The Internet and digital marketing have fundamentally changed how roofing contractors reach, attract, and retain customers. To thrive in today’s digital landscape, contractors must embrace online strategies to boost their visibility, build trust, and drive growth. This article explores the essential digital marketing tactics for roofing contractors to succeed.

I. Leveraging Online Presence

Maintaining a strong online presence is crucial for roofing companies today. Customers go online to search for local roofers and pick ones they trust. Here are some tips to make your business stand out online:

  • Get a professional-looking website. Make sure it has great photos and clear information about your services. 
  • Stay active on social media. Post photos of your work and interact with potential customers. 
  • Claim your Google My Business listing. This helps you show up on Google Maps and search. Fill out your business info and add photos.
  • Ask happy customers to leave online reviews on sites like Google, Facebook, and Yelp. Positive reviews enhance your credibility.
  • Create YouTube videos showcasing your work and tips on roof care. Videos make you look professional.
  • Implement SEO best practices on your website to ensure customers can easily locate your business online.
  • Run Google and social media ads targeting local customers to boost visits. 
  • Share company news and roofing articles on your website blog. This provides helpful content.

II. Content Marketing for Roofing Contractors

Content marketing means making helpful stuff to attract customers. For roofing companies, you can:

  • Write blog posts with tips for homeowners about roofs. This shows you know your stuff.
  • Create free eBooks with roof buying guides. This builds trust and credibility.
  • Create videos that teach people how to maintain their roofs. Videos are engaging and easy to comprehend. 
  • Leverage social media to share informative articles and captivating roof-related images, offering added value to your followers.
  • Send emails containing tips for preparing roofs for winter and summer. These emails demonstrate your concern for customers. 

The objective is to provide valuable information without constant sales pitches. This establishes you as a knowledgeable expert rather than just a salesperson.

III. Local SEO and Google My Business

Local search is significant, with 46% of Google searches showing local intent. As a roofer, you need to tap into that demand and make your business easy for nearby customers to find. And so it starts with your website. Mention the cities, neighborhoods, and zip codes you serve throughout your content. 

This shows Google you are the go-to roofer for specific areas. Give each service area its own page filled with local credentials – testimonials from local homeowners, contact info for that location, and calls to action for that audience. 

For instance, Portland is known for getting plenty of rainfall throughout the year which can take a toll on roofs. That’s why many Portland homeowners rely on the expertise of local roofing contractors portland Oregon to help protect their roofs.

Earning trust locally also means getting backlinks from directories, sponsors, and community organizations in your service area. This boosts your local authority. Monitor how you rank for keywords like “Denver roofer” and optimize pages to inch up the local search results.

The key is crafting a website experience that screams “We’re the best roofer for you” to searchers in your geographic service areas. Investing effort in optimizing for local SEO yields results by enhancing your visibility and credibility in your local markets.

Listing the business on Google My Business also improves visibility for local customers. With complete listings, contractors are 2.7 times more likely to be considered reputable. Optimizing a Google My Business listing should include:

  • High-quality photos and videos that give customers a behind-the-scenes look.
  • Detailed business attributes that paint a robust profile.
  • Responding to all reviews to show customers are heard.
  • Regular posts and updates give followers a reason to keep engaging. 
  • Complete and accurate business information like address, phone, website, hours, services, and service areas.

From accurate business information to responding to reviews, an optimized Google My Business profile helps convert local searchers into customers by building familiarity and trust. For roofing contractors, mastering local SEO and Google My Business is foundational to digital marketing success.

IV. Online Advertising and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Campaigns  

Online ads are another useful digital way for roofers to find customers. Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns on Google Ads and social media put roofing ads in search results and allow targeting specific people.

Data Source: Statista

For example, roofers can display their ads to homeowners in specific areas searching for roofing-related terms. With PPC, roofers only pay when someone clicks their ad. An average PPC campaign earns roofers $2 for every $1 they spend on ads. For roofers, the keywords related to their industry also tend to have low ad click prices. This makes well-optimized PPC ads very affordable and effective.

V. Customer Reviews and Reputation Management

Reviews directly impact a roofer’s reputation and ability to get clients. Today, online word-of-mouth is huge thanks to sites like Google and Yelp making reviews public. An overwhelming 91% of people read these reviews when considering a business, with 84% trusting them like a personal recommendation from a friend. Because of this, roofers must focus on getting positive customer feedback and reviews. 

Proactively asking happy clients for reviews and quickly responding to any negative ones can boost a roofer’s reputation. Proactive management of their online reputation and reviews benefits roofers by improving credibility and enabling viral marketing.

VI. Email Marketing and Lead Generation  

Email marketing remains an exceptionally effective and cost-efficient customer acquisition strategy for roofers. For every $1 spent on email campaigns, roofers make an average of $42 in revenue – that’s a 4,200% return! Email brings in more sales dollars than any other digital marketing channel. 

Roofers should use email to turn website visitors into leads by offering free, valuable content in exchange for emails. Then they can build relationships with email sequences and special promos driving conversions. Integrated with roofers’ customer databases, email keeps them connected with leads and clients from start to finish.

VII. Analytics and Data-Driven Decision-Making 

Making decisions based on data is key in digital marketing. 80% of businesses are upping their investment in analytics and performance tracking because leveraging metrics and insights is so important. 

Analytics gives roofers power by allowing them to monitor key results (KPIs), catch trends, and optimize their online marketing efforts based on what actually works to get customers. Data also provides a better sense of what customers want. By constantly looking at their numbers and testing new things, roofers can refine their digital marketing game for the best results.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can we laser-target local homeowners in our online tactics?  

Optimizing for keywords and signals meaningful to your area, spotlighting customer stories from nearby neighborhoods, and geotargeting paid ads – these humanize your services for local appeal. Robust Google and social media profiles also boost neighborhood familiarity. There’s no better referral than being the roofer next door.

What makes for a roofing website that truly supports our marketing goals?

Think from the homeowner’s mindset – address their pain points with engaging content and calls to action to contact you. Make getting an estimate irresistible! Optimized local SEO and lead gen integration provide the data you need to nurture relationships from click to contract.  

How do we manage online reviews and reputation?

Monitoring reviews allows thoughtful responses; take feedback opportunities to improve. Address issues with transparency and make things right. Encourage future five-star ratings through communication and excellent service. The most powerful marketing strategy is being the roofer people pass “Wow, I’d highly recommend them!” reviews about.

Conclusion

Digital marketing is now imperative for roofing contractors to acquire customers and grow their business. By embracing online strategies from SEO to email marketing, contractors can build trust, boost visibility, engage customers, and track data-driven insights. For long-term success, roofing contractors must continually optimize their digital presence and approach.