An Example of How Roofing SEO Works
A great way to examine how roofing SEO works is to look at the search engine results pages (SERP) for a common keyword—in this case, “leaking roof.” The results show a variety of different approaches to roofing SEO that a website can take.
The top organic result is a featured snippet by a national roofing company: 5 Things You Should Do When Your Roof Is Leaking. It looks like Google selected this piece because it presented the information in a way that allowed Google to easily present an overview at the top of the SERP. There are also featured photos from other pages, which can be a great way to bring people to your website.
Google also has local businesses featured for the area and a “People Also Ask” section with links to helpful pieces. Of course, that’s all in addition to the regular pieces of content that are organically ranking on the front page.
Each one of these represents an opportunity for a roofing business to get in front of the 2,200 people who search “leaking roof” every month.
Why SEO for Roofing Companies?
Most homeowners aren’t roofing experts, so the first thing they do when they have an issue is to Google it. If your roofing company isn’t showing up in the results, you’re missing out on those leads. That’s where SEO comes in. Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results.
People tend to spend a lot of time searching and researching roofing companies because a new roof is a large and important investment. Having a robust amount of SEO-driven content on an easily accessible website is a great way to bring in potential customers as they’re doing their research—and it allows you to demonstrate why your company is the right choice. Then you can funnel those people to pages about your services and encourage them to send an email, fill out a form, or make a phone call.
SEO Strategies for Roofers
In the algorithm that Google uses to evaluate and rank pages in their search results, they prioritize E-E-A-T: Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. According to Google, they are looking for content that shows it has been either created or reviewed by someone with first-hand experience in the field.
Your SEO content should demonstrate the depth of your company’s understanding of roofing services. It should strike the right balance between being accessible to the average reader and having the technical depth expected of industry professionals.
Using Search Empathy to Understand Your Customers
Search empathy means placing yourself in the mindset of your potential customers. If you can understand their needs and what information they’re looking for, you can create a roofing SEO strategy that caters to them. Gaining effective search empathy may involve surveying your past customers or looking at what brought them to you in the first place.
Here are some effective ways to match your content to the needs of your readers:
- Provide answers to common questions: Creating a list of frequently asked questions or a troubleshooting section on your website can help your clients access the information they’re looking for faster. They’re also a great way to get a feature, such as an FAQ, listed at the top of the SERP.
- Offer multiple ways to find information: Making effective use of photos, videos, live chat, and other methods can help cater to people who process information differently. A video tutorial or photo album can be especially helpful for explaining how to find leaks or see if a roof needs replacing.
- Update your website regularly: Consistently adding new and useful information to your website shows that your company is active and relevant.
Implementing On-Page, Off-Page, & Technical SEO
Most SEO tactics fall into three different but important categories: on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO.
- On-page SEO: The content of your website pages. Common examples include adding relevant keywords to the copy on your pages, page titles, headings, meta descriptions, and other signals that tell Google what’s on your site.
- Off-page SEO: Focuses on what you do outside of your website to help build credibility in search engine results pages and increase your site’s rankings. Common methods include building backlinks, increasing engagement on social media platforms, and encouraging positive reviews on third-party websites.
- Technical SEO: Occurs on the back end of your website. Strategies include using an SEO-friendly website structure, improving site security, and making sure your pages are accessible to users and search engines.
Creating Meta Titles and Descriptions
Meta titles are the titles that appear on individual pages or posts on your website in search results. They are considered a type of HTML attribute when you’re publishing a page. Adding your target keywords in a natural, appropriate way to your meta titles can improve not only how search engines view your pages but also how people interact with them when they show up as a search result.
Similarly, meta descriptions, also called page descriptions, are another HTML attribute that provides a summary of a page or post’s content. These can be optimized for the SERP, but Google often manipulates them for certain search terms.
Optimizing Page Load & Mobile Compatibility
Your customer is likely using their phone or tablet to look up roofing services in their area. Google also prioritizes mobile-first indexing, which makes it easier for people to find you if your site is mobile-friendly. Implementing a technical SEO strategy to ensure pages load quickly, links aren’t broken, and your website is accessible to both desktop and mobile users will create a solid user experience.
Designing a Usable Website
If visitors to your website find it frustrating to read or navigate, they’re likely to look for another one. Not only does that mean you lose out on a potential lead, but it can also lower your ranking on the SERP after Google sees how little time people spend on your website.
According to research, users often leave websites in as little as 10 seconds, and the average site visit is less than a minute. This means you have no more than 60 seconds to catch the attention of potential customers. Some strategies to do this include:
- Easier navigation: Make all important links or buttons easy to find with a clear navigation menu.
- Click-to-call links: If someone is on your website because they need roof repairs, this allows them to click a link on your page and call your business immediately.
- Internal links: When you publish a new page, adding links to and from your other site pages can make it easier for users to navigate your site.
Conducting Keyword Research
Keyword research is the foundation of SEO. Reliable keyword research tools can help you find more relevant keywords that your customers are using to search. This can also be a great source of ideas for different topics and subtopics relating to your roofing services, as most SEO tools will also show the questions people ask Google.
Writing Content
One of the best ways to get your company ranking on the first page of Google is to create content that provides value to the reader. Your content can answer questions from specific keywords like “how do I find out where my roof is leaking” or “how do you know when it’s time to replace your roof.” These are exploratory questions that someone will look up before they even know if they need your services. But if your content can answer their questions and show how your business can solve the searcher’s problem—you can turn those idle searches into actionable leads.
Building Links
Link building is the process of building relationships with other legitimate websites, including blogs and online directories, so they will provide links back to your site. The process can take time, but for some businesses, it can make a huge difference in how your pages rank on the SERP.
Utilizing Social Media
Social media can be an important part of an SEO strategy. Posting regularly and including links to your website in your company’s social media profiles helps drive traffic to your site and creates valuable backlinks that search engines will recognize as legitimate.
Some businesses default to running ads on social platforms to gain traffic, but it’s important to note that most people don’t go to social media sites to see ads. As with content marketing and on-page SEO, everything you post should provide value to your customers and encourage them to engage with you.
Targeting Local SEO
Since your customers are determined by geography, you need to have an effective local SEO strategy. That means researching search terms in your state, region, city, or neighborhood. For instance, you may target search terms such as “roofing contractors mi,” “roofing company west michigan,” “roof repair grand rapids,” or “roofing east grand rapids.”
We often recommend building service pages for each location you serve that comes up in the SEO research. It also doesn’t hurt to target the classic “roofing companies near me.”
