Roofing SEO Podcast

The digital marketing world knows Google well for its secrecy, but not so much for subtlety. When the search engine giant drops a massive new update that potentially affects millions of businesses around the country, you can bet there will be a scramble to get up to speed on critical changes. Thankfully, our team at Roofing Webmasters has done all the Local SEO prep work already.

So let’s talk about the Local Search Update, and how your business can adjust its content strategy!

SEO Tips for Roofers

• The latest local search update places even greater emphasis on diverse keyword strategy.

Let’s get started with the most important impact the local search update might have on your roofing business. If you’ve relied on a company name that incorporates an industry keyword (ex: Bill’s Roof Repair) to earn you leads, you may have already noticed a steep drop in local listings. That’s because Google’s neural mapping system has expanded the search engine’s ability to recognize synonyms of hot industry keywords.

Now Google can recognize all kinds of synonyms and phrases related to roofing and use them to assign ranks in local search results.

If your business has already developed a diverse collection of industry keywords on your roofing company website, you may notice an increase in rank. However, if you’ve relied on generic go-to phrases that everyone else does, you may drop in local search ranks. That could be especially damaging if you’ve held a long-term position at the top of a local map pack!

As always, Google connects search users with the highest quality content. Since they don’t have to rely on exact matching and the same old keywords, they will vigorously expand their ranking process to hunt for even better search results. There are a few ways you can take advantage of the local search update for your business:

How to Earn Stronger Ranking After the Local Search Update

• Make sure your website has dedicated pages for each of your specific services.

If you haven’t taken the time to develop a broader keyword strategy, don’t worry. There’s always time to start optimizing your website. Look to helpful tools like SEMrush, Moz Keyword Explorer, Answer the Public, and Ubersuggest to search out new and exciting phrases!

Ideally, you’ll want to target mid to low-volume phrases with high user intent. That means the terms themselves clearly reveal what the consumer is looking for (such as installation service). Mixing these quality keywords in with more generic phrases makes your content pop in Google Search!

If you haven’t taken the time to update your Google My Business (GMB) account recently, it’s time to take another look! No other tools affect your local listings as much as your GMB, so regular checkups are essential. Continue adding photos of all your greatest jobs! You can also promote limited-time offers through GMB posts.

There are a few ways to tell whether or not your website is ready for the Local Search Update. First, compare the number of pages on your website to the number of individual services your company provides. If the site currently tries to advertise all your services on a handful of pages – it’s even worse if your site doesn’t mention them at all – you’re not ranking as well as you could be. Dedicated service pages are the way to go, at least for now. 

Next, make sure that your pages have plenty of schema code. This coding allows Google to better interpret various page elements on your website, improving your chance of earning outstanding local ranks. If you haven’t already, you need to listen to our talk on Righteous Reviews and schema-enriched client reviews! The results we’ve seen in local search are truly incredible.

If you’d like to learn more about local search, the Local Search Update, or anything related to website optimization, our team at Roofing Webmasters would love to talk with you! Consult with our experts for free at (800) 353-5758, and see why so many contractors come to us for higher search rankings.

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Search marketing is an ever-changing landscape of Google policy changes, established practices, newly-minted tactics, and revolutionary software. Put simply, the rules and strategies that guide roofing SEO (search engine optimization) change from year to year. Even our seasoned team of search marketing professionals has to actively test and research new methods to keep up with the shifting industry.

That’s why we go to conferences!

Jason and Nolen arrive back on the scene, fresh on the cusp of one of the most influential search conferences in the nation (maybe the world). As usual, they have some helpful insights to steer your business towards sweet success! Whether you’re just now entering the online search scene or you’ve competed for years, be sure to listen in.

Key Marketing Lessons for Roofing Companies

• Roofing SEO is a step-by-step process, not a single fix-it solution.

With all the flashy revelations that fly across our attention span, it’s easy to lose sight of the core principles that haven’t changed. Search engines continue to dominate marketing as a primary source of revenue. That means roofing SEO is even more essential than it was just a few years ago. If you aren’t competing for leads through this digital channel, you are probably missing out on tens of thousands of dollars every year, minimum.

With that being said, opportunities to get your company up and running online are still very accessible. Even if you don’t have the necessary expertise to market online, somebody else does.

If you’re eager to reap the substantial rewards of search marketing, now is the time to get active. To help you, we’ll re-touch on the basics of SEO and local search. Then we’ll get into the more advanced tactics you’ll need to go from entry-level competitor to front page material.

Let’s dig in!

Anyone can start a social media profile or run an ad, but what are the bare essentials to start building your online brand presence? First, you’ll need a website!

Newly-minted roofing companies aren’t always flush with funds, so we understand if you need to begin with a free template design. If you have the financial capacity however, we highly recommend you find a seasoned firm that offers search-optimized web design. The enormous difference in lead potential will quickly help you recoup the costs.

• Company website, with optimized service pages

Getting your business information listed across multiple reputable platforms is also a crucial part of growing the brand online. Not only does this create additional exposure and review potential for your company, it also creates a stronger sense of accountability and trustworthiness. The more places Google’s search engine detects your brand, the more likely it will recommend it through higher rankings.

Keep in mind, these are just the basics your company needs to accomplish in order to show up in search. In recent years, we’ve seen more and more roofing companies manage to achieve these requirements. If you really want to succeed and earn premium rankings (and the resulting leads), you’ll need to go above and beyond what other businesses are doing.

As we say at the Webmasters, “You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be the best!”

What sort of tactics allows a fledgling brand to rise above the rest in local search marketing? Again, quality web design plays a huge role here. A capable site incorporates simple navigation with keyword-rich service pages. This enables the site to rank for a much wider variety of phrases!

If you want to go above and beyond, start infusing your site with schema code. Schema code helps communicate the purpose and meaning of different page elements in a way that Google’s search crawlers – picture little bots scouting and indexing new site content – can easily understand. It takes some dedicated research and effort to update your website with schema, but it’s worth the effort!

As we mentioned before, client feedback plays a key role in establishing your brand reputation online. The more positive reviews come in, the more likely Google’s algorithm is to recognize your company as a reputable and reliable choice for local consumers. Of course, anyone can gather reviews.

If you really want your brand to stand out, try supercharging your client reviews with geotagging software. Geotagging adds GPS data to reviews, the kind of data that Google absolutely craves! The search engine sorts through countless contracting companies every year. Roofers with geotagged jobsite check-ins and reviews, however, provide undeniable evidence of their service area.

In simple terms, Google sees actionable evidence of where you work and directs more traffic from those communities to your website.

At Roofing Webmasters, we use integrated software called DataPins to provide geotagged check-ins and reviews for your website. That’s just one reason why our roofing clients enjoy front-page rankings and exceptional lead quality. We’d love to talk with you about your growth goals. 

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We’ve all heard the tales of marketing disasters, but few professionals fully understand just how close they could be to losing serious business online. In our latest podcast, Nolen tells the scary story of how a once successful roofing professional lost over two thirds of their annual revenue ($2+ million) thanks to some unfortunate online mistakes! If you ever feel worried about the future of your lead generation, be sure to listen in.

Key Lessons for Roofing Professionals

• Your Google My Business account plays an essential role in local search results!

Every seasoned industry professional knows that even the strongest roofing system is only as sound as its supporting framework. Without a solid foundation to rely on, a roof can quite literally implode on itself. One roofing company owner – we’ll call him “Bob” – found out the hard way that this concept applies to online search marketing as well!

In fact, a handful of mistakes cost his business over two million dollars in one year!

Bob ran a very successful company. With years of experience under their belts, Bob’s team managed to complete hundreds of roofing projects each year. Much of his business arose from repair and replacement jobs, as the company operated in one of the top hail-prone states in the country. His staff consisted of over 30 people, and the business still saw fantastic profits year over year. Unfortunately, all Bob’s success came crumbling down around him one day.

Bob’s company did little in the way of marketing online, with the exception of collecting reviews. The company’s Google My Business account had yet to be verified. His website lacked essential optimization factors that could elevate rankings in local search. He didn’t even have to advertise very often. Like too many contractors and owners, Bob assumed that the company could coast along in reviews, so that’s where he spent his efforts. 

That’s where he made the gravest mistake of all.

Bob Accidentally Violated Google Quality Guidelines by Offering Discounts for Reviews.

Bob wanted to encourage people to submit reviews for his company, so he offered $50 gift cards for anyone who would provide them. In the man’s defense, he wasn’t trying to coerce or bribe people for better ratings. His team already did great work, and the reviews created were from real, happy customers.

That didn’t matter when Google found out about his practice. It seems an unhappy former employee contacted the search engine and informed on his boss’ practice. Since this violated Google’s quality guidelines, they closed down Bob’s GMB account. Almost overnight, Bob’s roofing company went from premium rankings to practically disappearing in local map results.

Bob made an honest mistake when he incentivized reviews. Regardless, his company went from earning $3+ million in revenue to less than a third of that. He contacted Google, eagerly sought out his error, and apologized. Google reinstated his account, but Bob’s company still hadn’t recovered when they came to our team at Roofing Webmasters for help.

His company signed on, and we’ve worked very hard to restore Bob’s company to their former online glory. It’s been a challenging journey. The shaky reviews-only foundation that had supported the business collapsed when the GMB account was suspended! Because the company had practically zero search engine optimization for their website, no one could find the brand when they tried to search local contractors. 

We’ve since started overhauling Bob’s website so he can start ranking again, but it’s going to take some time before his team fully recovers.

Even in Rare Search Mistakes, Well-Optimized Sites Like This One Can Bounce Back With Steady Organic Traffic.

There are a few key activities you can tackle to lessen your chances of a major marketing disaster like Bob’s. First, make sure that you’ve claimed, completed, and verified your Google My Business listing. While verification methods change from time to time, you should be able to get your roofing company taken care of within a few weeks.

Second, invest in a quality, search-optimized website. A sturdy website should have dedicated pages for each of your services. We see companies that provide dozens of services strip down their list to two or three, then jam-pack those few pages with way too many keywords. Instead, craft a handful of pages for your top categories (such as residential, metal, and commercial roofing), then create sub-pages beneath each of those with all the related services. Take time to work related keywords into every page in a way that reads naturally.

Finally, make sure that your company is consistently asking customers with reviews. Of course, you should avoid any sort of practice that could be interpreted as incentivizing reviews! If you ever feel unsure about a particular practice, check out Google’s Webmaster Quality Guidelines. 

How to Earn Leads and Avoid Search Penalties

• Register, claim, and verify your GMB account.

If you’ve been hit with a serious Google penalty, our team at Roofing Webmasters would love to help. Contact us anytime at (800) 353-5758 for a free consultation!

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It’s a story we hear over and over again. A roofing contractor tells of how digital marketing companies have cheated them in the past. The frustration is so intense, so palpable at times, that contractors can’t even move forward and escape their situation. That’s the greatest tragedy.

We understand what it feels like to be disappointed and anxious. In today’s podcast, Nolen and Jason discuss real world contractors who’ve gotten stuck in a vicious cycle of marketing failure. Thankfully, your business doesn’t have to settle for mediocre business growth! We’ll explore how your company can start over again with a new, productive marketing plan.

Helpful Tips for Roofing Professionals

• Before trying to fix your marketing plan, try taking some time to clear your head.

How can you take months (or even years) of disappointment, and turn them into success for your roofing company? It’s an arduous process, but we’ve seen so many businesses turn their marketing around with fantastic results. It all starts with examining your current situation, removing hindrances, evaluating your strategy, and making baby steps towards success.

You don’t have to have the perfect marketing plan to earn a place among the top local companies.

This process does require a clear head however, so give yourself some time to calm, organize your thoughts, and (if necessary) get alone by yourself. Anxiety only hinders your ability to plan, and online marketing strategy requires clear thinking! If necessary, you can talk about your current situation with a seasoned marketing expert, but try to do some research by yourself first.

What’s the first step to escaping mediocre marketing results? Part ways with your current marketing strategy. That doesn’t mean you have to get rid of every marketing asset you have. But you do need to recognize which aspects of your plans are not contributing to your company’s success.

Your Marketing Company Should Be Able to Show Provide Proof of ROI.

Now, hopefully you have enough control of your online marketing program that you can determine which elements are actually producing leads. If not, that’s okay. A lot of businesses who pay an agency to manage their marketing end up with little understanding of what’s actually going on month to month. In cases where your marketing company shows no results after years of work, it’s often best to simply walk away and start fresh.

As you restart your online marketing, there are a few crucial assets to maintain.

• Your Domain Name – if you have a long-time domain name, don’t get rid of it!

Some experienced companies mistakenly get rid of these valuable resources. Hold onto them for now, especially your domain name! It’s a source of credibility and trust for your business. Without it, you will truly be starting over in your online marketing efforts.

Have you built a solid foundation for your local search performance? Most businesses haven’t, assuming that their marketing company can just flip a switch and enjoy instant success. In reality, real results demand careful preparation, website design, and reputation management. It won’t come by paying another business for mediocre leads either!

Take a sheet of paper (or a digital spreadsheet) and write down every marketing channel you’ve directed funds to over the last year. Examine each channel, and determine whether it’s contributing to immediate leads or long-term business growth. Here’s what your sheet might look like…

Notice the Relatively Low Investment Towards Long-Term Company Growth.

Are you actively investing money towards building up your brand value, or has your marketing been focused on creating immediate leads? Channels like Google Ads and Lead Sales won’t contribute much to your long-term company growth, especially if you don’t have an optimized website to support them! We actually love Google Ads at Roofing Webmasters, but they work best for supplementing your leads, not driving them.

If you think the above report seems a little too highly priced, you’d be amazed how many contractors spend tens of thousands of dollars per month without earning a satisfactory return on their investment. For now, focus on understanding where your funds have been going, so that you can remember which channels aren’t producing good results for your team.

Now all of this careful planning is wasted if we simply throw up our hands and swear away marketing. Once you’ve gotten a clear picture of the digital marketing channels that aren’t providing real growth for your business, it’s time to start taking steps towards success. Baby steps, mind you!

If you’ve discovered some areas missing in your marketing strategy, now is a great time to fill in the gaps. Here are some extremely valuable actions you can start on immediately!

• If you haven’t already, claim, complete, and register your Google My Business account.

Upward Growth Takes Time, But You Can Start Taking Steps Now!

Follow these steps, and you’ll be well on your way towards developing lasting growth for your roofing business! If you need an experienced web design team to help you with your website optimization, our seasoned pros at Roofing Webmasters would love to partner with you. We’ve supported hundreds of businesses across the US, producing better search rankings and higher traffic.

For a free consultation with one of our SEO professionals, call us at (800) 353-5758!

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The best way to kick off your online marketing is with an open mind and zero assumptions. Marketing changes year after year, and the strategies that guided roofing professionals five years ago don’t always apply to today’s standards. Thankfully, your first steps toward building your brand and earning online leads are pretty simple.

Below, Nolen and Jason chat about claiming your domain name, setting up your Google My Business account, and earning reviews. Be sure to listen in if you’re operating on a tight marketing budget because most of these steps are either free or very low-cost. Let’s get started.

Helpful Tips for Roofing Online Marketing:

• Local SEO begins with three key elements: your GMB listing, website, and reviews.

Even the idea of building your own roofing company is still fresh in your mind. You don’t have any website, specially wrapped trucks, or even a brand. But, you’re in the perfect place to craft a successful, optimized online marketing strategy! It all begins with three simple yet crucial steps.

How to Begin Your Online Marketing

• Step #1: Pick and Claim Your Website Domain

Depending on the competitive nature of your service area, you should be able to complete these steps for a few hundred bucks (maybe less). First, however, these are tasks you need to nail. So let’s take a little time to dig into each marketing task.

A considerable part of your online branding, the company domain name heavily impacts how easily people find your business. However, so many roofing businesses struggle with the selection process because they’re suffering from outdated strategies. For example, ten years ago, the most powerful domain name you could pick was (city name, plus “Roofer”).

Try employing that same domain strategy today, and you’ll almost certainly fall into the back pages of local search (where no one ever clicks). 

When a potential customer makes searches for “(city) roofer” now, they see results dominated by local guides, lead sellers, and listicle articles dedicated to the most experienced contractors in the area. Unfortunately, Google can’t distinguish these domain names from a general search, dramatically reducing the chances for a company with that name to succeed.

In short: don’t pick your city with a generic roofing term for your domain, or no one will ever find you.

Aim for uniqueness. If your domain stands out from the established roofers within 50 miles, that’s a serious win. There are a few tactics to distinguish your brand from other roofing companies:

• Use a distinct personal name. Example: jimbobsroofing.com

Your domain name doesn’t have to be funny or clever to succeed. Just make sure that it’s clear enough for people to remember and Google to distinguish from general industry terms. Follow these guidelines, and you’ll have an excellent start for your online marketing!

If you want your roofing company to appear in Google Maps searches, you must claim and complete your Google My Business listing.

All you have to do is fill out all the necessary contact/location info, answer any industry-related questions, and go through Google’s verification process. Your GMB listing information should be the same details you use for all your other citation sources. When you claim a Yelp company profile (for instance), be sure that even your address abbreviations perfectly match those in your GMB account.

When your GMB listing finally activates – this usually takes a week or two – you’ll also gain access to a company Knowledge Graph when people search your business directly. From there, potential customers can access your reviews, website, company number, and much more! You can even create promotional posts in your GMB account specifically for the Knowledge Graph.

One of the great perks of starting an online website these days is that you have access to a host of great starter templates. While they don’t have the same schema coding or professional SEO of designer sites, you can always start with a free template to get the business going. In addition, a functional website contributes to your domain’s searchability as your business ages and earns new customers.

Start by choosing a color scheme and layout that’s appropriate for your community and client type. From there, most templates allow you to add pages for each of your roofing services. You’ll want to consolidate them under a handful of service categories (we generally recommend sticking with four or less) because this makes it easier for people to find their desired solutions. Next, make sure your pages are keyword-optimized, then craft a company blog post at least once a month.

Building a sustainable roofing business is a real challenge, especially in more competitive markets. Still, these beginning steps will take your business a long way towards creating a successful brand. As your company grows, you’ll be able to invest in more refined website design, PPC campaigns, and social media outlets.

When that day comes, our team at Roofing Webmasters would love to help take your brand to the next level! Our roofing clients regularly earn page one rankings for dozens of keywords, producing higher traffic and better quality leads. 

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