Where Montana's solar installers are
The largest concentrations of solar installers in our Montana data are in Billings, Bozeman, Missoula, Helena, Belgrade, Great Falls, Kalispell and Charlo. Competition for the map pack is heaviest there, and so is the reward: the same review count that dominates a small town is invisible in Billings.
The map pack in Montana
The map pack is a three-slot race, and in Montana it is won by review count and recency far more than by rating: 81% of Montana solar installers are already at 4.5 stars or better, so stars do not separate anyone. The 75th percentile is 77 reviews and the 90th is 147. Those are the numbers to plan around, not the median.
The website gap in Montana
10% of Montana solar installers list no website on their Google profile, fewer than the national 13.1%. Nationally, solar installers with a website have a median of 24 reviews against 2 without. A five-page site with tap-to-call and a page per service is the cheapest gap to close.
What to do first in Montana
- Set a review velocity. One review per job day, asked at the door, moves a 15.5-review shop past the Montana 75th percentile (77) within a year. The guides have the scripts.
- Finish the Google profile: primary category, every service you offer, real job photos, and hours that match reality. It is free and it is where Montana customers decide.
- Follow up every lead within five minutes. Speed to lead beats ad spend in a trade where the customer is collecting three quotes. The calculator shows what slow replies cost.
- Then, and only then, spend on ads. Pointed at a profile with 15.5 reviews and no website, ads pay for your competitor's education. Pointed at a finished profile, they work.
The full national picture, with percentiles, ratings and hours, is in the benchmark report. The method is on the about page.