Google Ads for roofers: How to pay for replacements, not repairs
Roof replacement searches rise sharply in late summer and fall by around three quarters in winter. The accounts that do well plan for that and filter hard for intent.
Roofing clicks are expensive, and many of them come from people who need a small repair, want an insurance answer or are just curious about prices. A good Google Ads setup does not avoid those searches entirely. It gives them less budget and gives replacement searches more.
Campaign structure
Replacement. Keywords such as "roof replacement near me", "new roof cost [city]", "roofing contractor". Ads mention financing, warranties, materials and reviews. This is where most of the budget should go.
Repair. Keywords such as "roof leak repair", "roof repair near me". Ads lead with fast response. Keep a separate, smaller budget, and qualify on the phone. Some repairs turn into replacements.
Storm response. Keywords such as "hail damage roof", "storm damage roof repair". Paused most of the time and switched on after weather events in your area. Be careful and accurate with any insurance wording.
Keywords and negatives
Roofing searches attract materials shoppers, DIYers and job seekers. Useful negatives include:
- jobs, hiring, salary, training
- DIY, how to, video
- shingles for sale, supply, Home Depot, Lowe's
- metal roofing panels if you do not sell materials
Review the search terms report weekly in the first months. See negative keywords for service businesses.
Landing pages
A roofing landing page should show:
- Real photos of roofs you have replaced in the area.
- Financing with monthly payment examples, if you offer it.
- The materials and warranties you use.
- Reviews and the number of roofs completed.
- A simple way to book an inspection, with a phone number at the top.
Send replacement and repair traffic to different pages. See the service business landing page checklist.
Location and schedule
Target the areas where you want to work, with presence-based targeting. Consider bidding higher in neighborhoods with older homes or higher property values, if your data supports it.
Tracking signed jobs
A roofing lead can take weeks to become a signed contract. If Google only sees form fills, automated bidding will find more form fills, including poor ones. Import inspections booked and contracts signed back into Google Ads. See offline conversion tracking.
Illustrative example
These numbers are invented to show the math.
A roofer spends $5,000 a month and gets 40 leads. Twelve book inspections, and 4 sign replacements averaging $15,000. Cost per signed job is $1,250, about 8% of the job value. The cost per lead of $125 looks high, but the cost per customer is healthy.
Seasonality
Raise replacement budgets from late summer through fall when searches rise, and reduce them in winter unless your market stays busy. Use the quiet months for Meta ads and follow-up on old estimates. See seasonal advertising for service businesses.
Where to start
Split your account into replacement, repair and storm campaigns, and make sure replacement traffic lands on a replacement page. Track contracts, not just leads.
Our Google Ads management service builds roofing accounts this way. See also how to get roofing leads and our roofing lead generation service. If you want us to look at your account, request a free audit.
Questions owners ask
Do Google Ads work for roofers?
Yes, when replacement searches are separated from repair and research searches, and results are measured by signed jobs.
How much do roofing Google Ads cost?
Click costs vary widely by market. Keyword tools put the average cost per click for "roof replacement" in the US at around $26, and competitive metros can be much higher.
Should roofers use Local Services Ads too?
Often, yes. Local Services Ads charge per lead and appear above normal ads. They tend to produce more repair calls, so qualify carefully.
Want us to look at your own numbers?
Get a free lead generation audit. We will review your ads, landing pages and tracking, and show you where enquiries are slipping away. If nothing is broken, we will tell you that too.
LeadWise MarketingAn owner-operated lead generation agency based in Cape Town, South Africa, working with service businesses across the United States and Europe. More about LeadWise.
