Digital marketing is a comprehensive process that consists of many different segments, elements, and techniques. In order to run a quality digital marketing campaign that will help your roofing business go to the next level, all of those parts need to be well-coordinated and managed.
I’ve put together this list of helpful tips describing what to focus on and what to avoid at all costs.
Know your audience
The first and most important rule of all marketing campaigns, whether it is SEO, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising or social media marketing, is knowing your audience and choosing your targets wisely.
The roofing industry is a very competitive one, so reaching the right audience in the right area is crucial. This will ensure that your product or service will reach the consumer who actually wants it. It ensures higher traffic to your website and increases your conversion rates.
The best thing is to focus your attention on the areas you serve and focus your marketing efforts on them. Since you are a roofing expert, you will be able to determine what type of roofing systems are best for that area or what is in demand. If the area is prone to hail and storms, for example, you can focus on advertising your roof repair services.
Once you’ve determined your ideal customer, your target audience, the services they need and want, you need to know how different marketing strategies you conduct will affect their behavior, their purchase decisions, i.e. how will they drive them to your website and convert them into buyers in the end. If, for example, your customers are younger homeowners, social media might be the best way to reach them.
Optimize your roofing website with SEO
SEO is a digital marketing strategy where the main goal is ranking your web page on the first page of Google search results. This marketing strategy will attract organic, free traffic to your website, but only if you are visible, if you come up in the users’ searches, and if you are ranking high, among the top three search results on the first page of Google.
This is very important for any local roofing company, as you are undoubtedly faced with stiff competition in your area, and in order to stand out you need to rank high. The higher you rank, the more trust you inspire in your users, and they are more likely to contact you.
Here are some of the best tips for quality SEO:
Optimise the architecture of your site
This involves carefully structuring your URL with target keywords, adding unique meta titles to each page on your site, as well as H tags which will divide the page by topic and inform Google about the main and sub-topics of your page.
You should also create a schema markup, which will help Google understand what your web page is about, and set up internal links that will help both Google and your users navigate through the site and understand the site’s structure.
Create relevant and quality content
Adding creative, unique and quality content to your site will inform users and keep them on your page. You should use relevant roofing keywords throughout the content naturally and avoid repetition.
Apart from that, include some images with descriptions and ALT tags, as well as social sharing buttons to encourage sharing and increase recognition and visibility.
Keep user experience in mind
Create a site that will load fast, that can adapt to different devices, i.e. a mobile-friendly site that can be read on smartphones. Create easily readable content, well-organised and trim, divided into short paragraphs, so that users can skim through it.
Link building
This aspect is also called off-page optimization, and it involves getting backlinks to your website, i.e. getting other pages to link back to your site. This is very important for building your online reputation and increasing authority.
Some of the link building tactics include signing up for local business directories, promoting your blog posts on local blogs and city pages, creating e-books, offering testimonials to other local businesses you’ve worked with in exchange for a link back, etc.
What to avoid in SEO:
- Keyword stuffing – using too many target keywords on your web and in your content can be registered as spam, and therefore have the exact opposite effect with the search engines, hurting your SEO.
- Duplicate content – plagiarism and copying content from other websites is also seen as spam and is highly discouraged.
- Outdated content – content that you published years ago can become outdated, less relevant and hurt your SEO. Make sure to improve and refresh certain pages and blog posts.
Leverage the power of social media through Facebook lead generation
Facebook is one of the largest social media platforms today, with two billion active users, and incredibly effective targeting options. It is one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies that can generate you a great number of quality leads.
When it comes to roofers, one of the best options with Facebook Ads is creating hail funnels – generating leads when hail hits a particular area. Here is how to do it effectively:
Get creative with your ads
Adding a short video of the hail is a great way to attract attention instantly. When hail hits, simply record it with your mobile phone and add it to your ad. People like watching these types of scenes and will be drawn to your ad.
Great ad wording
Your ad text should always be short, clear, and precise, containing a CTA (Call to Action). Speak to your audience, ask them if they were hit by hail, offer them help and support, and finish it with a CTA such as “Get in touch today”, or “Get your quote today”. Always provide a link leading to your page, where they can contact you or leave their contact information.
Landing page lands you the job
You can use your website, a landing page created specifically for your hail services, or you can create a survey for it through Surveygizmo, Google Forms, or other online tools. Ask them a few questions in this survey before asking for their contact information to engage them so that they’re more willing to leave their info. For example, ask if they’ve been hit by hail, how old their roof is, what type of roof they have, etc.
What to avoid:
- Using only static images in your ads – moving images and content are more captivating than static, and users are more likely to click on an ad with moving imagery. Try adding some brief videos and gifs.
- A landing page that doesn’t match the ad – this kind of landing page is considered as clickbait. Clickbait is content that leads users to think they’re going to see one thing but takes them to a page with unexpected content. That kind of ad will not be approved by Facebook.
- Misleading content – incorporating false or misleading information about your business and services is never a good idea, and it will result in failure of the ad.
Reap the benefits of PPC advertising by generating quality leads with Google Ads
Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords) is a pay-per-click service for generating leads, it is one of the most effective digital marketing strategies, and when set up properly it can provide great results. Here are the three most important aspects of a successful campaign:
Use targeted and specific keywords and locations
If you want your ad to appear in the search results when customers inquire about the specific services you offer, you need to carefully select the keywords you will use. Each keyword should be specific to the services you offer, and campaigns need to target specific locations. This way it will appear only to relevant audiences in the relevant areas.
Ad content and layout
The headline should include some of the main keywords along with the name of your city, with words that grab attention, such as “the best,” “number one,” “top,” etc. In the description line focus on highlighting your best aspects and make sure to include a clear Call-to-Action (CTA).
Landing page
Just like with Facebook Ads, you have to have a great landing page with Google Ads, as well. The layout of the page will be very important here, so make sure to include several badges and your phone number at the top, a catchy headline, high quality image, contact form, two to three customer reviews, and a CTA at the end of every section on the page.
What to avoid:
- Using only a few ad extensions – by using all of the ad extensions you can greatly improve your ad performance. Ad extensions such as review, seller ratings, location etc. enhance your ad and allow it to occupy even more space on Google.
- Not having a dedicated landing page – it is very important for the success of the ad to have a dedicated landing page. Instead of directing all your traffic to your homepage, you should create dedicated landing pages for each ad and campaign.
Conclusion
Digital marketing strategies can be the key to the success of your roofing business, as they offer you many possibilities to market effectively to the appropriate and targeted audiences in your area. Integrating different strategies and digital marketing platforms. Employing these valuable tips can help you grow your business and improve your return on investment in the present and in the future.
