Google Ads For Roofers

Do Google Ads Work For Roofers?

Yes. Next question. I kid! I kid!

Google Ads can work very well for roofers. I can say that with complete confidence as I have managed several Google Ads accounts for roofing companies.

With Google Ads, roofing companies can target potential customers who are actively searching for roofing services in their area. This means that the people who see your ads are already interested in the services you offer. This makes them more likely to click on your ad and reach out to you.

This type of targeting and advertising is called direct intent. Meaning, you are targeting people who are intent on getting more information about your service and are in a buying mode. Relative to other marketing strategies, direct intent tends to yield the best results if done correctly.

Google Ads still dominates the market and is the go-to search engine for people seeking information. If you want to success online, you have to have a strong presence on Google. And, Google Ads is the best way to get your business in front of your target audience.

Speaking strictly from experience, I have helped roofing companies find growth and increased sales with Google Ads. With the right campaign management, you can absolutely generate sales with Google Ads as well.

How Can Google Ads Benefit My Roofing Company?

Here’s the thing: the roofing business is as competitive as it gets. But with Google Ads, you can stand out in a crowded marketplace. And here’s how… 

Increased visibility 

Google is still the behemoth in the online marketing space. They still capture the highest percentage of search volume. If you want to get in front of people who are actively searching for companies who provide roofing services, then Google Ads is your best bet.  

Targeted advertising 

With Google Ads, it isn’t only about volume. Yes, as I just stated, Google is the biggest player in the online space. However, they offer a very high-intent ad platform that you just don’t get with Facebook, Instagram or Tic Tok. Google Ads allows you to get in front of people who are performing very specific searches. If you are a roofing company in Chandler, AZ, would you want to show an ad to someone in Chandler who does a search for ‘Chandler roofing services’? 

I’ll assume the answer is yes. And, that is power of targeted advertising with Google Ads. You can show your ad to people who make very specific Google searches right when they make those searches. 

Cost-effective marketing 

With Google Ads, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. If you have a sound Google Ads manager who know how to make the most of your ad spend, then this can be a very lucrative form of advertising for you. 

Trackable results 

Ever thought, “If only I could know exactly how my ads are performing?” Well, with Google Ads, you can. You can track clicks, conversions (leads), your cost per lead and much more. There is no need to guess with Google Ads.

Quick results 

Unlike other advertising methods, Google Ads can deliver quick results. No more waiting on building your social media presence to generate business. No waiting on an SEO company to deliver results after six months. With Google Ads, you can start reaching potential customers within minutes of launching your campaign. So long as your credit card works, Google will gladly run your ads. 

Increase sale

If you have a competent Google Ads manager, then you can increase your sales with Google Ads. I mean, that’s the whole point. Right? As stated previously, Google Ads can help you put your business in front of people who are actively looking for roofing services. They are in the active process of looking for help.

Google Ads is a proven vehicle for reaching these people and turning them into paying customers. 

What Is The Average Cost Of Google Ads For Roofers?

Let’s talk money, shall we? The question on everyone’s mind: “What does Google Ads actually cost for us roofers?” Well, my friends, it can vary. 

The average cost-per-click (CPC) in the roofing industry can range between $7 and $30. But remember, this is just an average. Your actual cost can be lower or higher, depending on several factors. 

• Geographical location: If your company operates in a highly competitive market, you can expect to pay more.
• Quality of Ads: The better your ads, the less you pay. Google rewards quality!
• Keyword Competition: More popular keywords cost more. So, ‘roof repair near me’ might cost more than ‘leaky roof fix’.

But wait, there’s something you should know! It’s not just about how much you spend, but where you’re spending it. A well-optimized Google Ads campaign can make even a modest budget work wonders. 

Remember, with Google Ads, you’re investing in visibility. This investment can lead to more clicks, more leads, and ultimately, more customers. So, while cost is a factor, it’s the results that matter the most!

Finally, in our experience running Google campaigns for roofing companies, a bare minimum budget of $1,000 – $1,500 is needed. Anything less than that and it becomes extremely hard to be competitive in just about any market.

Google Ads Basics For Roofing Campaigns

How to effectively set up and manage a Google Ads account is beyond the scope of this article. There is a link at the bottom of this section for video tutorials if you want to go that route.

In general, running a successful Google Ads campaign revolves around finding your targeted audience, showing them enticing ads and compelling them to take an action. Since you are running a roofing business, the action you want them to take is contacting you via phone or form submission. If you have live chat on your website, then you can throw that into the mix. 

Below, I listed some basic things to understand when it comes to your Google Ads account.

Keyword research

The Google Ads journey starts with finding the right keywords. I know, sounds daunting, right? But don’t worry, tools like Google’s Keyword Planner can help. Just remember, you’re looking for terms your potential customers are using, like “roof repair” or “local roofers near me.” 

Geo-targeting

Your next step should be focusing on your service area. After all, there’s no sense in advertising to folks hundreds of miles away. With Google Ads, you can target specific cities, ZIP codes, or even a radius around your business. 

Ad copy

Now, let’s talk ads. When someone does a Google search and gets results, they typically see both Google Ads results along with organic results. Keep the following in mind. 

Everything that is relevant in these search results pages is your competition.

Your competition is not ONLY other ads that appear for roofing-related searches. The Local Pack results and organic listings are also your competition.  

Why?

Because people can click on any of those results and inquire about roofing services. They are not restricted to ONLY clicking on an ad. 

The point being is that you have a good amount of competition in the roofing space. Therefore, it is extremely important that you craft enticing ads the compel people to click on them.  Step one is getting in front of your target audience. Step two is convincing them they need to know more about what makes you the best choice. Convincing them to click on your ad is how you get this done. 

Questions to ask and things to think about when creating your ads.

It is extremely important that your ad is relevant to the user’s search query. Is your ad relevant? If they are doing a search for local roof repair services, it’s best to use that phrase in one of the headlines of your ad. At minimum, make it very clear in your ad that you offer roof repair services. Running an ad for roof installation services would not be ideal. Although it sounds initially relevant, it is not as relevant to the user’s search query. 

Do you have any kind of compelling offer in your ad? Are you offering a free onsite roof inspection for example? It’s a good idea to come up with a compelling offer or reason why someone should click on your ad to learn more. 

Being both relevant to the user’s search query and compelling are the key to awesome ad copy. 

Landing pages

Running Google Ads can be broken down into two parts. Part one is pre-click. This is what you do before the ad click. This would be the ad creation, keywords, bidding, targeting settings and everything you do in your Google Ads account.

Part two is post-click. This is what happens after someone clicks on your ad. This is where your website and landing page takeover. This is as equally as important as what goes on in your Google Ads account. Your landing page is the closer and it needs to be drinking its coffee! 

Analyze and adjust

Last but not least, don’t just set it and forget it. Monitor your Google Ads performance, analyze the results, and tweak as necessary. Maybe certain keywords aren’t performing, or perhaps a specific geographic area is outperforming others. This is your chance to refine your strategy and maximize your return on investment.

Target. Compell. Convince. Convert.

This is the very basics of running a successful Google Ads campaign

If you are interested in learning how to set up and run Google Ads for your own roofing business, then I suggest checking out official Google Ads account on Youtube. They have a ton of tutorial videos.

If trying to figure out Google Ads and managing it on your own is just not your bag of tea, then reach out to us. We would be happy to discuss some Google Ads management options with you.

How can I target the right audience with my Google Ads?

I’ll provide a very basic foundation for targeting with Google Ads. This foundation is the one two punch of location and targeting. If you target the right area using keywords that your target audience searches for on Google, then you have a good foundation for targeting the right audience.

Location, location, location!

Google Ads enables roofers to target their ads to specific geographic locations. So, if you operate in Miami, there’s no sense in having your ads seen by folks in Orlando. 

Google allows you to target by city, state, country, zip code and a mile radius around a location. For example, you can add a list of zip codes you want to target. Or, you can put in your business address and set a mile radius around your location to target.

Google also has a couple of additional settings that can really impact where your ads will show up. 

By default, Google will show your ads to people in, regularly in, or who’ve shown interest in your targeted locations. 

Let’s use the Miami example again. Let’s say your roofing company is in Miami and you want to show ads to people in Miami. With the above, default settings Google can show your ads to people physically in Miami as well as people outside of Miami who have “shown interest” in Miami.  

For example, someone who lives in Georgia but does a search for ‘roofers in Miami’ could see your ad with the above default settings. 

If you would rather ONLY show ads to people who are physically located in Miami, then you will want to change this default setting to the following:

Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted locations

This setting will greatly reduce the chance your ad gets shown to people outside of your geographic targeted area. 

Pro tip: More often than not, you want to choose the ‘Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted locations’ settings. This will greatly reduce the ability for Google to show your ads to people outside of your initial targeted area, which can reduce your wasted ad spend. 

Keywords are key!

It sounds simple, but it’s vital. Include words or phrases that your potential customers are likely to use when looking for roofing services on Google. Word of caution: avoid being too broad with your keywords. The single word ‘roofing’ might get you a lot of clicks, but “roofing services in Miami” will get you clicks that have a higher percentage of generating quality leads.

Remember, the goal of your Google Ads campaigns are to generate leads that turn into paying customers. It is NOT about getting a lot of clicks and impressions. It’s about sales growth and that begins with high quality leads. 

Google Ads Tips For Roofers

Set up conversion tracking

Conversion tracking is extremely important to tracking the success of your Google Ads efforts. Conversion tracking tells you how many leads you are getting from running Google Ads. If you want to know how many phone calls and form submissions you are getting from Google Ads, then you MUST set this up correctly. 

Without this, you are flying blind. Looking at how many clicks you are getting is not good enough and it doesn’t provide any meaningful insight. It just tells you that you are getting clicks to your website. So what? It’s not about clicks. It’s about generating leads that lead to paying customers. 

You absolutely MUST ensure you tracking is set up to at least track phone calls and form submissions. There is no good reason for not doing this.

Use exact match & phrase match keywords

Currently, you have three options when it comes to keyword match types. You can go with broad match, phrase match or exact match. Exact match is the most narrow while broad match is much wider.

When you opt for a broad match, you’re essentially giving Google carte blanche to show your ads to what they deem as relevant. This can cause issues and lead to wasted ad spend. More often than not, using mostly phrase and exact match keywords leads to better results.

Learn More: Google Keyword Match Types 

Embrace the power of negative keywords

Think of negative keywords as the yin to your keyword’s yang. By adding negative keywords to your Google Ads campaigns, you’re telling Google to pump the brakes on displaying your ads for these specific words and phrases. 

Without a doubt, Google can sometimes display your ads for keywords and search phrases that aren’t in your best interest, causing a drain on your ad spend. By diligently building a robust negative keyword list, you can curb unnecessary expenditure on keywords that aren’t bringing in leads. 

What’s the best part? This strategy leaves more of your budget to focus on the keywords that are actually driving high-quality leads your way.

Focus your ad spending where it counts

Let’s say the majority of your clients are nestled within a cozy 10-mile radius of your roofing business. Wouldn’t it be smart to concentrate your advertising efforts there? By venturing beyond this trusted zone, you might find customer acquisition becomes a tougher climb. Sure, you might snag a few outliers, but the price tag attached to such broader targeting may not be worth it.

If you have a limited budget, focusing a high percentage of your budget in the area where you get most of your business is even more important. Having limited funds means you can’t afford to waste your ad dollars outside of this sweet spot. 

Having said that, if you do have a larger budget and you know it can make sense to target a bit further away from your business location, then test it. Expand your geographical radius and see what kind of results you get.

Experiment with split testing

Split testing (also called A/B testing) is where you test one “thing” against another. Common split tests including testing an existing ad versus a new ad. Or, testing one type of bid strategy against another strategy.

So, lets say you want to play around with your ad messaging? A/B split testing is the answer.  You have an existing ad ‘A’ that is getting good results but you want to see if you can get even better results. Now, its time to come up with some catchy phrases for new headlines and descriptions to use in a new ad ‘B’. Once you are done crafting your new ad ‘B’, you push it live and run it against your existing ad ‘A’. 

You are now split testing ads. 

Running these ads side by side in the same group is like a thrilling horse race, where you watch their performance over time. And the best part? You get to crown the champion ad while pausing the less successful one. It’s a dynamic, fun, and insightful way to optimize your ad campaign. Yes, that was ridiculously over-dramatic. 

Craft irresistible offers for new clients

Top-performing roofing companies often have a secret weapon – an irresistible offer for new clients. To capture your potential customer’s attention, you need to provide a compelling reason for them to reach out.

What makes you unique, better and different? Why should someone click on your ad and call you instead of your competition?

Having ads that answer these questions is important.

Consider offers such as complimentary on-site roof inspections, attractive warranties, or enticing discounts for roof installations. 

Unleash the power of Performance Max campaigns

Step into the new age of advertising with Performance Max. This is Google’s newest innovative campaign type. With Performance Max, you can go beyond the traditional text ads in Google search. With Performance Max, you can showcase your ads across all of Google’s high-traffic platforms, from Search to the Display network and even Youtube. 

With Performance Max, you are free to get creative, mixing and matching text headlines and descriptions, images, and videos. This campaign type allows you to target keywords, tap into customer match lists, and utilize a host of audience targeting options. 

Instead of solely focusing on running text ads in Google search, you can expand beyond that using all asset types across all of Google’s properties. 

Ideally, Performance Max would be used in the “phase 2” part of your growth strategy with Google Ads. After you are getting good results with traditional search campaigns, you can test additional budget on a new Performance Max campaign. 

Bid intelligently for the best results

Bidding can be tricky. There are many different bidding options and strategies to choose from. Some work great while others simply don’t. One type of bidding strategy may be better suited for new accounts while another is best for seasoned accounts that generate a lot of leads per month.

Generally speaking, the goal is to drive leads. Google does have some bidding strategies that are geared towards driving leads. The two main examples are ‘Maximize conversion’ bidding and ‘Targeted CPA’ bidding. If you have an account that is generating at least 15 leads per month, these could be good options for you. That is not always the case and I have managed very successful roofing campaigns using other bid strategies. 

Testing different bid strategies is an absolute must. What works for one account may not work for another. Finding that right bid strategy that gets you the best results takes testing. Just like we discussed split testing ads, you can split test two different bid strategies as well. And, I highly recommend doing this.

 Always keep in mind that your ultimate goal is not to get the most clicks, but to get conversions (leads) that lead to paying customers. 

Learn More: Google Ads bidding

Develop engaging ad copy

Your ad copy is your first impression with potential customers, so make it count. It should immediately convey the value of your roofing services and entice the viewer to click through to your website. Be sure to include a clear call-to-action, like “Book an appointment today” or “Get a free quote now”, to encourage the next step. 

Optimize your ads for better conversion

Optimization is the name of the game in Google Ads management. It’s not just about setting up a campaign and letting it run. it’s a continuous process of testing, evaluating, and tweaking. This iterative approach ensures that your ads are performing at their peak, driving the most leads and conversions for your roofing business. 

But how can you optimize your ads for better conversion? Start with your ad copy. It should be clear, concise, and compelling, highlighting the unique selling points of your roofing services. Also, consider using strong call-to-actions (CTAs) that prompt users to take the desired action, such as ‘Call now for a free quote’ or ‘Book your roof inspection today’. 

Leverage the power of keywords

Keywords are the cornerstone of any successful Google Ads campaign. They’re the terms and phrases that users type into Google when they’re looking for roofing services. By targeting the right keywords, you can ensure that your ads appear in front of the right people at the right time. 

But keyword selection is more art than science. It involves understanding your audience, their needs, and how they search for roofing services. This might mean targeting broad keywords like ‘roofing services’, but also more specific keywords that show high purchase intent, such as ’emergency roof repair’ or ‘leaking roof fix’. Remember – specificity can often lead to higher conversion rates.

Ensure conversion tracking is properly set up

I already touched on this. But, it bears repeating. Please make sure you are, at minimum, tracking phone calls and form submissions. You have to know what keywords and ad are generating conversions (leads). 

Match ad text to user’s search phrases

Relevance is extremely important to generating leads with Google Ads. If someone does a search for ‘Columbus roofing contractor’ then they are expecting to see results that are highly relevant to their search query. One very sound way of ensuring your ad is highly relevant to that user’s search query is to use that exact phrase in your ad. 

In the above example, you would write an ad where one of the headlines used the phrase ‘Columbus roofing contractor’. Having the exact search query in your ad helps to make your ad relevant to the user, which can help to improve both the clickthrough rate and conversion rate. Both of which are good thing. 

Make use of ad extensions

Ad extensions add additional information to ads. Examples of extensions includes sitelinks, callouts, call extensions, promotions, images and structured snippets. Adding these can help with clickthrough rates.

And, higher clickthrough rates can lead to more conversions. It’s like turning your basic ad into a supercharged magnet, attracting potential customers with additional information like clickable site links, compelling callouts, convenient call extensions, enticing promotions, eye-catching images, and enlightening structured snippets. 

Learn more: What Are Google Ad Extensions

Split test your landing pages

Much in the same way we discussed split testing ads, you can do this with landing pages as well. In fact, this type of testing is often overlooked. Yet, it can yield some bigtime results if you can craft an uber enticing landing page that compels people to convert.

The landing page is vitally important to the success of your Google Ads campaign. Too many campaign managers view the landing page as an afterthought. They simply look for a relevant page on the website and start running traffic to it. If your Google Ads account is struggling, oftentimes you can improve perform through landing page testing. It is the landing page the ultimately makes the first “close” (getting someone to contact your roofing company). It is what compels people to take action after they click on your ad.

Use landing pages specific to each roofing service

Are you running search ads for roof repair? Make sure you send traffic to a landing page about roof repair. Running ads for roof installations? Same thing. Don’t run all of your paid traffic to the homepage or a single landing page. Doing so can greatly hamstring your campaigns and keep you from generating more leads. Landing page relevance is key. Make sure each landing page aligns with your specific roofing service.

Link Google Ads to your Google Business Profile

This is a great way to expand the reach of your Google Ads campaigns. When someone performs a local search such as ‘roofers near me’, Google will show the Local Pack in the search results. This is a list of a few businesses accompanied by Google Maps. See the example below.

These are typically organic results. However, Google will show ads in these Local Packs. These ads are driven by Google Ads. In order to get your business to show ad in these Local Packs, you have to connect your Google Ads account to your Google Business Profile.  This is often overlooked by Google Ads campaign managers. 

Common Google Ads Mistakes Roofing Companies Should Avoid

Well, isn’t this a question for the ages! As someone who’s been navigating the labyrinthine corridors of Google Ads for years, I can tell you that yes, there are but with these strategies, you’re well-equipped to climb to the top. Remember, it’s all about reaching the that roofing companies should steer clear of when using Google Ads. And because I’m feeling particularly generous today, I’ll share a few of these ‘gotchas’ with you.

1. Ignoring local searches 

One of the most common mistakes roofing companies make when using Google Ads is ignoring the power of local searches. You’re not selling online courses or downloadable software. You’re offering a service that’s tied to a physical location, and you need to make sure your ads reflect that. “Roofing services” is a good start, but “roofing services in Springfield” is even better. So, don’t forget to include your location in your keywords and ads. 

2. Poor keyword selection 

Another common mistake is poor keyword selection. Using overly broad or irrelevant keywords can lead to wasted ad spend and disappointing results. If you’re a roofer, you don’t want your ads showing up for searches like “how to DIY roof repair” or “cheap roofing materials”. Remember, quality over quantity applies to keywords too. Make sure your keywords are relevant, specific, and align with the services you offer. 

3. Neglecting ad extensions 

Ad Extensions are like the secret sauce of Google Ads. They allow you to add more information to your ads, like your phone number, business address, or additional links to your site. But many roofers neglect this powerful tool. So, do yourself a favor. Don’t be that roofer. Make use of ad extensions to enhance your ads and make them more attractive to potential clients. 

4. Forgetting about mobile users 

Let’s face it, we live in a mobile-first world. Most of your potential customers will likely find you while scrolling on their smartphones. If your ads and website aren’t optimized for mobile users, you’re waving goodbye to a hefty chunk of your market. So, ensure your website is mobile-friendly and that your ads look great regardless of screen size. 

So, there you have it. Don’t ignore your local searches, choose your keywords wisely, make use of ad extensions and never forget about mobile users. Avoiding these common mistakes will give you a leg up in the Google Ads game. 

The Wrap Up

If you read all of that, then you are crazy! I’m kidding!  Sort of. 

This article is was well over 4,ooo words and some if it may not pertain to you. I don’t know if you are looking for a good resource to teach you how to run Google Ads for your roofing business or if you need someone to run Google Ads for you. We can do that for you, BTW. Just sayin’.

Thus, I stuffed this article with enough information to hopefully satisfy both audiences. If you want to give it a go on your own, then there are some good tidbits in this article for you. If you would rather have a highly successful professional with proven experience who can increase your sales do it for you….. then, reach out. I’m ready to have a chat with you.