As an expert in creating marketing plans for roofers, I have seen firsthand the importance of a well-crafted marketing strategy in helping roofing companies stand out and attract new customers. In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial, which is why I have compiled the following tips to help roofers create a successful marketing plan.
Tip 1: Understand Roofing SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for any roofing company looking to rank high in SERPs. It involves optimizing your website for words related to roofing services in your area, building high-quality backlinks, and improving your website’s technical aspects. Understanding roofing SEO is the first step in creating an effective marketing plan.
Understanding roofing SEO is essential for any roofing contractor looking to rank high in search engine results pages (SERPs) and attract new customers. Roofing SEO involves optimizing your website for keywords related to roofing services in your area, building high-quality backlinks, and improving your website’s technical aspects.
To improve your roofing SEO, you need to start by identifying the words your ideal customer uses to search for roofing services. This involves conducting research and incorporating those keywords into your website content and metadata. It’s important to focus on keywords that are relevant to your services and location.
Building high-quality backlinks is another important aspect of roofing SEO. Backlinks are links from other websites to your roofing business’s website. The quality and relevance of the websites linking back to your website are important, and backlinks from authoritative and relevant websites can significantly improve your search engine rankings.
Improving your website’s technical aspects, such as site speed and mobile responsiveness, is also crucial for roofing SEO. A website that loads quickly and is easy to navigate can improve user experience, which can lead to better search engine rankings.
It’s also important to keep up with the latest SEO trends and updates, such as Google’s algorithm changes, to ensure your roofing SEO strategy is up-to-date and effective. Use tools such as Google Analytics to track your website traffic, leads, and conversions, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
In conclusion, understanding roofing SEO is crucial for any roofing company looking to attract new customers and improve their online presence. By conducting keyword research, building high-quality backlinks, and improving your website’s technical aspects, you can improve your search engine rankings and drive targeted traffic to your website. Remember to stay up-to-date with the latest SEO trends and updates to stay ahead of the competition.
Roofing SEO Glossary
Glossary
Alt tags (short for alternative text) are HTML attributes used to describe the content of an image on a webpage. They are used to provide a textual description of an image for users who are visually impaired or who have images turned off in their web browser. Alt tags can also help search engines better understand the content of the webpage, which can improve the website’s visibility and ranking in search results. Alt tags should be concise and descriptive, and they should accurately describe the content of the image. By including alt tags on images, website owners can make their website more accessible and improve the user experience for all visitors.
With recent rulings on the legal requirement to have accessible websites, alt tags are essential. The penalties for ignoring the disability laws are very steep.
Backlinks are links that lead from one website to another. They are also known as inbound links or incoming links. Without backlinks Google, Bing and the other search engines will never find you. When a website has many high-quality backlinks pointing to it, search engines will view it as a trustworthy and authoritative source of information, which can improve its search rankings. Conversely, if a website has low-quality backlinks or too many spammy backlinks, it can harm its search rankings and reputation.
Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. The content can take various forms, such as blog posts, videos, podcasts, infographics, and social media posts. The goal of content marketing is to provide helpful or informative content that addresses the needs and interests of your ideal customer, rather than promoting a product or service directly. Content marketing aims to build trust, authority, and brand awareness, and ultimately drive profitable customer action. By creating high-quality content that resonates with your audience, businesses can establish themselves as a thought leader in their industry, attract more traffic to their website, and convert leads into customers. Content marketing requires a long-term strategy and a consistent approach to creating and distributing content that engages and adds value to the target audience.
Website crawl refers to the process of search engines like Google systematically browsing and indexing the content of a website. It is the way in which search engines discover new pages, content, and updates on a website. During a crawl, search engine bots follow links from one page to another, indexing the content and storing it in their databases for later use in search results.
The crawl process involves analyzing the structure and content of the website, including titles, meta descriptions, headings, images, and other on-page elements. Website crawl is important for search engine optimization (SEO) because it determines how easily and frequently search engines can access and index a website’s content. To ensure their website is crawlable, website owners should create a clear and logical website structure, include descriptive meta tags, and use internal linking to guide search engines to important pages. Regular website crawl is essential to maintaining a strong online presence and ensuring that website content is discoverable by search engines and users.
Do-follow links are hyperlinks that allow search engines to follow them and pass link juice to the linked website. When a website includes a do-follow link to another website, it is essentially endorsing that website’s content and signaling to search engines that the linked content is valuable and relevant.
Do-follow links can have a positive impact on a website’s search engine rankings because they signal to search engines that other websites consider the content to be high-quality and authoritative. However, it’s important to note that not all links are do-follow – some links are no-follow, meaning that they do not pass link juice to the linked website. Do-follow links can be acquired through various means, such as guest blogging, influencer outreach, and content marketing, but it’s important to acquire them naturally and avoid any tactics that violate search engine guidelines, such as buying links or engaging in link schemes. Be sure to contract with an ethical SEO agency so they don’t lead you into Google penalties.
Duplicate content for websites refers to content that appears in more than one place on the internet. This can occur when identical or very similar content is published on multiple pages within the same website, or when the same content is published on different websites.
Duplicate content can harm a website’s search engine rankings because search engines like Google may view it as low-quality or spammy. When search engines encounter duplicate content, they have to choose which version to include in their search results, and this can lead to confusion and lower rankings for all versions of the content.
To avoid duplicate content issues, website owners should ensure that each page on their website has unique content that provides value to their visitors. They should also use canonical tags to indicate the preferred version of the content and avoid publishing the same content on different websites. By avoiding duplicate content, website owners can improve their search engine rankings and provide a better user experience for their visitors.
High-value content for websites refers to content that provides significant value to the reader, such as useful information, entertainment, or education. High-value content is engaging, informative, and relevant to the target audience. It can be blog posts, articles, videos, infographics, and/or podcasts.
High-value content is important for websites because it can attract and retain visitors, build trust and authority, and improve search engine rankings. High-value content should be well-researched, informative, and provide a unique perspective or insight. It should also be optimized for search engines with relevant keywords and meta tags to ensure that it is discoverable by the target audience. By creating high-value content, website owners can establish their brand as a thought leader in their industry, attract more traffic to their website, and increase engagement and conversions.
Hyperlinks, also known as links, are clickable elements on a website that direct the user to another webpage, document, or resource on the internet. Hyperlinks can be text or images, and they are often underlined or highlighted to indicate that they are clickable. When a user clicks on a hyperlink, they are taken to the linked webpage or resource.
Hyperlinks are essential for navigating the internet and are used extensively on websites to provide additional information, connect related content, and guide users to specific pages or resources. By using hyperlinks effectively, website owners can improve the user experience and make it easier for visitors to find and access the information they need.
Link juice refers to the value or authority that a webpage passes to other webpages through links. When a webpage links to another webpage, it is essentially endorsing the linked webpage’s content and passing on some of its authority to it. This is known as link juice.
The amount of link juice that a webpage passes on to another webpage depends on various factors, such as the authority of the linking webpage, the relevance of the content, and the number and quality of other links on the page. Link juice is important for search engine optimization (SEO) because it can improve a website’s ranking in search results by signaling to search engines that the website is trustworthy, authoritative, and relevant to the search query. By acquiring high-quality links from authoritative websites, website owners can increase their website’s link juice and improve their search engine rankings.
Think of it like a pie. A really great homemade pie, shared by 6 people, is more valuable than a grocery pie shared by 20 people. The link juice from a high quality web page, with only a few outbound links, is far more valuable to you then a link from a low quality website with a hundred outbound links.
Local signals in SEO refer to the specific factors that search engines use to determine the relevance and prominence of a website for local search results. These factors include the website’s location, proximity to the searcher, consistency and accuracy of business information across directories and listings, customer reviews, and local content.
Local signals are important for businesses that operate in a specific geographic area and want to be found by local customers searching for products or services. By optimizing their website for local search, businesses can improve their visibility in search engine results and attract more local customers. Examples of local search include “best pizza near me” or “dentist in [city name]”. Local signals are essential for businesses with physical locations, such as retail stores, restaurants, and service providers, to drive foot traffic and increase sales.
Using the words that describe your location, like Sacramento, East Sac, Sacramento State College or State Capitol, tell Google you are talking about Sacramento. Including photos of Sacramento icons gives another local seo signal.
A meta description is a short summary of a webpage’s content that appears below the page title in search engine results pages. It is an HTML tag that website owners can add to their website’s code to provide a brief description of what the page is about.
The purpose of a meta description is to give users a preview of what they can expect to find on the webpage, and to entice them to click through to the website. A well-written meta description should accurately and succinctly describe the page’s content, include relevant keywords, and be compelling enough to persuade users to click through to the website. Meta descriptions are important for SEO because they can improve a website’s click-through rate and help search engines understand the content of the webpage, leading to better rankings in search results.
Mobile-friendly websites are designed and optimized to provide a seamless user experience on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. They are responsive, meaning that the content on the website adjusts automatically to fit the screen size of the device being used.
Mobile-friendly websites are important because an increasing number of users access the internet on their mobile devices, and search engines like Google prioritize mobile-friendly websites in their search results. A mobile-friendly website should load quickly, have easy-to-read text, be easy to navigate with large touch-friendly buttons, and have content that is optimized for mobile viewing. By creating a mobile-friendly website, businesses can provide their mobile users with a better user experience and improve their search engine visibility, leading to increased traffic and conversions.
Off-page SEO refers to the actions taken outside of a website to improve its ranking and visibility in search engine results pages. It includes techniques such as link building, social media marketing, influencer outreach, and online reputation management.
Off-page SEO is important because search engines use external signals, such as links from other websites and social media mentions, to determine the relevance and authority of a website. By building high-quality links from authoritative websites and creating a strong online presence through social media and other channels, website owners can improve their website’s ranking in search results and attract more traffic to their website. Off-page SEO requires a strategic and consistent approach to build and maintain a positive reputation and influence online.
On-page SEO refers to the practice of optimizing the content and structure of a website’s individual pages to improve their visibility and ranking in search engine results pages.
It includes optimizing various elements on the page, such as title tags, meta descriptions, headings, content, images, and internal links. On-page SEO is important because it helps search engines better understand the content of a website and its relevance to specific search queries. By optimizing on-page elements, website owners can improve their website’s ranking in search results and attract more traffic to their website. On-page SEO is a critical aspect of search engine optimization, and it’s essential for website owners to implement best practices and make sure their website’s individual pages are optimized for both users and search engines.
Schema markup is a type of structured data that website owners can add to their website’s HTML code to help search engines better understand the content on their website.
It uses a standardized vocabulary to provide additional information about the different elements on a webpage, such as the title, author, date published, and other important details. By using schema markup, website owners can improve their website’s visibility in search results and help search engines provide more informative and relevant search results to users. For example, if a website uses schema markup to provide detailed information about a product, such as its price, availability, and reviews, search engines can display this information in search results, making it easier for users to find what they’re looking for.
Website spiders, also known as web crawlers or bots, are automated programs used by search engines to discover, crawl, and index the content of websites. Website spiders start by visiting a website’s homepage and following links to other pages on the website, systematically crawling through the website’s content and indexing it for search results.
Spiders analyze various aspects of the website, including the structure, content, and metadata, and use this information to determine the website’s relevance and authority for specific search queries. Website spiders are important for search engine optimization (SEO) because they enable search engines to discover and index website content, which can improve the website’s visibility and ranking in search results. To ensure that their website is easily discoverable and indexable by website spiders, website owners should create a clear and logical website structure, optimize metadata, and use internal linking to guide spiders to important pages. Regular monitoring of website spider activity can help website owners identify and fix any technical issues that may be hindering search engine crawl and indexing.
Stock images are professional photographs, illustrations, or videos that are available for licensing and use by businesses, individuals, and organizations for various purposes.
These images are created and stored by stock image agencies, and they can be purchased and downloaded by anyone who needs them for their creative projects. Stock images are commonly used in marketing materials, website design, social media posts, and other forms of digital and print media. They are a convenient and cost-effective solution for individuals and businesses that need high-quality visuals but don’t have the time, resources, or expertise to create their own images. Stock images come in a wide variety of styles, themes, and formats, making it easy for users to find the perfect image for their needs.
Visit our Marketing section for free stock photos in the Sacramento area.
Technical SEO refers to the process of optimizing a website’s technical elements to improve its search engine rankings and overall visibility. This includes optimizing the website’s structure, code, and content to make it more user-friendly and accessible to search engines.
Technical SEO involves various aspects such as website speed, mobile responsiveness, indexing, crawlability, website security, and structured data. By addressing technical issues and implementing best practices, website owners can improve their website’s performance in search engines, leading to increased traffic and better user experience. Technical SEO is a fundamental aspect of search engine optimization and is essential for ensuring a website’s success in today’s digital landscape.
Tip 2: Conduct Keyword Research
Keyword research is a vital component of roofing SEO. You need to identify the words your prospect is using to find roofing companies like yours. Use keyword research tools to identify relevant keywords and include them in your website content and metadata.
Conducting keyword research is a crucial step in your roofing company’s SEO strategy. It involves identifying the best keywords that your target audience uses to search for roofing services. Here are some methods you can use to find the best keywords:
Brainstorming: Start by brainstorming a list of keywords that relate to your roofing business. Think about the roofing services you offer and the types of customers you serve. This can help you generate a list of initial keywords to research further.
Keyword Research Tools: Use keyword research tools such as Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs to find relevant keywords. These tools provide insights into keyword search volume, competition, and relevance. They can also suggest related keywords that you may not have considered.
Competitor Analysis: Look at your competitors’ websites to see which keywords they are targeting. This can give you an idea of the keywords that are most valuable in your industry and help you identify any gaps in your roofing SEO strategy.
Customer Surveys: Survey your customers to find out what keywords they use to search for roofing services. This can give you valuable insights into the language and terminology that resonates with your audience.
Industry Trends: Keep up with industry trends and news to identify emerging keywords and topics. Stay informed about the latest roofing products, techniques, and services and incorporate relevant keywords into your content.
In addition to these methods, there are specific websites and techniques that can provide insight into keyword research. For example, Google Trends can help you identify trending keywords and topics, while BuzzSumo can show you the most popular content for specific keywords.
In conclusion, conducting keyword research is essential for your roofing business’s SEO strategy. By using a combination of brainstorming, tools, competitor analysis, customer surveys, and industry trends, you can identify the best keywords to target and improve your search engine rankings. Remember to continuously monitor and update your keyword strategy to stay ahead of the competition.
Tip 3: Create Quality Content
Creating quality content is crucial for your roofing business’s marketing strategy. Not only does it help you rank higher in search engine results pages, but it also positions you as an authority in the roofing industry and educates your customers about your services. Here are some tips for creating quality content:
- Identify your target audience: Before creating content, identify your target audience. Consider their needs and preferences, and tailor your content to their interests. This ensures that your content is relevant and valuable to your customers.
- Choose the right format: There are many formats to choose from, including blog posts, videos, infographics, and podcasts. Choose the format that best suits your audience’s preferences and your roofing business’s goals.
- Offer value: Create content that offers value to your customers. Answer their questions, provide helpful tips, and share your expertise. Your content should aim to educate and inform, rather than sell.
- Use keywords strategically: Incorporate relevant keywords into your content to improve your search engine rankings. However, avoid keyword stuffing, as this can harm your rankings.
- Promote your content: Once you have created quality content, promote it on your roofing business’s website, social media accounts, and email marketing campaigns. Encourage your customers to share your content with their networks to increase its reach.
By following these tips, you can create quality content that attracts and engages your target audience, positions you as an authority in the roofing industry, and improves your search engine rankings. Remember to consistently create and promote quality content to stay top-of-mind with your customers, attract new ones and have successful roofing seo.
Tip 4: Build Links
Backlinks are an essential part of your roofing business’s SEO strategy, and one effective way to acquire them is by sponsoring local events and charities. Here’s how to find backlinks for your roofing business through sponsorships:
- Identify local events and charities: Look for events and charities in your area that align with your roofing business’s values and target audience. Consider sponsoring events that draw a large audience or benefit a well-known cause.
- Reach out to event organizers: Contact the organizers of the event or charity to inquire about sponsorship opportunities. Ask about the benefits of sponsorship, including backlink opportunities.
- Negotiate sponsorship packages: Once you have identified events and charities, negotiate sponsorship packages that include backlinks to your roofing business’s website. Make sure the backlinks are included in the event’s marketing materials and on their website.
- Attend and promote the event: Attend the event and promote your sponsorship on your roofing business’s social media accounts, website, and email marketing campaigns. Encourage attendees to visit your website and learn more about your roofing services.
- Follow up and track results: After the event, follow up with the organizers to ensure your backlinks are active and monitor your website’s traffic and search engine rankings to track the results of your sponsorship.
Sponsoring local events and charities not only helps your roofing business acquire valuable backlinks, but it also strengthens your community ties and builds brand awareness. By following these steps, you can find backlink opportunities that help your roofing business rank higher in search engine results pages and attract new customers.
Tip 5: Leverage Social Media
Social media is a powerful tool for roofing companies. Using platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to engage with your customers, promote your services, and build brand awareness. Share your blog posts, customer reviews, and before-and-after photos to showcase your expertise and attract new customers.
Leveraging social media is an important aspect of your roofing business’s marketing strategy. Each different platform caters to different types of people, it’s essential to tailor your message to reach your target audience effectively.
For instance, Twitter is a great platform for reaching journalists and media outlets. It’s a fast-paced platform where news breaks quickly, and journalists and reporters are always on the lookout for new stories. To reach this audience, create compelling and newsworthy tweets that showcase your roofing business’s expertise and value.
Instagram, on the other hand, is a highly visual platform and is popular among mothers and younger audiences. Use Instagram to showcase before-and-after photos of your roofing projects, share fun and engaging stories, and promote any special deals or offers.
LinkedIn is a professional platform that caters to business professionals. Use it to share informative articles and whitepapers that showcase your roofing business’s expertise and thought leadership.
Facebook is popular among seniors and a broad range of age groups. Use Facebook to share your blog posts, customer reviews, and testimonials to showcase your roofing business’s value and quality of work.
When creating your social media strategy, it’s important to tailor your message and content to each platform’s audience. For example, on Twitter, you might focus on breaking news in the roofing industry, while on Instagram, you might focus on sharing the visual elements of your roofing projects.
Tip 6: Invest in Pay-Per-Click Advertising
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a highly effective way to drive relevant traffic to your website. With PPC advertising, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad, making it a cost-effective marketing strategy. Use platforms such as Google Ads and Facebook Ads to target customers in your area.
Investing in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a highly effective way to drive targeted traffic to your roofing business’s website. However, it’s important to note that the roofing category is highly competitive, and the cost per click (CPC) can be expensive. Without an adequate budget, it may be difficult to generate significant business from PPC advertising.
To give you an idea of the typical cost per click for important roofing clicks in different cities, let’s take a look at some examples. In Denver, the average cost per click for roofing-related keywords is around $15. In Newport Beach, it’s around $20, while in Phoenix, it’s around $18. In Dallas, the average cost per click is around $17.
While these costs may seem high, they are a necessary investment for your roofing business to stay competitive in the PPC advertising space. With the right targeting and messaging, PPC advertising can generate highly targeted leads and conversions.
When investing in PPC advertising, it’s important to set a realistic budget and track your results closely. Use platforms such as Google Ads and Facebook Ads to target customers in your area and adjust your bids and targeting based on your results. Remember to continuously test and optimize your ads to improve your click-through rates (CTR) and lower your cost per click (CPC).
In conclusion, investing in PPC advertising is a highly effective way to drive targeted traffic to your roofing business’s website. While the roofing category can be expensive, with the right targeting and messaging, it can generate highly targeted leads and conversions. Set a realistic budget and track your results closely to ensure your PPC advertising strategy is effective and efficient.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Roofing SEO
It depends on the strategies you use and the competition in your area. SEO strategies may take a few months to see results, while PPC advertising can generate leads immediately.
It depends on your budget and goals. It’s important that you invest enough in your marketing to make an impact. Roofing is highly competitive.
The timeline for seeing results from marketing efforts can vary depending on the strategies you use and your target audience. Some tactics, such as pay-per-click advertising, can generate quick results, while others, such as SEO, may take several months to see significant results. It’s important to be patient and consistent with your marketing efforts.
The amount you should budget for marketing your roofing business can vary depending on your business’s size, goals, and the strategies you use. It’s recommended that you allocate at least 5-10% of your revenue towards marketing. However, the actual amount you need to spend may vary depending on your specific circumstances.
Measuring the success of your marketing efforts is essential to understanding what’s working and what’s not. Use tools such as Google Analytics to track your website traffic, leads, and conversions. Set specific goals for your marketing efforts, such as increasing website traffic or generating leads, and track your progress towards those goals.
In addition, monitor your interactions on Google Maps, your Google My Business profile, social media engagement and your PPC advertising metrics to see which strategies are generating the most results.
Whether to hire a marketing agency or handle marketing in-house depends on your business’s specific needs and resources. A marketing agency can provide expertise and experience in various marketing strategies, but it may come at a higher cost. Handling marketing in-house can save costs, but may require more time and resources from your team.
Effective marketing strategies for roofing businesses include SEO, pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing, email marketing, and sponsoring local events and charities. The key is to identify the strategies that work best for your business and target audience, and consistently execute those strategies over time.
In conclusion, a successful marketing plan for roofing companies involves understanding roofing SEO, conducting keyword research, creating quality content, leveraging social media, and investing in PPC advertising. By following these tips and answering the frequently asked questions, you can create a marketing plan that helps your roofing company stand out and attract new customers.
Author: Julie Gallaher is the founder and CEO of Get on the Map Local Search Marketing, a Sacramento-based agency specializing in local SEO and digital marketing. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Julie has worked with hundreds of clients to improve their online presence and attract new customers. She is a recognized expert in her field and has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, and The Sacramento Business Journal. Julie is also a sought-after speaker and has presented at numerous conferences and events on topics related to local SEO and digital marketing. Her passion for helping businesses succeed and her extensive knowledge of local SEO make her a valuable asset to any organization looking to improve its online presence.
Attention all roofing contractors! Are you looking to improve your marketing strategy but not sure where to start? Get on the Map Local Search Marketing is here to help! Sign up for a free 20-minute consultation with our team of experts to discuss your marketing goals and learn how we can help you achieve them. During the consultation, we’ll review your current marketing efforts, identify areas for improvement, and provide actionable recommendations to help you attract more customers and grow your business. To sign up, simply fill out the form on our website and we’ll be in touch to schedule your consultation. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to take your roofing business to the next level!