If you found this article by searching for “SEO for roofers,” you already understand the fundamentals of Google search.
You searched Google for a topic and were delivered a relevant result that matches the intent of your query.
That, in essence, is the purpose of SEO. Now, you want to know how to apply it to your roofing business.
You may already know that SEO helps generate qualified roofing leads at a lower cost per acquisition than paid advertising.
But you want to learn more about how to actually “do SEO for roofers.”
And hopefully, you want to learn it from a collective of roofing industry experts rather than a self-proclaimed “SEO Guru” who has never walked a roof.
Does DIY SEO Actually Work?
Before we dive into our roofing-specific expertise on SEO, it’s vital to assess whether or not DIY or do-it-yourself SEO is worth your effort.
Let’s be clear: DIY SEO can work for roofers – if done correctly.
The best of the best are able to do multiple things. Take Michael Jordan, who won 6 championships in the NBA and was the best post-up guard, ball-handler, defender, and big-shot maker in the league.
He also stole 30 bases for a minor-league baseball team. Talk about multi-talented.
But not everyone is Michael Jordan, and most players (and business owners) make their money by being great at one thing.
Perhaps, most importantly, time is required to be great at something. Since you are already a great roofing professional, leaving the SEO to one of the top-rated companies might make sense.
That said, we are a community of roofing experts here to support you if you want to undertake DIY SEO.
Types of SEO for Roofing Companies
You can break SEO into two primary categories: organic SEO and Local SEO. Organic SEO refers to the traditional ten blue links on most search engines. In contrast, Local SEO deals with Local Map-Pack listings and Google Maps results.
Organic SEO: Traditional ten blue links on Google search results
Local SEO: Map-Pack listings and Google Maps results
Organic SEO and Local SEO influence one another, so roofers should invest in both variations. For example, a robust roofing company website makes your Google My Business listing more likely to rank higher. Similarly, a popular GMB listing can drive traffic to your primary website.
Organic SEO
Organic SEO was once the only way to rank on Google search results. Although many new SERP features have appeared on Google over the years, organic SEO remains integral to your overall optimization strategy.
Your goal is to rank on organic search results with your primary website. You want to rank for industry keywords, local keywords, and your brand.
Local SEO
Local SEO has grown steadily over the years and is perhaps the essential part of an SEO strategy for roofing companies. Map-Pack results appear on top of traditional organic results for most local queries, making your local optimization efforts crucial to online success.
Aside from proximity, relevance, and prominence, brand reputation is an essential Local SEO factor for roofing contractors.
Critical SEO Tips for Roofers in 2024
1) Choose an SEO-Friendly Domain Name
One of the most overlooked components of a successful SEO strategy is the roofer’s domain or web address. Many roofers operate under the false narrative that any domain can rank on Google.
While you can build a domain from scratch, it will take at least 12 months to start ranking for significant keywords (in most cases.)
Some companies have old domains that haven’t been worked on for years. Others have a live website but have failed to invest resources in an effective SEO strategy.
You can check your domain age by looking up the WHOIS information or checking with your registrar. Existing domains have a far better chance of ranking quickly, particularly if they possess the following qualities:
- Age: Domains registered over a year or more ago rank better
- Backlinks: Domains with an existing backlink profile rank better
- Keywords: Domains with keywords in the web address rank better
You can check domain age at whois.com
2) Create Helpful Content for Users
Another misnomer in the SEO industry is that content is king. There’s an idea that writing a bunch of content (or having ChatGPT do it) guarantees a high ranking for your website. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, thin content can have the opposite effect on your rankings.
300-word blog posts, for example, hurt roofing websites in most cases, especially when they cover topics already detailed throughout your website.
Another example of thin content is city pages or doorway pages that use the same headers and similar content to rank for multiple cities. When contractors mass-produce these types of landing pages, they dilute their site’s overall content quality and may restrict their crawl budget.
Producing higher-quality content less frequently is a better optimization strategy in 2024.
Well-written content helps rankings, but thin, low-quality content hurts them
3) Build Local Links
Roofing companies get caught up in follow vs. nofollow links when the more critical distinction concerns location. A nofollow link from a local directory is more valuable than a follow link from a furniture website in Boise, Idaho. Industry-related links for roofers are also beneficial.
Google doesn’t expect local roofing websites to have national links from Forbes and USA Today, but they value links from local chambers of commerce and other reputable institutions. For example, a link from a regional roofing directory is far more relevant than a random citation on an unrelated national platform.
Local and industry links instill trust in your website
4) Invest in Google Map 3-Pack Rankings
Ranking for organic terms is excellent, but the local map pack gets the most clicks. Local roofers should focus on ranking within the Map 3-Pack and present the best possible Google My Business listing with reviews.
Since prospects can compare your company against others in the area, most of the conversion process happens directly on the SERP.
Google’s Local Map algorithm considers proximity, relevance, and prominence. You can’t influence proximity unless you move your address.
Relevance considers your company name and category with the searcher’s intent. On the other hand, prominence looks at your reviews and reputation, along with your attached website URL.
- How to Improve Your Local Ranking on Google
- Local Pack Clustering: Making Sense of Google’s Ranking Patterns
Google Map 3-Pack rankings generate the most local traffic
5) Ensure an Optimal User Experience
Since SEO is a form of marketing, some roofers get caught up with the result and lose sight of the process. The ultimate goal is to facilitate a great user experience for website visitors, which is SEO.
Consider things like site speed, navigation, internal linking, and the most obvious need for quality content.
Although Google says bounce rate does not impact SEO, you can be sure that user experience (however defined) influences rankings.
Search engines aim to provide the best results to their users, and your website must hold up its end of the bargain by providing a satisfactory experience.
Websites with strong performance enhance user experience
6) Create Pages for Each Roofing Service
Some roofers try to rank for all their services on a single page. Here’s some advice: bullet points won’t do the trick. You can’t include TPO roofing as a bullet point on your homepage and expect to rank for the keyword.
Instead, you should create the bullet point and a separate TPO roofing service page. It would be best if you linked to the service page from the homepage so that Google crawls the URL more easily.
It’s vital to publish unique content on each service page, as using duplicate content can lower your overall quality and appear as spam.
Search engines prioritize pages with the most narrow intent, meaning a page about TPO roofing will outrank a general page that merely mentions the term.
Breaking your services into individual pages helps them rank higher
7) Understand The Limitations of Keyword Research
SEO professionals used to rely primarily on tools like SEMRush for keyword volume, but we learn each year that many keywords fall through the cracks, especially in terms of volume.
Local keywords may have a much more extensive search volume than such tools indicate. It’s best to use your Google Search Console data to monitor queries, impressions, and clicks and cater your content to those keywords.
Another factor to consider is user intent. For example, a search query like epdm roofing may imply multiple intents, including information and commercial (transactional).
Long-tail queries like epdm roofing services clarify that the intent is commercial. You can also use lesser-known keyword tools like Answer The Public to gain new insights.
Queries with location modifiers may have a higher volume than keyword tools indicate
8) Incorporate YouTube Videos on Your Website
Text-based content remains essential for rankings, but multimedia is vital for engagement. Pages with video, audio, and images foster higher engagement than those without such elements.
Video, in particular, can keep visitors on your website longer, create familiarity with your company, and increase conversion rates.
You don’t have to host videos directly on your website, as they will take up a lot of space and may slow down your site speed.
Instead, upload a video to YouTube and embed it onto your homepage, service pages, and blog posts for the ultimate effect.
On-page multimedia can increase user engagement
9) Establish a Roofing Brand on Google
One of Google’s primary jobs is to weed out spam websites from their search results. When Google showcases brands to its users, it wants to ensure, at the very least, that the user is dealing with a legitimate roofing company.
So, how does Google determine what a brand is?
Consider things like your staff and equipment’s unique photos, a robust about us page explaining your company vision, and clear and accurate contact information throughout your website.
Each of these things helps establish your roofing company as a brand, which helps with SEO in 2024.
Unique staff images help establish your brand
10) Request Customer Reviews
As a roofing company, your SEO efforts work faster when you can earn customer reviews on Google and other credible platforms. Receiving regular reviews on your Google Business Profile, in particular, can have an immediate impact on your Local 3-Pack rankings.
You should consider automating review requests through a software application to increase engagement with recent customers. However, this tactic should not replace the act of asking for reviews in person.
Combining automated requests (through text and email) and a friendly in-person request will move the needle in favor of your Google reviews.
(Bonus Tip) Boost Conversions With Strategic CTAs
SEO services aim to bring in more sales for your roofing company. The best way to convert your traffic is to implement engaging calls-to-action (CTAs) throughout your website.
Your site’s header is a great place to showcase your company’s phone number, while the middle part of the homepage is ideal for a contact form.
Be sure to create urgency around your CTAs with phrases like Free Estimate or First Time Discount. Remember, search engine optimization generates high-quality leads for your roofing business.
Showcase CTAs with urgency
What’s The Next Step?
If you need help implementing strategies shown on this list, reach out to Roofer’s Guild today. Our team of marketing experts can optimize your business on search engines like Google and help you convert traffic into sales.
If you want to continue reading more about SEO for roofers, marketing, and other business strategies, feel free to browse our helpful marketing resources. We continually publish new content to help roofing companies thrive in the digital age.
