11 Roofer Marketing Strategies to Generate Roofing Leads
How to generate roofing leads?
Please do not tell me you buy roofing leads, using direct mail, or overpaying for Google AdWords pay per click ads.
You need practical strategies that will organically grow your business and overall sales.
As the #1 ranked SEO Expert in the USA, yes you can Google it, I understand marketing roofing companies. I have provided SEO consulting services for dozens. Want a local search consultation?
I know that finding qualified roofing leads is hard. It is not as if you can spend all day driving around looking at people’s rooftops to see who needs your services.
That is why I have put together these ideas for business owners and contractors.
Here are 11 lead generating roofing marketing strategies to try today.
1. Roofing Lead Generation, Install Storm Tracker App
Every roofer knows that hail damage is excellent for business.
Most people do not know their roof is damaged until it leaks. That is most likely to happen well after a storm passes through the area.
You might be thinking you will know when hail hits? What if you are out of town? What if the storm hits three towns over? That is still in your service area, but it might not be on your radar.
When marketing a roofing company, a storm tracking app can help you by giving you a heads-up.
Then you can set up Facebook ads that target homeowners in the areas affected. They will be far more likely to call you if they see your ad right after their roof is damaged.
Here’s a pro tip. Offer a free hail inspection. Many people may have no idea their roof is in need of repair.
2. Claim Your Listing on Review Sites
There’s no question that reviews are important to roofing contractors. In fact, they are a critical lead generation strategy.
According to Bright Local, 97% of all consumers read online reviews in 2017. 86% trusted reviews as much as a personal recommendation from a friend.
In most instances, it is easy to claim your listing. You will have to verify you are the business owner. Once you have done that, you can update your listing.
Make sure to add your business hours, the URL of your site, and contact information. It is also a good idea to add photos of completed roofing projects.
An excellent way to start is by searching for reviews of your company. Even if you have not claimed a listing on Home Advisor or Angie’s List, you may still have reviews there.
3. Update Your Google My Business Page
Did you know that 80% of consumers look for local businesses on the internet?
That is a well-known fact.
But, only 44% of businesses have claimed their GMB listing. If you have not, you should do it now.
Make sure to optimize your listing while you are at it.
Even if you have an optimized listing, you may not know about some of the updated features. These are things that can help you generate leads.
For example:
- Appointment URLs make it easy for busy commercial roofing leads to schedule a meeting. Don’t make people call. Instead, this feature lets them book right from GMB.
- The direct messaging feature allows leads to contact you from your GMB page. You can program automatic responses if you wish. You can also turn DM off when you are unavailable.
- The questions and answers section can save you time. If you get the same questions repeatedly, answer them here. Think of it as an off-site FAQ for potential leads.
There are other new features as well. Using them can help you connect with new customers on GMB.
4. Use A Proven Roofer Social Media Strategy
A marketing plan for a local roofing company starts with social media.
Social media marketing gets a lot of attention these days. It can be a useful strategy for roofing contractors. It can also give your roofing visibility an indirect boost.
Let’s start with the obvious.
Google has said that social media pages do not influence rank. So, having a great Facebook page is not going to get you onto the first page. However, that does not mean it is not worth doing.
Search the name of your roofing company. The chances are that your Facebook page appears near the top of the list of search results.
If you are active on Twitter, that might be there too. That means that your social presence raises your company’s profile.
That is not the only way maintaining an active social presence can boost your marketing for roofing clients.
Here are some others:
- It raises the visibility of your content. When you share a blog post or video, some people who see it will share it. In other words, it will be seen by your followers and some of their friends. One share can expose you to dozens or even hundreds of potential leads.
- It helps you build credibility with your followers. Having an active presence sends a sign that you care about your services.
- Sharing valuable tips and advice creates a sense of reciprocity. Reciprocity is a cognitive bias. It makes people want to return the favor when you give them something. In marketing, you can use it by sharing your expertise. People who know you have been generous with advice are more likely to hire you.
Now, let’s look at some of the specific things you can do on social media.
Here are just a few tips that will boost your lead generation strategy:
- Host a live Q & A on Facebook. Take audience questions and offer advice as needed. Live video will draw a crowd.
- Share customer testimonials with before and after pictures. These are a form of social proof.
- Share home improvement content from other sources. Make sure to include your commentary and opinions.
- Share your blog posts to drive traffic to your roofing company website. If you do not have a blog, add one to your site design.
- Pair up with a local housing contractor to create a promotion. Share it on your social media pages.
- Leave comments using your business page. For example, look for home improvement posts and pages. Leave helpful comments about roofing issues.
Some of these techniques are not obvious lead generators, but they all play a role in your internet marketing
Implementing them consistently can help raise your online profile. It will also drive traffic to your roof website and ensure that prospective customers know who you are.
5. Ask Previous Roofing Customers to Write Reviews
You cannot expect people to write reviews without being asked. People are more likely to write reviews when they are unhappy. If you want your clients to review your business, asking is the way to ensure that they do.
There are a few ways to ask for reviews.
Here are some suggestions:
- Ask in person when you finish a job. You may print a card with the URLs of your review pages to make it easy.
- Send an email after you finish a job kindly requesting a review.
Sites to consider include Yelp, Angie’s List, and Facebook. In fact, Facebook reviews are growing in importance.
Make sure to specify you want a written review, not just a star rating.
6. Form Strategic Alliances With Other Contractors
You are a roofing expert, and you should be pairing up with other companies. It is one of the best ways to generate qualified leads.
Let’s look at an example. Your town has a hardware store. People go there to buy supplies for DIY home repair. That makes it an ideal place to find roofer leads.
Don’t assume that you will get referrals from the owner and employees. Go in and meet them.
Bring a supply of brochures and business cards. Explain what you do. Then, ask if they would be willing to refer customers with roof damage to you.
You can sweeten the deal by agreeing to buy some of your roof supplies from them if you do not already.
This technique can work even with big chains like Lowe’s. Customers expect them to know quality contractors.
There’s no reason you cannot get them to send customers your way. Also, consider joining a roofing trade organization.
7. Start a Roofing Blog To Market Your Services
Blogging might seem like an old-school technique.
It is not new, but it is still one of the most effective ways to bring traffic to your site and kick start your digital marketing strategy.
In fact, 6 out of 10 online consumers have made a purchase after reading a blog.
If you do not have a blog, now is the time to add one. Posting high-quality content regularly will bring organic traffic to your blog.
Remember, search engines prioritize fresh quality content with roofing SEO keywords used properly.
To maximize the impact of each blog post, optimize each one for a primary keyword topic. Then, use that keyword in your title tag and other critical places in your post such as another header.
A stagnant website is not going to get as high a rank as one that posts new content.
8. Start Building an Email List
If you do not already have an email list, what are you waiting for?
A Great Email marketing Strategy has the highest ROI of any marketing strategy.
On average, email generates $40+ for each one dollar spent. That is not a statistic you can afford to ignore.
Maybe you are wondering how email can help you generate roofing leads. All homeowners are concerned with home repairs. Adding a blog to your site can help you grab organic traffic. Once people are on your site, your opt-in form will encourage them to subscribe.
You can use email to inform prospects about your services. At its best, email marketing is a form of content marketing.
For example, you might create a series of emails that explains the need for routine roof maintenance. It may be enough to get you a few new clients. People who do not bite now will remember you if they need a roofing company in the future.
One method to try is a soap opera sequence. This is a short email sequence that uses drama and suspense.
It is best used to tell a story, ideally one that involves a satisfied roofing client.
9. Use the Facebook Pixel to Retarget Website Visitors
You know that many of the organic visitors to your site will not convert on their first visit. They might need a roofing contractor, but they are not ready to commit.
One way to reconnect with those people is to use the Facebook pixel.
The pixel is a snippet of code generated by Facebook. You insert the code per Facebook’s instructions. Then, you can use it to retarget with ads on Facebook.
For example, you might focus on visitors who viewed your service page.
Alternatively, you might retarget people who started to complete your contact form. When they see your ad on Facebook, they may click and revisit your website.
10. Local SEO: The Best Way to Generate Roofing Leads
Roofing SEO is a must.
It can set you apart from your competitors. It is also one of the best ways to generate leads for your roofing business.
Local Internet Marketing breaks down into two main parts. The first is on-page.
This should include:
- Using localized words in your page titles
- Optimizing each page of your site for roofing keywords for the search engines
- Creating strong content that will interest potential customers
- Using keywords in tags and image file names
- Linking out to authority sites to improve your reputation
The second element is off-site optimization.
These are things not on your site that affect your ranking.
Here are some examples:
- Backlinks from authority sites, including roofing publications
- Uniform listings of your business information, called citations
- Social media sites (not a direct factor in rank, but an indirect one)
Strong online marketing must take both on-site and off-site issues into consideration.
You might start by identifying roofing keywords. Then, create content, so you are optimized for those terms. After that, you might check your citations NAP, make sure they are all the same.
Everything you do to build hyperlocal links and authority will help raise your site’s profile. In turn, it will help you attract quality visitors to your site.
11. Network: Join Your Chamber of Commerce
As a roofing contractor, you will do best if you are part of the business community.
Joining the Chamber of Commerce can help you connect with other businesses.
You will probably need to pay a fee to join. That means this is not a free lead-generating technique. However, it is one that can bear fruit for years to come.
Still not convinced?
Keep in mind that your Chamber is a collection of people. Many of them likely own homes in your service area. They have friends and family members who do, as well. If you are an active member, they will think of you if their roof needs fixing.
Being a member also makes it easy to build partnerships and referral networks. You might agree to refer your clients to a landscaper. In return, he will refer his landscaping clients to you when they need a roofing contractor.
You will also get a listing on the Chamber of Commerce website.
That means locals in need of a roofer will see your name there. It is not an immediate referral source. Being a member increases your visibility in the community. I have found these to be best for commercial roofing sales leads.
Final Thoughts: Roofing Marketing Strategies To Drive Leads
Finding qualified roofing leads is not easy. Even for an SEO Expert.
A new roof is a significant expense, I know as I have replaced a few!
It is not something people look for unless they need to. However, there are still things you can do to grow your business.
The stronger your overall online presence is, the less likely it is that you will be scrambling for business.
If you purchase roofing leads, stop and reconsider your strategy. Before you hire anyone to do Marketing, read my free guide.
To learn what I can do to bring more online leads your way,fill out my contact form and set up a free consultation.
Let’s make a custom marketing plan. No fancy sales here, just me.
I hope to hear from you soon!