtual assessments, and cost per assessment. Clicks alone are not counted as success. We report weekly on higher plans and monthly on Starter.
We review these measures with you at each reporting cycle and change course when the numbers say so.
Mistakes to avoid
The short answer: overselling savings and ignoring the homes for whom switching doesn't pay.
- Using national averages. A comparison that ignores your province's prices will be wrong for most readers.
- Hiding unfavourable cases. Some homes save little by switching. Saying so makes the rest of your claims believable.
- Promoting closed programs. Several oil-to-heat-pump programs closed in 2026; check before every flight.
- Pressure tactics. Canada's Competition Act prohibits false or misleading representations. Keep every claim factual and supportable.
See the services overview, the provincial context on our areas page, or pricing. Call, text or email to talk about your conversion mix.
Frequently asked questions
Is this only for heat pump installers?
No. It works for any contractor whose customers are choosing between systems: oil-to-heat-pump conversions, gas furnace replacements, hybrid systems with gas or oil backup, or electric boilers.
Will you claim specific savings for homeowners?
Only as worked examples with stated assumptions and dated prices. We never promise a homeowner a set saving, because their consumption and home are unique.
What if the rebate my campaign relies on closes?
We pause or change the message the same week. Campaigns are built so the program line can be swapped without rebuilding everything.
Which provinces suit this best right now?
Where oil heating is common and prices rose sharply, such as Nova Scotia, PEI and Newfoundland and Labrador, and where electricity rates are rising for baseboard-heated homes, such as New Brunswick and Manitoba.