Strategy Playbook — example approach, not a client result. This page describes how we would set up Google Ads for a local roofing company. It is not a case study. Budget figures are hypothetical, and the benchmarks are public industry averages with sources linked.
A roof replacement is one of the biggest checks a homeowner writes, and most of them only search for a roofer once or twice in their life. That makes every high-intent click valuable, and every wasted one expensive. The searches range from “roof leak repair near me” at 7 a.m. after a storm to “metal roof cost” from someone planning a project next year. This playbook covers the account we would build for a residential roofer with one to three crews, with separate paths for repairs, replacements and storm damage.
The challenges specific to roofing
- Expensive clicks. LocaliQ’s 2026 benchmarks put the average CPC for Home & Home Improvement at $8.33, one of the highest of any category, with an average cost per lead of $90.92 (source). Roofing is a competitive corner of that category, so we would plan for the upper end.
- Repairs and replacements are different businesses. A $400 repair and a $15,000 replacement can come from almost the same search. If both sit in one campaign, the budget drifts toward whatever is cheapest to convert, which is usually the smaller job.
- Storm demand is spiky. After hail or high winds, search volume jumps for a few days and competitors (including out-of-town storm chasers) raise their bids. A static budget either misses the spike or overspends on quiet weeks.
- Insurance claim searches. “Roof insurance claim” brings both real leads and people looking for adjuster or legal advice. Claims and payment rules also vary by state, so ad copy has to be careful.
- Lead sellers and Local Services Ads. Lead marketplaces and Google Local Services Ads take space at the top of the results, so Search ads need a clear reason to choose this roofer.
- DIY and job seekers. “How to fix a roof leak”, “roofing shingles Home Depot” and “roofer jobs” bring clicks that will never become a job.
Public benchmarks (Home & Home Improvement, Google Search)
| Metric | Home & Home Improvement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Avg. CPC | $8.33 | LocaliQ 2026 |
| Avg. CTR | 6.47% | LocaliQ 2026 |
| Avg. conversion rate | 8.05% | LocaliQ 2026 |
| Avg. cost per lead | $90.92 | LocaliQ 2026 |
These are averages across the whole home improvement category, not roofing alone. We would use them as a planning baseline, not a promise.
Campaign structure
| Campaign | Ad groups | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Search – Roof replacement | Roof replacement + city · New roof cost · Roofing contractor + city · Shingle / metal roof installation | The highest-value jobs get their own budget, landing page and bid targets. |
| 2. Search – Roof repair | Roof leak repair · Emergency roof repair · Roof repair near me · Missing shingles | Faster, smaller jobs that often turn into replacement inspections. |
| 3. Search – Storm & insurance | Hail damage roof · Storm damage roof repair · Roof insurance claim help | Kept separate so its budget can be raised after a storm and lowered afterward. |
| 4. Search – Commercial (optional) | Flat roof repair · Commercial roofing contractor · TPO / EPDM | Only if the company really does commercial work. |
| 5. Search – Brand | Company name variations | Cheap protection from competitors bidding on the name. |
Location targeting would use the real service radius, set to “Presence: people in or regularly in your targeted locations”, so people researching from another state don’t use up the budget. We would add call assets with call reporting, location assets linked to the Google Business Profile, and an ad schedule with higher bids during office hours, when calls can actually be answered. Local Services Ads can run alongside Search; they are managed separately and are a good second channel once reviews are in place.
Sample keyword list (with match types)
Replacement
- [roof replacement] + city
- “roof replacement near me”
- “new roof cost” + city
- [roofing contractor] + city
- “metal roof installation” + city
Repair
- [roof repair near me]
- “roof leak repair” + city
- “emergency roof repair”
- “fix missing shingles”
Storm & insurance
- “hail damage roof repair” + city
- “storm damage roof”
- “roof insurance claim” + city
Commercial (optional)
- “flat roof repair” + city
- [commercial roofing contractor] + city
Exact and phrase match only at launch. Broad match is tested only after offline conversion data shows which leads turn into signed jobs.
Negative keywords (starter list)
diy, how to, video, youtube, tutorial, home depot, lowes, menards, shingles for sale, supplies, wholesale, materials only, jobs, hiring, salary, career, training, certification, osha, calculator (test this one), cheap, free (test this one), rv roof, car roof, roof rack, roof top tent, shed roof kit, gazebo, cities and states outside the service area.
We would also use campaign-level negatives so “repair” and “leak” searches stay out of the replacement campaign, and “replacement” and “new roof” stay out of the repair campaign.
Sample responsive search ad (Replacement)
Headlines:
- Roof Replacement in {City}
- Free Roof Inspection & Quote
- Licensed & Insured Local Roofer
- Shingle & Metal Roof Options
- Written Estimate, No Pressure
- Financing Options Available
- Get Your Quote This Week
- Talk to a Roofer, Not a Call Center
Descriptions:
- Book a free inspection and get a clear written estimate for your new roof.
- Local crews, manufacturer-backed materials and a workmanship warranty in writing.
Only use claims like warranties, financing, certifications, years in business or star ratings if they are true and can be verified. Avoid promising that insurance will pay for a roof: that decision belongs to the insurer, and some states regulate how contractors talk about claims.
Landing page tips
- Separate pages for replacement, repair and storm damage. Each page should match the ad that sent the visitor.
- Put a phone number and a short inspection form (name, phone, address, type of problem) above the fold.
- Show real proof: license number, insurance, manufacturer certifications if held, Google reviews and photos of real local jobs.
- Explain the process in three or four steps: inspection, written estimate, scheduling, cleanup.
- For the storm page, explain what a homeowner should document before calling their insurer, and say plainly that you are not a public adjuster unless you are licensed as one.
- Load in under 2.5 seconds on mobile, because many repair searches happen on a phone, sometimes from the driveway.
Tracking setup
- Form fills for inspections and estimates, tracked as separate conversions for repair and replacement.
- Call assets plus website call conversions, counting calls of 60 seconds or longer.
- Job stages imported from the CRM (JobNimbus, AccuLynx, ServiceTitan or similar) as offline conversions: inspection booked, estimate sent, job signed.
- Conversion values that reflect the job type, so a signed replacement counts for much more than a repair.
- A weekly check of call recordings or lead notes to catch spam, solicitors and wrong-service calls.
Budget scenario (hypothetical)
Hypothetical math, not a forecast or a client result. It uses public LocaliQ 2026 averages for Home & Home Improvement.
- Monthly ad spend: $3,000
- Benchmark CPC $8.33 → about 360 clicks
- Benchmark CVR 8.05% → about 29 leads
- Implied cost per lead → about $103 (LocaliQ’s reported category average CPL is $90.92, so we would plan for a range of roughly $90–$110)
Whether that is profitable depends on the roofer’s own numbers: what share of leads becomes an inspection, what share of inspections signs, and the average job value and margin. We would build this model with the company’s real data before launch and judge the account by cost per inspection and cost per signed job, not by cost per lead. At this spend level, management would fit our Google Ads Starter or Growth plan (pricing).
30/60/90 day plan
Days 1–30: Launch
- Set up call and form tracking and connect the CRM for offline conversions.
- Build the campaigns with the real service radius and separate landing pages for replacement, repair and storm.
- Review search terms twice a week, especially for DIY, supplies and job seekers.
Days 31–60: Tighten
- Expand negatives and pause keywords that bring calls but no inspections.
- Test the offer on the replacement page (free inspection vs. same-week estimate vs. financing).
- Set a simple storm plan: which campaign gets extra budget, for how many days, and who answers the extra calls.
Days 61–90: Optimize for signed jobs
- Move to Maximize Conversions or target CPA using inspection and signed-job conversions from the CRM.
- Shift budget toward the campaign with the lowest cost per signed job, usually replacement.
- Report cost per inspection, cost per signed job and pipeline value by campaign.
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FAQ
Are Google Ads worth it for roofing companies?
They can be, because one replacement job can cover many leads. Clicks are expensive, though: LocaliQ’s 2026 average CPC for Home & Home Improvement is $8.33, so tracking leads through to signed jobs matters more than the number of leads.
Should roofers run Local Services Ads or Google Search ads?
Often both. Local Services Ads charge per lead and depend heavily on reviews, while Search ads give more control over keywords, landing pages and budget for replacement and storm work.
How should a roofer handle storm season in Google Ads?
Keep storm and insurance keywords in their own campaign, so its budget can be raised for a few days after a storm without changing the rest of the account, and make sure someone can answer the extra calls.
Is this a real client case study?
No. This is an example strategy that shows how we would approach the niche. Benchmarks come from public LocaliQ data.