How to Get Solar Leads in Australia (2026)

Solar and battery marketing that wins trust in a crowded market · Updated October 2026

Solar is a big purchase, and homeowners have heard plenty of horror stories: door knockers, "free solar" offers and savings that never arrived. That makes trust the main thing you are selling. The installer who explains things plainly, shows credentials and real reviews, and gets the rebate details right usually wins over the one with the loudest offer.

This post covers marketing, not legal or financial advice. Rebates and rules change often, so check the official sources linked below before you quote any figure.

Where solar leads come from in Australia

• Google search and Maps. Searches like "solar installers" plus a suburb, "solar battery installation" or "solar panels near me".
• Quote and comparison sites. Solar has several sites that send one enquiry to multiple installers. They bring volume, usually price-focused.
• Referrals. Neighbours notice panels on a roof and ask how it went. Happy customers are the strongest source of solar leads.
• Existing customers. People who bought panels years ago are now adding batteries, upgrading inverters or getting their systems serviced.

Google search, referrals and your existing customers are the channels most worth building. Our guide on how to rank for near me searches covers the local search basics.

Google Business Profile for solar installers

Choose the closest category

Solar businesses usually choose between categories such as Solar energy company and Solar energy contractor. Pick the one that best matches whether you mainly sell and design systems or mainly install them, and list panels, batteries, inverters and servicing as services. Google's category list varies by country, so type your trade into the category field and choose the exact match it offers.

Show real installs and real people

Upload photos of finished installs on real roofs, neat inverter and battery set-ups, and your own team at work. Stock photos of shiny panels in a field do nothing for trust. Ask permission and keep house numbers out of shot.

Reviews that mention the whole experience

Ask every customer for a review once the system is running, by text with a direct link. Reviews that mention honest advice, a clean install and good after-sales service are what wary buyers look for. For more on the profile, see our Google Business Profile tips.

Free download: our Google Business Profile Checklist for Tradies runs through the 20 settings that decide whether locals find you on Google.

Accreditation as a trust signal

Credentials matter more in solar than in most trades, because they are tied to the rebate and to customer protection. Use them in your marketing, accurately:

• Installer accreditation. Solar Accreditation Australia is the body that accredits installers and designers for small-scale systems under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. It took over from the Clean Energy Council in 2024 (Clean Energy Regulator, 29 February 2024, checked 4 October 2026). If your installers are accredited, say so on your profile, website and quotes.
• Approved Seller status. The New Energy Tech Consumer Code runs an Approved Seller program for businesses that commit to honest sales, clear quotes and contracts, and proper complaint handling (NETCC, checked 4 October 2026). If you are an Approved Seller, show it.
• Electrical licence. Show your electrical contractor licence number, which homeowners can check with their state regulator.

Only claim credentials you actually hold, and keep them current. A lapsed accreditation shown on your website is worse than none.

Talking about rebates without getting it wrong

Rebates are the first thing many customers ask about, and the easiest place for your marketing to go wrong. The ACCC says solar and battery businesses must not make misleading claims about savings, eligibility for government rebates, system output or cost, and must not hide the assumptions behind savings figures or extra charges. It also warns that claims like "no cost solar" or "the system will pay for itself" are often misleading (ACCC, last updated 28 June 2026, checked 4 October 2026).

Here is what the national scheme looks like, in plain terms:

• Small-scale technology certificates (STCs). Eligible small solar systems and batteries create STCs, which usually reduce the upfront price when the installer or a registered agent claims them. How many certificates a system gets depends on things like location, installation date and system size (Clean Energy Regulator, checked 4 October 2026).
• Home batteries. Batteries also receive STCs. From 1 May 2026 the number of certificates per battery declines every six months and tapers for larger systems, with the stated aim of keeping the discount at around 30% (Clean Energy Regulator, 17 February 2026, checked 4 October 2026).
• State programs. Some states run their own rebates or loans, and they change often. Check your state's official program before mentioning one.

Practical rules for your marketing:

• Link to the official source rather than quoting a rebate figure that may be out of date next month.
• Date anything you publish about rebates, and review it whenever the rules change.
• Show savings as estimates with the assumptions stated, such as usage, tariffs and system size, and never as a promise.
• Show the price after the rebate and the total clearly in quotes, with any extra charges listed.

Getting this right is not only about avoiding trouble. Customers who have been burned elsewhere notice the installer who explains things honestly, and they tell their neighbours.

Google Ads and Local Services Ads

Standard Google Ads charge per click and let you choose your searches. Solar searches can be expensive, so be specific: bid on the systems and suburbs you want most, and exclude searches you do not want, such as solar jobs, DIY solar kits, portable solar panels or solar courses. Keep ad claims accurate, with the same care as your website. Judge the ads by systems sold, not clicks.

Local Services Ads are Google's pay per lead format, shown above standard ads on some local searches. They only run for certain trades in certain countries. When we checked on 3 October 2026, Google's own help centre did not publish a category list for Australia, so check by starting the sign-up in Google Ads or reading the Local Services Ads help centre. Our guide to how Local Services Ads work explains the mechanics.

Referrals and your existing customers

Every roof you put panels on is visible to the street. Make the most of it:

• Ask for referrals once the system has been running for a while and the customer has seen their first bills.
• Keep in touch with past customers. Many people with older solar systems are now considering batteries, inverter replacements or servicing. A short, useful update by email, without hype, keeps you first in line.
• Offer servicing. A system check gives you a reason to visit, keeps the system running well, and often leads to upgrade work.

Setting up a trusted profile, accurate rebate content and a past-customer system is what our course for tradies walks through, one short lesson at a time.

Quote sites: use them, then rely on them less

Solar quote and comparison sites can bring steady enquiries, especially for a newer business. Know what you are buying: the same enquiry is often sent to several installers, which pushes the conversation towards price, and the platform owns the relationship. Use them as a top-up, reply quickly with a clear, honest quote, and ask every customer for a Google review so you build a reputation you own. Our breakdown of whether hipages is worth it explains how lead platforms like this work.

For the wider picture across trades, read our guide to how tradies get more leads online.

Frequently asked questions

Be the installer people trust

In a market full of loud offers, honesty is the strongest marketing a solar business has. Show real credentials and reviews, explain rebates accurately, and look after customers after the install. None of it needs an agency, just a plan and some time each week.