Optimizing your Houston roofing company on Google is a tall task. With a population of 2.31 million, Houston represents one of the most competitive markets for roofers.
Implementing SEO for roofers requires consistency, patience, and precise tactics.
As an example, let’s research the keyword: roofing services houston.
As you can see, the keyword generates nearly 50 searches per month with a difficulty of 27.
The good news is that the keyword volume is lower than the number of people searching for the term each month. The bad news is that 27 is a severe difficulty for a local keyword.
So, how can you rank on the first page for this term and others like it?
Below, Roofer’s Guild outlines 5 SEO tips for Houston roofers.
1) Establish Regional Authority
Roofing companies think they can rank in every nearby service area by creating a page with the city name. Unfortunately, that strategy doesn’t work. However, if you establish regional authority, pages within the said region can and will rank on page one.
The secret to gaining authority is deep linking. First, you must create inbound links from authoritative local domains in the Houston area. For example, a Houston-based parts supplier linking to your website is a massive indicator of regional relevance. Get as many of these links as you can.
Secondly, craft your location page around local identifiers like landmarks, cultural vocabulary, and notable references. Finally, ask yourself the question, would a Houston resident feel like this page represents their needs?
2) Publish Social Proof
Google gets closer to imitating user responses each day. So, the best way to prove your relevance in Houston is to publish social proof highlighting your work. For example, verified reviews from customers in Houston should appear on your website and the appropriate pages.
In addition to publishing reviews, it would help if your website featured proof of your jobs in the Houston area. Different types of roofing software can help you automatically publish your field jobs on the corresponding pages.
Finally, be sure to include any local badges or awards your company received. Any local recognition will help build local authority for your business.
3) Hire a Local SEO Company
Does your existing SEO provider reside in Houston? How about the state of Texas? If neither is true, you might consider investing in a Texas-based digital marketing service.
Like anything else, regional marketers are better at marketing in your region. While national SEO providers might think they understand the Houston SEO landscape, specific nuances evade their frame of reference.
There are dozens of high-quality roofing SEO companies to consider when investing. Be sure to research their city and state to know which company best serves your local SEO needs.
4) Interlink Local Content
We touched on the importance of inbound links from locally relevant external domains, but don’t forget about internal links. For example, by writing several pages and posts about Houston, TX, roofing services and linking them to one another, you can establish regional authority internally.
One of the best ways to implement this content strategy is through blog posts. Your site should already have a roofing services page along with pages for subsets of roofing services, like tile roof repair.
To supplement those pages, write blog posts relating to Houston consumers. For example, 7 Common Roofing Problems for Houston Homeowners.
Once you publish several of these posts, make sure to link them to one another and your service page. As clusters of content showcase regional relevance, search engines begin to designate your site as an authority in that area.
5) Evaluate your Business Address
Many roofing companies fail to realize that their exact business address determines where they appear on Google Maps and Google Maps 3-Pack searches. Proximity is the #1 ranking factor for local Google My Business listings, and your specific map marker makes all the difference.
Ask yourself, are you located within the city lines or on the outskirts? Is your address in the middle of the city or right on the line to another city?
If you find your address unfavorable for local SEO, consider buying office space in a more convenient area and re-verifying your GMB address.
Some roofers list their Google listing as a service area business (SAB), which publicly hides the address. However, keep in mind that Google still uses the address for ranking purposes, whether it’s public or not.
Other SEO Factors to Consider for Roofers in Houston
While the tips above are the fastest way to get more local customers through SEO, many other factors will come into play. At Roofer’s Guild, we deal with SEO, digital marketing, and other promotional services all the time. Check out the other factors below:
Domain Name
Believe it or not, domain names still make a difference. For example, a domain with Houston in the exact text has a better chance of ranking than one without the city name. So, while you shouldn’t let a lack of the city name deter you from ranking, you should consider adding it if you buy a new domain.
A city name is unnecessary if you already have a domain with good age, authority, and brand recognition. However, if you are starting in the roofing business or your existing domain lacks the qualities below, consider purchasing a domain with Houston in the name.
Don’t go off buying a new domain just yet, as there are several factors to consider first.
- Domain Age: How old is your existing domain? (the older, the better)
- Domain Authority: What are your DA metrics? (Moz, Ahrefs)
- Brand Recognition: Does your domain include your brand?
Including “Houston” within the domain name creates an SEO advantage but is not a magic bullet.
Best-Of Lists
You have probably seen best-of lists on Yelp and other popular websites near the top of search results for local roofing terms. For instance, search for houston tx roofing company and notice the top five results are all lists from established domains.
Appearing on these lists helps your SEO in general and can get you extra business from referrals. The most effective way to appear on these lists is to generate as many reviews as possible from satisfied customers and spread them to different review platforms.
The other option is to publish a best-of list on your website. Depending on how strong your domain is, you might be able to rank for a list. Remember to mention competitors to establish topical relevance for a list-based article.
Appearing on best-of lists through 3rd party websites can also help you rank better on Google Maps.
Reputation Management
We touched on reviews when outlining how best-of lists influence local SEO. However, affecting best-of lists requires strong reputation management. You must have profiles on all the most popular review platforms, along with consistent NAP information about your roofing business.
Focus on acquiring reviews on Google, Facebook, Yelp, and HomeAdvisor. Software tools can help you automate review requests and generate direct links to various platforms. Of course, don’t forget to ask for reviews in person, too.
In the process of generating reviews, you inevitably run into some negative feedback. For example, an irritated customer might leave a one-star review on your Google My Business listing, lowering your aggregate rating. Don’t panic. Respond professionally and move on.
Reviews are a direct ranking factor for Google Maps and the Google Map 3-Pack.
Houston SEO Services from Roofer’s Guild
Need help implementing the tips listed throughout this post? Roofer’s Guild offers SEO services for Houston roofing contractors. Our SEO system results from decades-plus worth of testing and implementation with some of the top companies in Texas.
Our services include website design, on-page SEO, content marketing, and reputation management. Additionally, we ensure local roofers appear within the local Map 3-Pack and on organic results.
Best of all, we include a free tool with our services that helps roofers showcase their jobs within local service areas. We look forward to helping you achieve business growth.
