The Complete Guide to SEO for Roofing Companies
Organic search is the largest marketplace in the world, connecting an incredible quantity of sellers and buyers every day. In the modern economy, you could say that if your business does not appear in Google or Bing’s organic local search results, you don’t really have a business.
The roofing industry is no exception. Organic search for this type of products & services is a constant stream of requests for roof repair, installation, and maintenance from both ordinary citizens and commercial organizations.
In this guide, we will consider the nuances of local SEO for roofing companies to achieve a consistent flow of quality leads in the state or city where you operate.
How Can SEO Help My Roofing Business?
To be visible in organic search, you just need to create a website and fill it with information about your business. That’s the easy part. Today, there are many solutions to get your website up and running quickly and affordably. But you need roofing search engine optimization to start getting inquiries. That’s why you need search engine optimization.
SEO for a roofing company — and for any other company, for that matter — is the process of growing your website in organic search, outclassing competitors, and constantly improving the quality of your services. A well-crafted SEO strategy is crucial for securing your position in organic search and capturing roofing market share from your competitors.
You also need to understand that optimizing SEO for roofing contractors is a long process. You will not become a leading company in your state in one month. The TOP 10 organic search results in your location are companies that have been involved in this game for a long time and will not give up their place to newcomers without a fight. With a decent SEO strategy, you should see initial results in about six months. Yes, it’s not fast, but building an online business is not a quick affair. By learning the specifics of SEO for roofing companies, you lay the foundation for the future success. The results will increase gradually, creating reliable profit and growth.
6 Key Elements of the SEO Strategy for Roofing Companies
So, let’s figure out what you need to do to achieve results in SEO promotion.
First: Technical SEO
When you have a website that sells services, you need to be sure it is technically correct. Search engines choose only high-quality websites to be placed in the TOP 10. This applies not only to the content, but also to design and functionality.
The site’s pages should open quickly and display images, videos, content, and headlines. Page navigation should be smooth and user-friendly. Contact forms should be easy to send. Search engines should be able to crawl your website pages and add them to their database.
Here are the important technical points algorithms pay attention to when creating a TOP 10:
- correct and understandable URL structure for the user and search engines;
- adaptive website pages;
- high page loading speed;
- filled-in and correctly displayed metadata;
- filled-in important HTML tags;
- available https protocol;
- available robots.txt and sitemap.xml files;
- correctly configured server response codes (e.g., 404, 200, 301, 302);
- functioning internal links (e.g., in the main menu, in the website footer);
- available micro-markup;
- no duplicate pages and content.
Many of these website elements are not visible to users, but are very important for search engines. If your website functions correctly, both users and search engines will quickly take notice. This is your basis for success in improving the local SEO for a roofing company.
Second: Service / Location Pages Creation
Service and location pages are the basis for getting new clients. We can say for sure that these are the most converting pages on the website. Most of the customers will discover your services this way.
The trick here is to create separate pages for each service. For example, let’s assume you provide the following services:
- roofing inspection;
- roofing restoration;
- roofing repair;
- roofing replacement;
- new roofing installation;
Then, you need to create a separate page for each of these services.
You may have additional services that are either more niche or differ from the main focus of your website. The common examples are:
- gutters;
- leaf gutter guards;
- tune-ups;
- siding;
- windows & doors.
While not every SEO for a roofing contractor will include them, if they’re important for your business (they create a competitive advantage, etc.) do not hesitate to include them as well.
These lists of services may differ slightly for each website, but as you will see they often overlap. To showcase your services effectively, we suggest conducting a competitor analysis and examining the keywords they use to generate traffic.
Search for the service name and discover competitors in your location. Review their websites and make note of the pages you believe are essential for their business. This will help you establish the structure of your own service pages.
As you analyze your competitors’ pages, take note of the content and select relevant keywords. This will enable you to create a list of roofing-based keywords for each service your company provides.
To further improve your SEO processes, we suggest creating location pages. These are the same service pages referring to specific locations where you provide roof repair and installation services.
These pages are created based on keywords using the following pattern: service + location. For example, “roof repair services in Orlando” is a good pitch for a location page.
To create these pages, you just need to select the cities and counties where your services are available, and then create corresponding pages As a side note, it’s a good idea to choose the primary service you provide in the location for the page name. The analysis of competitors and keywords we’ve mentioned previously is also applicable here.
Third: Creating Important Pages for Communication with Potential Customers
Remember that your website should not only have the focused roofing contractor SEO pages but also additional information for potential customers. The user should be sure that the service will be performed efficiently, and a warranty will be provided. Show examples of your work, tell about the company, display customer reviews, and create a contact page. Although these pages do not generate organic traffic on their own, they are crucial for conversion.
These pages can be:
- Gallery;
- About Us;
- FAQ;
- Warranty;
- Reviews;
- Recent Projects;
- Contact Us.
Competitor and keyword analysis are not required to create these pages. They are intended to persuade potential customers that they have found the right place to order a service, and thus should be unique.
Fourth: Preparing a Content Plan for a Blog and Writing New Articles
While the service and location pages are intended for customers who have already made up their minds, blog articles are necessary to attract potential clients who may struggle with a specific situation or don’t have enough information to make a decision.
So, what does roofing organic SEO content look like? Here is a blog article describing the aftermath of a storm:
The storm damaged the roof, and given the extent of the damage, the person — your hypothetical reader — doesn’t know whether the roof needs to be replaced or if it can be repaired. This is a problem, and the person is looking for information on how to solve it. In this case, your blog article should be the answer to solve the issue, and the person may choose your business to provide the repair or replacement services. This is an excellent example of SEO for roofing companies, and you should consider it as a guideline.
Before writing articles, you need to create a content plan — a list of topics for future articles. Read competitors’ blogs, choose topics that seem to be the most interesting or popular, and prioritize them for writing. There’s no shame in learning from others. After all, this is an essential part of how you can learn to manage SEO for a roofing business.
And here’s one more piece of advice: don’t chase the quantity. When talking about improving local SEO for roofing businesses, one high-quality article that connects with your client base is better than 5 superficial ones.
Fifth: Getting External Links to Your Website (Link Building)
Building a link profile is among the most important elements of your SEO efforts. Your main competitors currently occupying the TOP 10 of organic search are definitely very engaged in this.
If another website contains links to yours, you gain authority for search engines. The more reputable the website that links to you, the more authority you gain. Algorithms take this metric into account when determining your website’s position in organic search results. That is why it is important that the SEO link building company you use takes all these points into account if you do not plan to do link building on your own.
Building a link profile is a deeply involved and lengthy process, but it is an integral and unavoidable aspect of improving SEO for roofers or any other industry. For starters, you have to set a goal you want to reach, like getting links from 10 authoritative websites every month.
To achieve this goal, you can:
- register your website in high-quality catalogs (directories);
- answer users’ questions on forums, leaving a link to your website;
- write expert articles and publish these on various websites, once again with an attached link to your own.
There are many ways to get links. You can choose the one that suits you best, but remember that link-building is a continuous process. Your competitors have worked and are working on this methodically, which is why they are in the TOP 10. Therefore, if you plan on reaching that coveted position yourself, you’ll need all the dedication you can master.
Sixth: Google My Business (GMB) and Display on Maps
Another source of new customers and quality leads is a Google My Business profile. This is a free tool that allows you to display your business on maps, highlight your services, and get customer feedback.
Register your company in GMB, fill out a description of your services, specify your location, and you’re ready to go. Oh, and don’t forget to add a photo or two!
We suggest asking your customers to leave a review on your GMB profile. This significantly affects your position on the list of companies in your location.
Utilize these 6 elements, research your competitors, analyze and adjust your site’s performance, and the resulting SEO strategy will be superb.
However, it is equally important to discuss common mistakes made when implementing a roofer SEO strategy. We will list some examples below and provide some SEO tips for roofing companies on how to avoid them.
5 Common Mistakes When Implementing the SEO Strategy
Trying to get customers for different services on 1 page
Have you ever encountered websites with only one overcrowded main page? This is a rookie mistake in managing web presence, and is a relevant lesson for roofing SEO promotion as well.
You won’t be able to meet the needs of customers who want roof repair, new roof installation, roof replacement, and gutter installation on just one page. Create separate service pages for each one important to your business.
No contact forms on website pages
This is another common mistake you’ve probably seen before. Users go to the page, read it, like what they see, and want to order the service, but… there is no contact form, no phone number, and no intuitive buttons for instant response.
The lack of communication forms significantly reduces conversion. Place all possible options for contacting you in the immediate reach of a potential customer.
Content without keywords
When analyzing the TOP 10, you’ll probably find some high-quality, expertly-written content that still generates no traffic. The mistake your competitors probably made is not including the relevant roofer keywords on the page.
Be sure to research and analyze roofing SEO keywords (there are quite a few options available) and include them in your content.
Too many keywords in the content
And here’s the opposite problem. You need to maintain a balance between keywords and the text, which might sometimes be hard to get right. If there are too many keywords on the page, the content will look spammy and hard to read. Search engine algorithms can lower your reputation for this, and customers are also less likely to meaningfully engage with such texts.
Simply put, avoid using too many keywords in your texts, and strive to find the right balance.
Trying to do everything on your own
Sometimes you try your best with search engine optimization for roofing businesses, but it still doesn’t work the way you want. This is understandable considering the variety of tasks it includes: writing texts, placing links, working with reviews, all the while managing the actual roof repair and maintenance services your business is based on.
Try to delegate some tasks to other people. You can do some of it yourself, but not all of it all the time. Hire a copywriter if you are not good at texts, or find a full-time professional who will work methodically to build your link profile. This strategy is likely to pay for itself.
This will help you achieve results faster, start making a profit from organic search, and scale your team further.
4 Tips for Improving SEO Results
Create the image of a reliable contractor
Try to create and maintain the reputation of a reliable contractor via the content and structure of your website. Every page element is important and contributes to your overall image as a company.
Feel free to show awards and achievements, completed projects, team members, tools you use, etc.
Every potential customer wants the best service from a reliable company. And you need to convince this customer that your company is just what they are looking for.
Offer non-standard solutions
You likely work in a very competitive market regardless of your actual location. There is a high demand for your services, but more than enough people are willing to provide them.
Try to find non-standard solutions or offers for your customers. Remember, leaders are those who stand out from the crowd.
Use video on important pages
If possible, use video on important conversion pages of your roofing website. A video of the team, the owner, or the repair process goes a long way to introduce you to your potential customer. You are no longer a faceless contractor but a real and recognizable team.
But don’t make long videos! Stick to short movies that contain the main point of what you want to show, and don’t strain your customers’ attention span.
Offer discount coupons for new customers
This is another excellent way to convince users to contact you. Think about what you can offer to new and loyal customers. A flashy offer can make all the difference in the choice whether to choose your business or go somewhere else.
Wrapping Up
We hope that the strategies and mistakes described in this roofing search engine optimization guide will help you build a thriving online repair, installation, and maintenance business and start receiving requests across the USA. Even if your initial forays into online marketing will prove unsuccessful, don’t lose the sight of your goals, keep improving, and eventually your business will get all the attention it deserves. And if you ever require assistance with SEO for roofing businesses, our local SEO agency of professional SEO experts are always ready to help. Just fill out our brief, and a manager will contact you soon to clarify the details and prepare a suitable offer.