High-Performance PPC for Roofing Contractors: A Tactical Guide to Lead Generation

Roofing is competitive, and if you want to scale your business, you need high visibility. Word-of-mouth will only get you so far – to get big results, you need to actively market your services.

The majority of your potential customers aren’t just casually browsing around – they need your services now. While some people will be looking for a new roof before there’s an emergency, those people aren’t feeling any sense of urgency and are less likely to buy. Your ideal, most profitable customers are dealing with urgent problems like shingles ripped off in a storm, water leaks or stains on the ceiling, and damage from trees. To capture these customers, your roofing business needs to show up in a Google search, and that’s where pay-per-click ads (PPC) come into play.

When you use PPC ads, you’ll show up at the very top of the page above organic search results. That means your customers don’t have to scroll to find you. All you need is a compelling ad that leads to a landing page that converts clicks into cash.

PPC advertising is the easiest way to get visibility in Google search results, but only if you do it right. Done wrong, PPC ads are a money pit. Done correctly, PPC ads can become a lead-generating machine.

This guide will walk you through a proven, high-performance PPC strategy tailored for roofing contractors ready to scale.

Understand the true value of PPC

PPC ads are a roofing contractor’s best online advertising method. While search engine optimization (SEO) is powerful – especially with local SEO – it takes time to see results. PPC gets you results (clicks, paying customers) now, putting your roofing business in front of hot leads the moment they search for your services.

Just like local SEO, you can use local-intent keywords with your PPC ad campaigns to create a higher conversion rate. Since roofing services are local, you’ll want to target specific zip codes or service areas to make sure your ads reach the right people in the areas you serve.

Successful PPC begins with search intent

Search intent consists of two things: keywords and urgency. Let’s break these down:

·  Commercial v. informational intent. The keywords people use will tell you everything you need to know about their intent. While some people are only looking for information, others are searching for services. For example, phrases like “roof leak repair near me” is gold. “How to fix a leaky roof” is not. Focus your ad budget on high-converting, purchase-intent queries. Another good phrase to bid on is “[your company] reviews.”

·  How to use match types. When running paid ads, you can choose broad match or phrase and exact match. Broad match will waste your budget because it will include a ton of unrelated queries. Stick to phrase match and exact match to zero in on qualified traffic, and then refine your campaign through negative keywords.

High-intent keyword examples

If you aren’t sure what phrases are considered high-intent, here’s a simple list you can use as a starting point:

·  Emergency roof repair near me

·  Roof repair [city or zip code]

·  Roofing companies in [city or zip code]

·  Licensed roofers near me

·  Storm damage roof repair

·  Roof leak repair services

·  Hail damage roofing contractor

·  Roof replacement [city or zip code]

There are also a handful of service-specific keywords you can target, including:

·  Metal roofing installation

·  Shingle roof repair

·  Flat roof replacement

·  Tile roofing contractor

·  Commercial roofing company

·  Residential roofing services

Don’t forget the comparison/estimate phrases:

·  Roof repair cost [city]

·  How much does a new roof cost

·  Roof replacement cost calculator

·  Compare roofing contractors [city]

Suggested negative keywords:

·  DIY

·  How to

·  Free

·  Tutorial

·  Home Dept

·  Jobs

·  Careers

·  Courses

·  Trainings

·  Rent

·  Rentals

By adding these to your negative keywords list, you’ll avoid having your ads show up for people who are looking for DIY solutions who are not likely to hire a professional roofer.

You should also bid on your own company name since there’s a possibility people will be searching for your company specifically, either to research or compare prices. Google allows you to bid on your competitors’ brands, but make sure you don’t violate Google’s trademark rules. You can bid on a competitor’s brand name even if it’s trademarked, but you can’t use it in the ad text unless you are the trademark owner, an official reseller, or providing informational content about the trademark.

If you’re running paid ads and not getting good results, it’s possibly because you’re targeting queries that indicate curiosity rather than urgency and need (purchase intent).

Build a high-converting landing page

When you run an ad, clicking will take users to the web page of your choice. Many people send traffic to their home page by default, but that’s a bad idea. Home pages don’t convert well because there is no targeted message.

You want to give people every reason possible to call you immediately and request a consultation, inspection, or buy your services. To do this, you need a dedicated sales page with copy that speaks directly to your leads and matches your ad. For example, if you’re running an ad that uses the phrase “fix a leaky roof,” your sales page should be written to get people with a leaky roof to call you for an emergency tarp, free inspection, or whatever you offer.

It will take time to test and adjust your sales pages to get them to convert optimally, but you can start by clearly stating what you offer (e.g., “24-hour emergency roof repair”), using trust signals, like Google reviews, Home Advisor ratings and reviews, badges, partnerships with financing companies, and warranties offered. Once you have a solid, basic sales page, you can start running ads and then use split-testing to fine-tune the elements one-by-one to increase conversions.

Focus on geo-targeting

Targeting local areas is the key to running a successful PPC ad campaign. Target your audience by zip code or a specific radius around your service area. Combine this with custom ad copy (“Serving the Greater Houston area!”) to boost your click-through rate (CTR).

When running PPC ads, it’s crucial to avoid overreach. Unless you are a statewide business with multiple teams and a huge budget, don’t waste your money on markets you can’t effectively service. Keep your ads confined to the service areas you can support while staying profitable.

Use call extensions and call tracking

Your best leads want to talk to you – they don’t want to send emails back and forth. When you can generate calls from your ads, those leads will convert better than clicks. The good news is that Google Ads offers the ability to run ads that will generate calls instead of clicks. It’s called call extensions, and this feature uses tracking numbers to monitor and optimize conversations with leads.

Once you run and track these ads for a while, you’ll see a pattern emerge regarding which ads are driving the most calls. Take that data and invest more of your ad budget into what is working best and cut what is not.

Don’t just focus on Google Ads

Google is the king of search, but your customers are on other platforms, too. Don’t just stick with Google. If all your leads come from a single source, you’re one algorithm update away from a slow season. Winter is already tough for the roofing industry, so you can’t afford to risk slowing down in peak season. Having a high-performing PPC campaign means running ads on multiple platforms.

Facebook is a powerhouse for roofing companies to generate leads. You can advertise your services to locals, post in local community groups, and have people share your sponsored ads. You might be surprised at how much positive activity reputable local roofers get on their Facebook ads. That activity feeds the algorithm and gets your ads shown to more people. With Facebook Ads, you can target by zip code, homeowner status, and even income level.

Already running a PPC ad campaign? Get an audit

Getting a PPC audit is one of the best ways to get better results. If you’re winging it, experimenting, or you aren’t sure why you’re not getting good results, a simple audit from a professional PPC marketing agency can help you pinpoint exactly what isn’t working and offer a more effective strategy.

Set a budget and bid smart

Depending on what platform you advertise on, you might be required to invest a minimum amount of money to get in the game. In any case, you’ll need to set a daily budget. Most roofers start with at least $50-$100 per day. If you go any lower, you risk not getting enough impressions to get results. Businesses willing to spend more money will get the most ad placements. A higher daily limit makes it possible for the system to bid higher to get your ads seen more often.

When you first run a campaign, start with manual cost per click (CPC) to see what works. Once you have enough information, test Google’s Smart Bidding feature to scale. For instance, test the Target CPA or Maximize Conversions features.

Use retargeting (remarketing)

Never let a hot lead go cold. Even though leads might need your services immediately, not everyone converts on the first visit. Some people take their time to research competitors, price compare, and think about their needs. When you use retargeting, your ads will display for people who have already visited your website, reminding them that you exist and nudging them to act.

Since retargeting ads can be run independently from your main campaign, you can tailor the ad copy to speak directly to people who have clicked on your ads previously. For example, you can run a headline that reads, “Still need a roof repair?” or “Storm damage? Book before the next rain!” These types of headlines work really well with remarketing.

Optimize your ads for mobile

Since 90% of local roofing searches happen on phones, it’s crucial that you optimize your ads for mobile. Don’t lose leads because of a clunky, difficult website. One of the most important things to do is use click-to-call buttons. This is a must for roofing contractors. It’s a simple HTML button that will bring up your phone number in a user’s dial pad when they click.

Track ROI diligently

If you aren’t tracking your ROI, you’re flying blind. To know your ROI, you’ll need to know your cost per leads (CPL). To get this, track your cost per call, per form fill, and per booked job. It also helps to use a customer relationship management application (CRM) to track sales attributions. For instance, when you sync your PPC data with your CRM, you can see the entire customer journey for every lead that turns into a contract.

Hire a professional PPC agency

While it’s possible to run your own pay-per-click ads, there are many reasons not to go down that path. The learning curve is extremely steep, and the consequences of making a mistake are costly.

If you don’t have the time to learn from scratch, or the money to waste experimenting, hire a pro. But make sure they have real world experience running ads for roofing contractors. You’ll want a company that knows your market, how and where to reach them, and what keywords and phrases get them to convert.

When you find a marketing agency that does PPC, ask about their experience with roofing contractors or other home service businesses. If they have the right experience, ask for their fees and minimum ad budget recommendations or requirements to make sure it’s within your budget.

Dominate your local market with PPC.co

High-performance PPC for roofing isn’t about throwing money at google and hoping for the best. It’s about targeting your ideal customers with the right message that gets them interested in your services. Done right, PPC can bring you a predictable, steady flow of leads, jobs, and revenue. Done wrong, it’s a fast way to burn through your marketing budget.

At PPC.co, we specialize in creating high-performance PPC campaigns for roofing contractors who are serious about scaling their business. We build razor-sharp strategies that bring in high-intent leads, cut wasteful ad spend, and turn Google Ads into a lead generating engine. Our team of PPC specialists understand the roofing industry and we know how to target leads ready to book with you now.

Stop gambling with your marketing budget. Let’s work together to build a system that delivers high-value leads. Contact us today to request a proposal or to learn more about the advertising services we offer. You don’t need more clicks – you need more conversions. Let’s make it happen.