Blog

Aug '21

Does Roofing Company Business Age Matter?

A roofing company’s business age matters for several reasons. First, companies that have sustained success for a period of 5+ years have developed business processes that work well enough to keep them in business.

Secondly, consumers largely gravitate towards established roofing companies compared to new ones. In addition, digital platforms like Google are making it easier for users to distinguish which companies have tenure with “years in business” labels on Google Business Profiles.

Key Takeaway

Roofing businesses with 5+ years of experience have developed sustainable business practices and can more easily sell services because of accumulated trust.

How Long Do Roofing Companies Stay in Business?

The average roofing company only stays in business for four years. As a consumer, this may not seem important to you, but it is just as important to you as it is to anyone considering becoming a roofing contractor. That’s because experience matters when it comes to choosing a roofing contractor.

Whether you are a contractor, prospective contractor, or consumer, you should be concerned with the question: how long do roofing companies stay in business?

After all, when you look up roofers in your area on Google, you are guaranteed to have no shortage of choices. However, the sheer volume of roofing companies currently in operation in any given city in the United States belies the average lifespan of companies in this industry.

Google Business Profile Shows a “Years in Business” Label for Roofing Companies

Why Roofing Business Age Matters

Tenure impacts business success for several reasons that concern both the consumer and the contractor. In the following post, Roofer’s Guild will show you why.

If you are a roofing contractor with the ambition to make it past that elusive 4-year mark, we can help.

Pricing

In one way or another, it all boils down to experience. However, this point has to do more with how a new contracting company prices jobs.

Many people don’t realize that roofing has a slow season in most regions of the United States. A seasoned roofer will know how to price jobs so that their company makes it through those quiet months.

A newer contractor may offer lower prices for a roofing job, but that may only be because they haven’t been around long enough to know that they need to retain enough earnings to carry them through the slow season.

You may still be wondering why this matters as a consumer. For example, let’s say you hire a roofer in the summer to build your new roof.

The company has been in business for a couple of years and just gave you the lowest bid. Now, let’s say a problem with your roof arises in the following January.

Unless the roofer you hired was wise beyond their years, they might not even be in business anymore. The fact is that many new roofing companies fail during the slow season because they didn’t price jobs prudently.

The warranty you got from your roofer in the summer will mean nothing if the business doesn’t last past the winter. You will be left high and dry – or, in the case of a leaking roof in the winter, high and wet.

Notierity

Being an experienced roofer is essential. More specifically, however, you need experience with your local market. Not every region of the country deals with the same kinds of roofing problems as others.

For instance, some of the most common roofing problems entail intense UV rays deteriorating roof shingles.

While on the other side of the country, the most common problems are hail storm damage in Florida. Where a roofer’s experience is vital to the contractor and the consumer.

A roofing company may have been in business for 20+ years but has only been operating in your local area for one or two years. If they lack the expertise to address your problems, it may be a regional ignorance.

On the other hand, as a contractor, your foray into a new market may cost your company if you don’t have specialized experience.

As a consumer, you have to ask how long the company has been in business, but how long they have been in business in your area.

As a contractor, you must carefully consider the pros and cons of entering a new market. Hiring local roofers could be a way to negate this danger, however.

Performance

Last but certainly not least, it matters how long a roofing company has been in business because it speaks volumes about the quality of its work.

Think about it: would you hire a company that has been in business for 50 years or 15 years to build your roof?

Experience matters because the longer you’ve been in business, the more consumers will perceive your company as one of quality.

Longevity speaks to a commitment to quality roofing work, good customer service, and responsibility. However, building trust and credibility takes years to establish.

That’s not to say that there aren’t any good and new roofing companies. On the contrary, the roofers, who are now considered 50-year veterans, started in year one, just like the latest contractors on the market. Still, a lack of experience requires the consumer to take a more considerable risk.

Marketing

Experience can matter from a digital marketing standpoint, too. For example, it can be challenging for new companies to get enough online reviews for customers to feel comfortable pursuing their services.

Online reviews go hand-in-hand with consumer trust. Most consumers read a six to ten reviews before deciding which product or service they should use.

Unfortunately, the fact is that newer roofing companies may not be able to get enough reviews to sway first-time customers.

Stay in Business Longer With Roofer’s Guild

If we have impressed anything upon you in this post, we hope this simple sentiment is that experience matters!

Here at Roofer’s Guild, we have vast digital marketing experience in the specific market of roofing. How long do roofing companies stay in business?

The answer to that could be the difference between an effective and ineffective digital marketing strategy.

Aug '21

4 Ways to Get More Roofing Leads in Austin, TX (2024 Update)

Getting roofing leads in Austin, Texas, can be challenging if you don’t understand how marketing works.

For example, roofers that buy leads from HomeAdvisor or other 3rd party platforms keep themselves in the gig economy without a measurable way to scale their roofing company.

The roofing industry has shrunk by 2.6% heading into 2024 so far. As a result, many companies compete for roofing clients in Austin, TX.

However, the companies that increase yearly revenue produce their own lead generation system rather than relying on other brands.

So, you probably wonder how the top roofers get leads. While industry growth continues upward, smaller companies find it harder to get roofing leads in Austin. That’s why we want to offer all the Austin roofers out there an updated list of roofing lead generation tips.

If you would like to work with a marketing expert to get more roofing leads in Austin, don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at Roofer’s Guild and check out these 11 methods to get more roof leads in 2024.

1) Content Marketing

Content marketing is still one of the hottest tips for generating roofing leads in Austin for 2024. Why? Because people would rather hear about your company through an informative blog post than a paid advertisement.

The bottom line is that people are leery of advertisements. While ads still have their place in the lead generation process, more emphasis should be on generating organic traffic through value-rich blogs, videos, and social media posts.

Start one now if you don’t already have a roofing blog that offers helpful information about roofing to your readers. If you have not invested in making high-quality videos that teach the viewer a thing or two about roofing, give it a try.

Remember that the goal is to compose compelling content that engages readers and provides valuable information and resources.

Content Marketing Helps Brand Your Roofing Business

2) Lead Magnets

Lead magnets can take different forms, but the goal is to get people to provide you with valuable contact information to remarket them later. Some examples of lead magnets include:

White Papers: White papers can be case studies that go over some aspects of roofing in detail. They are educational write-ups that you can offer in exchange for contact information.
Webinars: Think of one of the most common roofing problems that people have in Austin. Compose a short educational speech on the topic and promote it as a webinar on your website and social media outlets. You can offer access to the webinar in exchange for contact information. You can also include a Q&A portion where the people who join can ask questions.
Promotions: Offer special promotions on roofing services in exchange for people signing up for your newsletter or email list.

Lead magnets are beneficial if you emphasize email marketing in your digital marketing campaign. They can help you get a good list of contacts who may be ready to make a purchase.

Still, lead magnets can get you the precious contact info you need, whether your marketing efforts are digital or analog.

Lead magnets compel website visitors to submit their contact information, thus entering your roofing sales funnel. Conversion rates increase substantially once the individual submits their info.

Lead magnets attract top-of-the-funnel consumers by exchanging a value proposition for contact information.

3) Retargeting Ads

Retargeting ads are emerging as one of the most effective lead generation tactics for 2024. A retargeting ad will display a specific ad based on how someone has interacted with your website in the past.

For example, let’s say someone visited your website’s “shingle replacement” page but didn’t schedule an estimate or complete a sale.

The service provider will display your shingle replacement ad to visitors on other websites with retargeting ads.

Retargeting ads essentially remind consumers that they are interested in a product or service. But, more importantly, they are very effective.

One study showed that retargeting ads are about ten times more effective than regular display ads. While regular display ads earn a click about 0.07% of the time, retargeting ads get clicked on 0.7% of the time. Therefore, the more clicks your ad gets, the more leads will come to your website.

Retargeting ads are effective because rather than showing consumers a random advertisement that they might have zero interest in, retargeting ads show people ads about things that they have shown interest in previously.

Remarketing produces higher conversion rates than typical first-time advertising since the user is already familiar with your brand and has demonstrated some level of interest in your services.

Users with previous exposure to your roofing brand are more likely to engage with an ad on social media platforms.

4) Brand Authority

When marketers talk about building a brand, it usually sounds like BS. But the reality is that the most successful roofing companies in Austin, TX, feature an established brand.

You can build your brand by investing in a high-quality business website and on-page SEO. You should also invest in reputation management on your Google Business Profile.

Brand authority increases visibility because Google ranks larger brands, and other websites link to authoritative companies.

However, the true power of brand authority manifests through conversion rate. When they trust the company’s brand, consumers are far more likely to buy roofing services in Austin, TX.

While part of branding is your company name and logo, much of it comes down to marketing. Of course, performing excellent services accelerates your branding process, but you still need to showcase your work.

If nobody knows about your roofing jobs, there’s no way to cash in on your successful performances.

More Roofing Leads in Austin

All the tips mentioned above are things you can do right now. However, if you really want to maximize the lead-generating potential of your roofing business, you have to work with the experts.

Here at Roofer’s Guild, we can establish a steady flow of quality leads for your business.

Learn more about SEO for roofers and marketing tactics that help create a steady stream of prospects with great potential to become repeat customers.

Our team constantly studies the most effective methods to grow your business.

Aug '21

The 4 Best Roofing Books of 2024 (with Descriptions)

Are you looking for the best roofing books for 2024? At Roofer’s Guild, we don’t blame you for seeking knowledge. After all, you are dealing with the first line of defense for your customer’s homes.

So, while nothing can replace hands-on training, it never hurts to supplement your roofing knowledge with a bit of at-home reading.

Our team rounded up some of the best roofing books for contractors (and even some for non-roofing contractors) in 2024. The books in our list run the gamut from specific job guides to supplemental roofing education.

Table of Contents

1) The Calm After the Storm by Daniel Koren

In 2020, 4,611 major hail storms were reported in the United States. Severe storms are one of the leading causes of damage to any roof type.

As a contractor, you should know all about roof storm damage. In The Calm After the Storm by Daniel Koren, you will learn about the damage various storms (particularly hail storms) can do to roofs.

Your customers may also look to you for help with the insurance claims process. The Calm After the Storm tops our list of the best roofing books because it details the insurance claims process – one of the most problematic and common concerns for homeowners.

2) Siding, Roofing, and Trim

If you are a roofing contractor, you probably don’t need a book to tell you how to replace or install a roof. However, you may want to branch out into other services to earn more money and expand your business. Siding, Roofing, and Trim by the editors of Fine Homebuilding is a book that can help.

In it, you will learn the basics of how the roofing system affects a home’s exterior. More importantly, you can learn the basics of replacing and installing, you guessed it, siding and trim. Even a section dedicated to painting tips would be an excellent book for anyone looking to expand their repertoire of services.

However, one of the best things about Siding, Roofing, and Trim is that it was written: “by pros for pros.” There is no baby talk in this book.

You will need to have some contractor experience already to get the most value from this book, but if you are looking to add more services to your menu, chances are you are a reasonably seasoned contractor.

3) Roofing with Asphalt Shingles

An estimated 75% of houses in the U.S. have asphalt shingle roofing installed. Of course, as a roofing contractor, you likely have a lot of experience with asphalt shingles. Still, everyone could use some help to produce the tightest, most amicable, and most secure asphalt shingle roofs.

That’s why we chose Roofing with Asphalt Shingles as #3 on our list of the best roofing books. It’s essentially a masterclass in asphalt shingle roofing. But, of course, you can skip all the basics of installation. Roofing with Asphalt Shingles offers advanced tips for installing asphalt shingles, though.

There are chapters dedicated to installing the longest-lasting asphalt shingle roofs and producing aesthetically pleasing ones. Plus, you get a primer on how to estimate asphalt shingle roof jobs and order materials accurately.

This book’s value is not that it will show you how to replace shingles but that it will teach you to become a master at one of the most common types of roofing work in the industry.

4) Roofing, Flashing, and Waterproofing

Another great read by the editors of Fine Homebuilding, Roofing, Flashing, and Waterproofing provides an in-depth guide on protecting roofs from one of Mother Nature’s most damaging elements: water.

Again, we like this book because it was written by pros, so even if you’re a seasoned roofing contractor, you’ll be able to get a lot of value out of Roofing, Flashing, and Waterproofing.

For even more resources like digital marketing for roofing and roofing leads, get in touch with the pros here at Roofer’s Guild. We can help you expand your business, so contact us today.

Jul '21

How Much Does a Roofer Charge Per Hour? (State by State)

When considering how much roofers charge per hour, it’s vital to differentiate salary from cost. As a consumer, you will pay a higher hourly rate than laborers earn from their employers to perform the work.

The average roofing salary by state is widely available to the public (though the numbers vary depending on the source).

In contrast, hourly rates for consumers are nearly impossible to approximate by location since each company itemizes its jobs differently.

Key Takeaway

The national hourly rate for roofing labor is around $75. However, rates can vary by location, with a low end of around $44 per hour and a high end of around $130 per hour.

The roofing industry has declined over the last five years, including by -0.3% last year.

Still, the industry’s $75.9bn revenue makes a career in roofing a tempting prospect for many people.

Researching the average hourly rates for roofing contractors is helpful whether you are a youngster trying to map out a career path, looking to change your career, or a consumer who will require roofing services.

What Impacts How Much Roofers Charge?

If you are a consumer in need of roofing services, your invoice will reflect many different factors.

It’s not just about how much a roofer charges per hour; it’s also about the availability of materials, the complexity of the work, the type of roof you have, and more.

Here are some of the factors that could affect pricing:

Job Scope: Roofing jobs can range from repairs to full replacements with vastly different costs.

Property: A commercial roofing job typically costs way more per hour than a residential project.

Geographic Location: If you are in an area where supplies are scarce or need to be transported far, your invoice could be high.

Job Danger: Did you know that around 50 roofers die on the job each year in the U.S.? Roofing is among the most hazardous trades; contractors usually factor this into their pricing scale.

Materials: The price will also depend on the type of roofing material you choose. Asphalt shingles are among the cheapest materials, while slate and cedar shakes tend to be the most expensive.

Hourly Roofing Salary by State

The following figures are based on estimated and average salary calculations for roofing employees in each state, not the actual cost of hiring a roofing contractor.

Roofing companies charge significantly more than these hourly estimates to cover equipment, insurance, materials, etc.

Consequently, the third column provides an estimated consumer charge range to provide more context on how much you can expect to pay.

The following salary data helps provide context for local roofing prices.

State	Estimated Hourly Salary	Estimated Consumer Charge Range
South Dakota	$40.66	$89–$130
Virginia	$37.47	$82–$119
Kansas	$36.76	$80–$117
Maine	$35.84	$78–$114
New Hampshire	$34.41	$75–$110
Idaho	$34.24	$75–$109
Indiana	$34.08	$74–$109
Michigan	$33.40	$73–$106
Iowa	$32.37	$71–$103
Montana	$32.26	$70–$103
Louisiana	$31.93	$70–$102
Rhode Island	$31.33	$68–$100
New York	$30.23	$66–$96
Illinois	$29.84	$65–$95
Alaska	$28.57	$62–$91
California	$28.54	$62–$91
New Jersey	$28.49	$62–$91
Oregon	$28.42	$62–$90
Hawaii	$28.13	$61–$90
Minnesota	$27.74	$61–$88
Washington	$27.61	$60–$88
Georgia	$27.49	$60–$87
Vermont	$27.39	$60–$87
West Virginia	$27.34	$60–$87
Arizona	$27.13	$59–$86
Florida	$27.00	$59–$86
Texas	$26.87	$59–$85
Pennsylvania	$26.80	$58–$85
Colorado	$26.53	$58–$84
North Carolina	$26.21	$57–$83
Connecticut	$26.15	$57–$83
Massachusetts	$25.60	$56–$81
Wyoming	$25.54	$56–$81
Wisconsin	$25.43	$55–$81
Utah	$25.24	$55–$80
Alabama	$24.66	$54–$78
New Mexico	$24.45	$53–$78
Nevada	$24.12	$53–$77
Maryland	$24.12	$53–$77
Nebraska	$24.05	$52–$76
Ohio	$23.71	$52–$75
Tennessee	$23.44	$51–$75
Delaware	$23.17	$50–$74
Mississippi	$22.73	$50–$72
South Carolina	$22.00	$48–$70
Missouri	$21.76	$47–$69
Arkansas	$21.66	$47–$69
Kentucky	$21.36	$46–$68
Oklahoma	$20.64	$45–$66
North Dakota	$20.27	$44–$64

Final Thoughts

In an age where consumers seek clear and concrete answers to complex questions, presenting nuanced explanations may frustrate some.

It is important to understand that a roofer’s hourly wage depends on many factors, many of which differ by the service provider’s precise zip code.

So, while estimating a roofer’s hourly rate is not definitive, the national hourly rate for roofing labor is about $75, but the consumer charge range can span from $44 to $130.

Jul '21

How To Get (Exclusive) Roofing Leads on Facebook in 2024

I was just talking to Jimmy, a roofing friend of mine, when he asked about how to get roofing leads on Facebook.

I wasn’t surprised by the question because of Facebook’s popularity and the buzz surrounding its advertising campaigns.

While Facebook Ads are undoubtedly effective for some roofing companies, others fail to match the success of their competitors.

Most of the time, the difference in performance stems from a lack of clarity on how to target ideal customers for a local roofing company.

As a proud member of Roofer’s Guild, I help our roofing community reach more customers through marketing and advertising, including Facebook Ads.

You Can Get Roofing Leads on Facebook Through Paid Advertising That Properly Targets Ideal Roofing Customers Within Your Service Area.

Table of Contents

Generating Roofing Leads With Facebook Lead Ads

The primary method to generate leads for your roofing company on Facebook is through paid advertising and, more specifically, “Lead Ads.”

Although you can post organic (free) content on your Facebook Business Page, it will not reach enough people to generate significant leads.

As a result, you must create a Lead ad through the Ads Manager in your Meta Business Suite.

Getting Started

Open Meta Business Suite and select Ads Manager.

Next, click on the +Create button and select “Leads” as the campaign objective.

Add campaign details and set a budget.

Conversion Location

Choose “Instant Forms” so users can auto-fill and submit their Facebook info through the platform’s native lead form.

Budget and Schedule

Set your recommended daily budget between $10 and $15 to start (you will monitor this going forward).

Your ad should run for at least seven days so that the Facebook algorithm can capture its data.

You don’t have to set an end date if you plan to closely monitor performance daily.

However, if you are unsure when you will log back into your account, make sure to set an end date.

Screenshot of Facebook Lead Ads Screen for Budget and Schedule

Audience

You must create a new audience if your account does not already have an existing audience.

Set your location to your service area(s).

Set the age range from 35-65.

Ad format

Choose between a carousel display or a single image (or video).

Insert your chosen media, headline, description, and CTA (call to action).

Select a destination (which, in this case, will be instant form).

Publish Your Ad

Finally, select “publish” so your roofing lead ad goes live.

Why Facebook Roofing Leads Are Popular

Facebook has been a staple in social media marketing for over two decades. However, the platform has recently become renowned for roofing lead generation, primarily through Facebook Lead Ads.

Many contractors view Facebook as a superior alternative to Google Ads because of its higher conversion rates.

Also, contact info captured through Facebook is in the category of exclusive roofing leads, as the customers are directly interacting with your company brand rather than a 3rd party (like a lead seller)

Below are some of the reasons why Facebook leads are becoming increasingly popular for roofers:

Sheer Volume: Facebook is still one of the most dominant social media platforms in existence, for starters. The website boasts over 2 billion monthly users.
The Right Audience: You don’t want to target too young people to own their own homes. The average U.S. Facebook user is 40 years old – the perfect age for homeowners. Conversely, fewer than 10% of people on Facebook are under the age of 18.
Constant Traffic: Of the 69% of American adults who use Facebook, 74% check the site daily. It’s like having an endless parade of cars drive by the company sign you planted in a customer’s yard.

Based on these numbers alone, Facebook cannot be overlooked for roofing leads.

Facebook Marketing To Get Roofing Leads

Paid advertising is the most effective way to generate roofing leads on Facebook.

However, organic Facebook Marketing can help maximize advertising conversions and strengthen your company brand.

For example, accumulating “likes” on your Facebook Business Page allows you to refine your source audience when targeting users through paid advertising.

As a result, it’s vital to optimize your business page to attract the right kinds of followers.

The right style will be the one that resonates with your target audience.

Check out some of the ways to achieve this below:

Share Informative Content on Facebook

Your organic content should not be as sales-oriented as your advertisements.

Instead, it would be best if you used your page to:

Educate people on roofing and roofing services.
Connect with your community.
Increase traffic to your website.
Highlight staff, employees, and events.

One of the most effective ways to generate leads with Facebook is to offer valuable posts that teach your followers something they didn’t know about roofing.

You can also connect with them by introducing yourself and your team to them through stories and videos.

Remember to include a link to your website in all of your Facebook posts.

Brand Your Roofing Company Through Facebook

Another great way to maximize your Facebook Business Page is with consistent branding.

Make sure you use your company’s logo as your Facebook avatar.

Your Facebook profile name should be your business name (or as close as possible if it’s already taken).

That way, when people see your logo on a service vehicle in real life, they connect the brand with the Facebook account they interacted with online.

Why is that important? Because people tend to trust brands that they recognize. The numbers don’t lie, either.

Studies have shown that consistent branding alone can increase revenue by 23%.

The uptick indicates that people buy more services because of brand recognition.

So, you must consistently utilize your logo, slogan, company name, fonts, and even company colors both online and in real life.

Publish Roofing Videos on Facebook

Facebook video is the most compelling way to receive organic engagement from followers.

People spend 100 million hours watching videos on Facebook every day.

Therefore, creating video posts for Facebook is a vast opportunity to generate leads for your roofing business.

The good news is that creating videos is easier than ever with online video editors like Veed and Canva.

Here are some value-oriented Facebook video ideas:

Roofing Maintenance How-To’s: Simple “how-to” videos can get many impressions and create traffic. Consider a video that shows people how to clean their gutters safely or something else along that line.
Winter Tips: Many people are concerned with how their roofs will hold up during the winter, so try creating a video outlining tips for roof winterization.
Before and After Videos: Nothing shows people what you can like a good before and after video. Document a damaged roof with a video and a story on how the roof got damaged. Then, connect that with video footage of the repaired roof with a brief explanation of the work that went into it.

Next Steps to Generate Roofing Leads on Facebook

Your next steps depend on the maturity of your roofing company in the digital marketplace.

For example, you can start running lead ads immediately if you already have a Facebook Business Page.

If your company does not yet have an account, you must create a business account in Meta Business Manager.

For assistance with creating effective Facebook Lead Ads, contact Roofer’s Guild today.

Jun '21

8 Most Common Silicone Roof Coating Problems

Although silicone roof coatings are a smart choice for many reasons, silicone roofing problems are quite common.

On the bright side, silicone coatings possess very high solids content, so they don’t necessarily have to be applied in multiple layers to provide adequate protection.

This saves time and money, and even more so when they do not require a primer (which is often true).

Many commercial buildings have silicone coatings protecting their roofs for these and other reasons. However, silicone roof coatings are not perfect—no type of roof coating is. They have inherent flaws.

As a contractor, property manager, or business owner, you should be aware of how silicone roof coatings can fail and thoroughly understand their most common problems.

Common Silicone Roofing Problems

Incompatibility With Other Materials

Adverse to Foot Traffic

Compromised Reflectivity

Limited to Flat Roofs

Shorter Warranties

Vulnerability to tearing

More Expensive

Difficult installation

Below, Roofer’s Guild outlines eight silicone roofing problems to consider:

1) Not All Roof Materials Adhere to Silicone

When it comes to selecting the best roof coating, you must consider your circumstances. Right off the bat, this could be a big problem. Not all existing roof materials will adhere to silicone.

A lack of adhesion means you must remove the entire surface or opt for materials that will stick to silicone. Investing in adhesive materials can drive up your installation costs.

2) Not The Best for Heavy Foot Traffic

An ideal candidate for silicone roof coating is a roof that will not see much foot traffic. There are a couple of problems that can arise if a silicone roof coating is applied to a roof that gets a lot of foot traffic:

Silicone becomes more slippery than other roof coatings when it gets wet, presenting a safety hazard for people on your roof.

Frequent foot traffic can damage silicone, reducing its projected lifespan.

Foot traffic may not be an issue if your building’s roof rarely receives visitors. However, if you frequently need roof-top HVAC maintenance, have people working on skylights, or your roof requires a lot of care, this may be a problem.

3) Compromised Reflectivity

One of the main advantages of installing a silicone roof coating is that it can reflect a lot of UV light, saving you money on cooling costs.

However, this is not an infallible advantage. Silicone roof coatings attract dirt and dust more than other materials. Dirt and other build-ups will compromise its reflectivity and negate energy savings.

While investing in regular roof cleanings can negate many of these concerns, doing so adds more maintenance to your property.

4) Limited to Flat Roofs

A silicone roof coating will not work very well on pitched roofs. Very few homeowners are clamoring to install a silicone roof coating on their houses, but not all commercial roofs are flat.

Silicone will not hold up or perform as well as other roof coating systems if you have a pitched commercial roof.

5) Shorter Warranties

While some other types of roof coatings typically come with warranties that last up to 25 years, the warranty you are likely to get from a silicone roof coating is significantly shorter.

You can usually expect a warranty period of only ten years. While some manufacturers/contractors may offer you 15-year warranties for silicone roof coatings, you can also expect to pay more for them.

6) Prone to Tearing

Silicone roof coatings are inherently prone to tearing. They are not as durable as some other roof coatings and should not be installed in areas where hail, foot traffic, and abrasion are common.

Hail and debris whipped up by the wind could tear the coating and expose the substrate. When a tear occurs, the entire coating can become compromised.

Tears can occur in many ways, including hailstones, heavy tools hitting the surface, pest infestations, falling debris from trees, and more.

7) More Expensive

One of the most unattractive silicone roof coating problems is that it is typically more expensive to install than other materials.

For example, installing a silicone roof coating costs around $2 to $3.50 per square foot. On the other hand, the average price to install an acrylic roof coating is only about fifty cents to a dollar per square foot.

Silicone roof coatings are also more expensive than other coating options because they require more cleaning and are more prone to tears.

When it comes time to replace your silicone roof coating, you are likely to pay more because, depending on the replacement materials, the entire surface may have to be removed.

8) Difficult to Install

Many roofers dislike working with silicone because it is messy and difficult to apply correctly. As a result, most contractors offering silicone coating installation have undergone special training, which will again drive up the installation cost.

On the other hand, an inexperienced contractor installing a silicone roof coating could cause more problems. That’s because improperly installed silicone roof coatings can damage your roof.

Making Sense of Silicone Roofing Problems

Vetting the problems of any roofing material will yield concerns. The goal is not to dissuade you from choosing silicone as your next roofing material but to equip you with the knowledge to make a more informed decision.

While we’ve clearly outlined potential problems with this popular material, it’s worth noting that its popularity is based on many positive attributes.

Ultimately, your choice of silicone roofing will likely be positive for your property.

Nevertheless, gaining awareness of silicone roofing problems is essential before investing time and money.

Jun '21

How To Generate Exclusive Metal Roofing Leads

Niching down your roofing company to a specialized service offering like metal roofing is a great way to differentiate your business from local competitors.

However, when restricting yourself to a specific segment of the marketplace, it’s important to create a process for acquiring customers that fit this bill.

Key Takeaway

Roofers focusing on metal roof repair, installation, and maintenance must establish a reliable method to generate metal roofing leads.

As one of the most trusted resources for roofing contractors across the United States, Roofer’s Guild knows first-hand what it takes to create an effective lead generation system.

Our system uses various marketing strategies to produce exclusive metal roof leads. We share those with you below:

Components of a Metal Roofing Lead Generation System

Whoever you buy leads from uses a process to generate those leads. As a metal roofing contractor, you should ask yourself, how do I implement their strategy for my brand?

If you can successfully master this system, you won’t need lead brokers or sellers. Instead, you will intercept their leads at the source and cut them out of the financial loop.

Here’s how you do it:

Organic SEO

The best way to generate metal roof leads is through organic SEO. You can get leads when users type in terms like metal roofing near me or metal roofing services into Google.

The results are a combination of Google Ads, Google Maps, and organic search results. Your website can rank in the organic search results and garner regular clicks for related keywords.

In addition, optimizing your website helps you generate consistent leads.

Local SEO

Another great way for roofers to get metal leads is to rank in Google’s Local Map 3-Pack. You achieve this by optimizing your Google My Business listing and generating customer reviews.

As you gain more reviews and optimize your profile, you begin satisfying the three local ranking factors: relevance, prominence, and proximity.

In addition to helping your GMB profile rank on the Map 3-Pack, reviews also help you convert potential customers. Using local SEO software to automate review requests can make a big difference.

Google Ads (Pay-Per-Click)

Running PPC ads is another way to get roofing leads for your local company. You can bid on groups of keywords relating to metal roofing, both commercial and residential.

While Google Ads yields fast leads, it does cost more than SEO to implement and sustain. In contrast to SEO, PPC ads cost money every time users click on an ad, whether they convert or not.

Still, PPC can be a beneficial factor when looking to generate metal roof leads.

Types of Metal Roofing Leads

There are several variations of metal roofing leads, each holding different values for roofing companies. For instance, shared leads hold lesser value because multiple companies get alerted of the prospect.

Conversely, exclusive roofing leads have greater value because only your company gains access to the prospective client. Of course, value is demonstrated in pricing, though there are ways to generate leads for free, as well.

Exclusive Leads

Exclusive leads give a single roofing company access to the future client. Exclusive leads convert better because of the lack of competition and the fact that the consumer demonstrated interest in your brand rather than a 3rd party platform.

You can buy exclusive leads from 3rd parties, but they will cost much more than shared leads from the same providers. However, you reserve the option to generate exclusive leads from your own branded efforts, which Roofer’s Guild can help you with.

Shared Leads

Shared leads are the worst type because they convert less than any other variation. Metal roofing companies should avoid shared leads if possible because they cause more trouble than they’re worth.

Furthermore, shared leads don’t help sustain your roofing business long-term. While getting some quick jobs might seem wise for startup companies, the reality is that those consumers will not seek you the next time they need work done.

In their mind, you are simply a contractor for the lead broker brand, whom they trust.

Free Leads

Free leads can be good or bad, depending on their nature. A lead given to you from a friend or relative is often hit or miss but can help your business. Referrals are one of the best ways to grow your roofing company long-term.

However, word-of-mouth leads also come with their downside. Some people aren’t serious about using your company, and others don’t understand the problems with their roofing system to begin with, making them less likely to invest in a serious project.

Never trust free leads advertised online since there’s almost always a catch. Of course, if you generate leads through your website, they are free, in a sense.

Guaranteed Leads

Guaranteed metal roofing leads are a myth. The only guarantee you can have is to speak with the customer, which doesn’t mean you service their home or property.

The reality is that having multiple lead generation platforms can help sustain your roofing business. However, as you know, there are no guarantees in the roofing business.

You can do your part by investing in the most appropriate lead sources and doing great work on your performance. Eventually, you won’t need any guarantees because your business will thrive in the market.

Long-Term Benefits of Metal Roofing Leads

Creating a lead generation system for metal roofing jobs is a gift that keeps on giving. When using the techniques described above, you will increase sales and revenue without investing more money.

The key to reaching your lead generation goals is to take the time and effort required to create an effective system.

Distancing yourself from 3rd-party lead sellers refocuses your efforts on your own brand and contributes to the long-term success of your business with consistent metal roofing leads.

May '21

The Roofing SEO Guide for Dallas, TX

Dallas roofers looking to invest in SEO should understand its principles before committing to an SEO agency or firm.

While SEO has proven to generate leads (68% of online experiences begin with a search engine), it only matters if your strategy results in your roofing company ranking in relevant, high-intent searches.

In the following post, Roofer’s Guild will explain how SEO in Dallas can work for roofing contractors and how to avoid common SEO mistakes.

The Principles of SEO

SEO for roofers is particularly active in the Dallas, TX marketplace, where competition is fierce for keywords such as roofing company dallas and roof repair dallas tx.

Modern SEO requires an investment in each component rather than taking shortcuts or putting all your eggs in one basket.

Let’s look at the principles of SEO for roofers:

Technical SEO

The foundation of SEO is technical optimization. Every website must meet search engine crawlability and indexing standards.

A good SEO company will crawl your website and fix any crawl errors, broken pages (404s), and untenable URL strings.

Additionally, technical SEO focuses on site speed, which has become more prevalent with Google’s Core Web Vitals. Think of technical SEO as the foundation for subsequent optimization.

On-Page SEO

On-page SEO is the insertion of title tags, meta descriptions, and URL slugs onto your web pages. It can also include keyword insertions into your page content along with relevant synonyms and related terms.

Roofing companies in Dallas need to create a page for each of their roofing services. Everything from residential roofing to slate tile roofing should be included (as long as you offer it).

Similarly, it would help if you crafted 100% unique location pages for every city in your service area (within a 25-30 mile radius).

Local SEO

Google uses an entirely different algorithm for Google Maps rankings, with the top 3 appearing in regular search results.

Most consumers will click one of the top 3 Google Maps results, especially when searching for terms like ‘roofing company near me’.

The Google Maps algorithm considers distance (proximity), relevance, and prominence, two of which you can influence by optimizing your Google Business Profile and the website URL attached to it.

To appear in these local packs, you need a Google Business Profile. Keep in mind that to rank for Dallas-related queries, your profile must be verified with a Dallas address.

Completing your profile and accumulating reviews improve relevance and prominence, while proximity is beyond your control (unless you decide to move your physical office location).

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)

ChatGPT users send 2.5 billion prompts per day, and Google has implemented Gemini into its search experience, including for Dallas-based queries.

There are also several other AI platforms that are being used regulalry includign Perplexity and Claude. The moral of the story is that Dallas roofing companies must now expand their SEO strategy to AI, which is called Answer Engine Optimization, or AEO.

Many of your SEO tasks will translate to AI visibility, but additional measures should also be taken, including optimizing for query-fan-outs, which are 7 or 8 subqueries that AI platforms break a user’s prompt into.

It’s also in your best interest to get listed in as many credible directories as possible, especially Yelp and Better Business Bureau, which often show up in branded searches for your roofing company.

AI platforms use those kinds of trustworthy platforms to look for consensus about your company and its customer reviews.

Content Writing

Roofers have all heard the term “content is king” in the context of SEO. While the phrase may be overstated, a website without content won’t rank well. Creating content for each of your services is a key to ranking in Dallas.

One thing to keep in mind is that the relationship of content to SEO has changed drastically. The emergence of ChatGPT, along with Google’s Helpful Content Update, has created a new set of guidelines for roofing companies crafting SEO-driven content.

Google’s stance is relatively clear: create content for people, not search engines. There has been an influx of roofing SEO agencies mass-producing content using ChatGPT and other AI content creation tools.

This behavior clearly violates Google’s latest guidelines and is not a worthwhile long-term investment for your business.

Content must demonstrate E-E-A-T (expertise, experience, authority, and trustworthiness) on your website to maximize rankings.

Link Building

The basis of ranking online is inbound links from 3rd party websites. Links serve as a vote of confidence, which Google uses to determine authority and trustworthiness.

Despite being a top-ranking factor, link building is also one of the most controversial SEO aspects and can get your website penalized if you aren’t careful. Purchasing links from 3rd-party websites or creating fake websites to link to your money site are black-hat SEO tactics.

Google’s algorithm is now more sophisticated and can filter through spam links algorithmically, which means those types of links no longer help you rank.

The best way to build natural links is to build your roofing brand through offline relationships and to create high-quality content.

The relevance of your backlinks determines how much they increase your rankings on search engines. As a Dallas roofing company, it’s important to get links from credible websites in the roofing industry and in the Dallas area.

For example, the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas would be a highly relevant resource for any roofing contractor in the Dallas area.

Getting The Most Out of Your SEO Campaign in Dallas

Dallas roofing companies can build a sustainable stream of high-quality, high-intent roofing leads through search engine optimization, but only if it is properly implemented.

A comprehensive SEO strategy covers all components: technical, on-page, local, AEO, content, and link building, which sets the stage for sustainable online visibility.

By educating yourself on the specifics of search engine optimization for your industry and location, you arm yourself with the knowledge and awareness to maximize your digital marketing success in Dallas.

May '21

The (2024) Guide to Exclusive Roofing Leads in Los Angeles

Let’s face it: most websites offering roofing leads are run by talentless hacks who try to manipulate local roofing contractors. The idea of buying a consistent stream of exclusive roofing leads in Los Angeles for $15 per lead is a pipe dream.

Don’t get us wrong, you can generate leads for $15 or less in L.A., but it requires an initial investment in your roofing company’s brand.

At Roofer’s Guild, we speak with local roofing companies daily to understand where their leads are coming from, their conversion rates, and outside variables that influence the lead generation process.

If you are a Los Angeles-area roofing contractor who is serious about creating a sustainable lead generation model for your business, this guide is for you.

However, if you are a short-sighted roofer who prefers to live in the gig economy, ignore your brand, and go bankrupt within a year, please exit this website, as it is not for you.

Benefits of Exclusive Roofing Leads in L.A.

As a roofing contractor, you might already know that exclusive leads are the best type available for your business. Leads with exclusivity guarantee that your roofing company gets direct contact from the prospect rather than competing with several other roofers in your area.

Aside from the obvious reasons, let’s take a look at why exclusive L.A. roofing leads help your business thrive:

Avoid Competition With Other Roofers (Unlike Shared Leads)
Increase Repeat Customers
Improve Brand Awareness
Improve Return on Investment (ROI)
Improve Reputation

Avoid Competition

Exclusive leads ensure your company avoids competition with other roofing companies in the area, which is the case with shared leads. As you might imagine, the initial focus on your roofing brand sets the stage for a better business relationship between you and the customer.

Increase Repeat Customers

Having set the stage for a good business relationship with the prospect, their chances of becoming a repeat customer increase.

When the customer needs future roofing services, they contact your company directly rather than going through a 3rd party lead vendor, which may result in them using a different service.

Improve Brand Awareness

Perhaps the most underrated aspect of lead exclusivity is its impact on your company’s brand and awareness. To grow your business over time, consumers must grow more familiar with your brand, logo, and mission statement.

By investing in exclusive leads, you build brand equity rather than paying lead brokers to develop their own brand.

Improve ROI

Exclusive leads are the best bang for your buck for many reasons we’ve mentioned. Shared leads guarantee a low ROI, while exclusive leads can only improve your return on investment. As your brand grows, your ROI will continue to increase in the long run.

Improve Reputation

Customers generated through exclusive leads are more likely to leave a review for your company on Google, Facebook, or another platform. This reputation boost helps you generate even more leads in the future, creating a snowball effect that stimulates the growth of your roofing business.

Best Way to Get Guaranteed Roofing Leads in Los Angeles

Simply put, SEO is the best way to generate leads in California. However, not just any SEO will make it happen. It would help if you approached SEO for roofers from a different angle than your competitors.

Most rely on highfalutin marketing agencies that use “tactics” to bring in leads through your website, Facebook and Google accounts, and PPC ads.

Here’s how you should use SEO to get quality roofing leads:

Google My Business (Optimized)
Custom WordPress Website
High-Quality Web Content
Branded Authority
Reputation Management
Schema JSON Data (The one factor most people ignore)

Google My Business

To get roofing leads from Google My Business, you must rank your listing in the top 3 on Google Maps. When consumers search for a roofing company or service from a local device, they see a pack of the three top results known as the Local Map Pack.

The pack comprises the three most appropriate listings based on proximity, relevance, and prominence. Like when Phil Jackson ran the triangle, you must satisfy this triangle of local ranking factors. To do so, you will need:

Automated Review Requests
An Effective GMB Company Name
A Strong Website Connected To Your GMB

Los Angeles Roofer Google Map-Pack Results (Screenshot)

Local map ranking factors include proximity, relevance, and prominence

Custom WordPress Website

While Google My Business is a powerful platform for lead generation, it works best when connected to a custom WordPress website with a top-level domain name. You should not use a “Google Business Site” as your main website. Instead, invest in an SEO-optimized WordPress website to boost your GMB.

Website Content

The emergence of ChatGPT has made content production a breeze, but it’s also resulted in some penalties for roofing websites. ChatGPT tends to hallucinate and may produce false or incoherent text that devalues the credibility of your website.

Make sure to fact-check, proofread, and edit your content before publishing on your website.

Branded Authority

Branded authority comes from off-site SEO signals like backlinks and citations. As a Los Angeles roofing company, you want to appear in various online directories with your company’s name, address, phone number, and a link to your website.

Sponsorships or partnerships with other L.A.-based companies also build authority. If you can secure a link on these companies’ official websites, that authority is reflected in the online ecosystem and helps your website rank higher on Google.

Reputation Management

Earning customer reviews, especially on Google, helps boost your online rankings. Your Google My Business listing will rank for more keywords (within the Map 3-Pack) as it accumulates more reviews.

You can use software tools to automate review requests to your customers through text and email. However, this should not replace asking in person but instead serve as a digital reminder.

Combining in-person requests with digital reminders can increase review frequency by 200%.

Schema JSON Data

You’ve likely heard about the previous suggestions, but Schema JSON Data is new and fresh to most roofing companies. It is one SEO factor that most local businesses ignore or do not understand.

Schema JSON Data essentially serves as “proof” that you completed a roofing job in a specific area. These signals are crawled by Google and relayed in a language made specifically for search engines.

When Google and other search engines can verify your work in a particular area, you earn credibility and what they call “E-E-A-T,” which stands for expertise, experience, authority, and trustworthiness.

The Best Type of Roofer Leads in Los Angeles

Southern California has homes with various roofing systems, allowing contractors to work on different types of materials. Depending on the system type, a lead or job may be worth more or less to a roofing contractor. The same goes for commercial roofing projects vs. residential ones.

Commercial roofing leads can bank a roofer even more than a residential variation. Let’s take a look at the best roofing types in L.A.:

Commercial Roofing Leads
Slate Roofing Leads
Metal Roofing Leads
EPDM Roofing Leads

Commercial Roofing Leads in Los Angeles

As mentioned, commercial roofing jobs are high-ticket projects that can significantly boost your revenue and long-term financial aspirations. As a result, getting commercial leads is a boon for most roofing companies.

You can produce commercial leads by optimizing your website and Google My Business listing for commercial roofing queries like TPO roofing, EPDM roofing, flat roof repair, and commercial roofing contractors.

Other Lead Types

Companies should follow the same process with other specific roofing types like slate, metal, and EPDM. The key is producing a website service page for each roof type. Google wants an entire page about these roofing systems rather than bullet points on the homepage.

Another pro tip to earn more of these specific lead types is to get customer reviews that mention the particular project. For example, if a commercial business owner specifically mentions “EPDM” roofing in their Google review, you will likely rank higher on Google Maps for EPDM queries.

Lead Generation Platforms in Los Angeles

We mentioned SEO as the best method to generate L.A. leads for roofers, which makes Google the #1 platform. You can get free leads from Google on the Map 3-Pack and regular organic results.

While Google is easily the top platform to get new customers for your Los Angeles roofing company, there are other platforms to pay attention to in the City of Angels.

Google
Facebook
Nextdoor
Southern California Roofing Contractor’s Association

How To Get a Consistent Lead Stream

Investing in your roofing company’s brand removes you from the gig economy and allows you to generate consistent roofing leads on the platforms above.

Many roofing companies fall into the trap of operating on a lead-to-lead basis. Unfortunately, there’s no way to scale your business using this mode. As a result, it’s essential to invest in your brand and its presence on the top online platforms.

Invest in Your Roofing Company Brand
Avoid “Buying Leads” and Operating in The Gig Economy
Think Long-Term and Focus on Your Online Reputation

Final Thoughts on Los Angeles Lead Generation

Removing your roofing company from the gig economy is the best way to generate consistent leads in Los Angeles. You can achieve this by creating a high-quality business website and investing in on-page SEO.

In addition, it’s vital to claim and optimize your Google My Business to show up on the local 3-pack for L.A.-based queries. Don’t forget to promote your Los Angeles roofing business on Facebook and Nextdoor. Finally, remember to join local roofing associations and network with businesses.

Apr '21

(Exclusive) Roofing Leads in Dallas, TX

Are you searching for roofing leads in Dallas, TX? Roofer’s Guild provides exclusive roofing leads in the Dallas, Texas, area, as the home of the Cowboys is a great place to do roofing work.

An unexpected hailstorm may hit various areas throughout Dallas and its surrounding metroplex. The good news is that Roofer’s Guild has a method to help Dallas roofers generate and maximize leads.

With so many commercial buildings throughout DFW, contractors will have both residential and commercial opportunities. Read below to learn more about lead generation from Roofer’s Guild.

Exclusive Dallas Roofing Leads

Dallas is one of the most competitive markets for roofing work. It’s also conducive to hailstorms, which instantaneously generate a high demand for roofing services. This combination increases the value of exclusive leads, which are those generated through your own business assets (usually SEO or paid ads).

By investing in a branded lead-generation process, you begin building a sustainable business model that protects you from “price wars,” dead leads, and disappointing ROI. Aside from the clear financial benefits, exclusive leads also lessen the headache of traditional lead-gen platforms.

You won’t fight competitors for the same customer, since these prospects have shown direct interest in your services. Also, exclusive leads produce long-term outcomes, such as getting a customer review on your Google Business Profile, boosting its prominence, and generating more future leads.

Lead Source	What It Costs to Start	Cost Per Lead	How Many Close	Real Cost Per Job	Who Owns It
Shared Leads (Angi, Thumbtack)	$0 – $300	$25 – $85	5% – 10%	$500 – $1,200	Rented (Shared w/ 3+ roofers)
Google LSAs (Local Service Ads)	$0 (Gotta verify)	$75 – $160	15% – 25%	$450 – $800	Rented (You get the call)
Google Ads (Traditional PPC)	$1,500+	$150 – $350	10% – 15%	$1,500 – $3,000	Rented (Pay every click)
Your Own Website (SEO/Google Rankings)	$1,500 – $5,000	$10 – $45*	30% – 50%	$40 – $150	Owned (They found YOU)

* Once your site is ranking, ongoing cost per lead drops significantly

3 Tips for Better Roofing Lead Generation in Dallas

Local Marketing Generates Leads

Roofers grow their business by generating local leads through marketing investments. While the marketing costs money, the leads are free when they come from organic SEO, Google Maps, or AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Gemini.

Local Service Ads (LSA) are also a marketing channel through which Dallas roofing companies can generate leads. However, LSA uses a pay-per-lead model and requires a background check before your business is eligible to run ads.

Leads Become Reviews

The lead generation process can be cyclical for your roofing business. For example, you start generating leads, and those people become customers. From there, they leave reviews on your Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Facebook pages.

Reviews build trust with future prospects and can also increase search engine visibility. The next prospect who comes along sees those reviews and decides to use your services. With this cycle in mind, generating high-quality leads can pay off significantly over time.

Branding Improves Lead Quality

Consumers base their purchasing decisions on trust and authority, and your roofing company’s brand should establish both qualities to get the best leads.

Some ways to brand your roofing company include investing in a website, updating your logo, and generating reviews on your Google Business Profile and Facebook Business Page.

It also helps to create video content and post it on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook to encourage people to engage with your business.

Leads To Look for in Dallas, TX

What Kinds of Roofs Are Most Common in Dallas?

Asphalt shingle roofs are most common in Dallas, followed by metal roofs. You will also encounter synthetic tile roofs, concrete tile roofs, flat roofs, TPO roofs, and Class 4 roofing systems.

Each roof type offers opportunities for lead generation through repairs, replacements, and restorations.

Seasonal Roofing Opportunities in Dallas, TX

Typically, March through June is the peak season for roofers in Dallas. This is the period when tornadoes and hailstorms are most common, resulting in a high demand for roofing repairs and replacements.

The fall season (September through November) is also active for roofing installations, as conditions are conducive to curing materials and allow contractors to work longer days.

Get More Exclusive Dallas Roofing Leads Today

Roofer’s Guild helps Dallas roofers generate more exclusive roofing leads through our proprietary lead-generation process. Our services include GuildMapz, a software tool that boosts online visibility and reputation for specific roofing services.

Reach out today to learn more about how you can generate roofing leads in Dallas, Texas.