7 roofing advertisement ideas to increase your profits

 Key takeaways

• Discover roofing advertising ideas to create a brand that appeals specifically to your target audience
• Polish your roofing website and create useful SEO-optimized blog and social media content to attract new customers
• Leverage word-of-mouth marketing with a roofing referral program and customer reviews on online business listings and review sites

As a small business owner in the roofing industry, you need a constant stream of new customers. With a steady flow of roofing leads coming in, you can focus your efforts on moving potential new customers through your sales funnel to close the deal—and then offering a great service and experience.

Fortunately, generating roofing leads through advertising doesn’t have to blow your budget. Consider these inexpensive roofing advertisement ideas that can attract new customers and increase your roofing business profits.

Roofing marketing strategy basics

When people look for a roofing contractor, they want a business with a solid reputation that they can rely on to do an excellent job. As such, your roofing advertisements should put those qualities on full display to increase brand awareness and build trust with potential customers. For your roofing marketing ideas to pay dividends, first focus on these two foundational elements: your target audience and your small business branding.

Understand your target audience

When you know the demographics of your target market, it’s much easier to pitch your roofing business to attract their attention. Talk to your current customers to help you build buyer personas and ask questions during your research. For example:

• How old are your customers?
• What is their income bracket?
• Do they have a family?
• What kind of house do they live in?
• What social media platforms do they use?

Use this information to get a clear picture of the homeowners you’re talking to in your roofing ads.

Develop your roofing brand to attract new customers

Your small business branding impacts how potential customers see you. It’s a reflection of your company mission, the roofing services you offer, and the values you hold. 

For instance, if you do commercial roofing, your branding should attract larger companies rather than individual homeowners. Your messaging, graphic elements, and brand personality should speak to corporate clients in a way that is convincing to them and their needs. If you focus on residences, perhaps your branding is a bit more warm and intimate, as this can build trust with homeowners who will be inviting you to their home.

Use what you know about your target audience to align your brand in a way that appeals to them—and distinguishes you from competing roofers. If your potential customers are very cost-conscious, you might tailor your roofing advertising strategy around financial value. If you and your potential customers are environmentally conscious, your marketing campaign could focus on using sustainable roofing materials and practices. 

7 roofing advertisement ideas to build your business

There are many different ways to build a roofer marketing plan. Traditional advertising like TV, radio, and print advertisements can be expensive—often costing more than a small business owner would prefer to spend. However, digital marketing ad campaigns can be much more cost-effective. Experiment with these roofing advertisement ideas to find what works for you.

1. Polish your website to attract roofing leads

One of the primary goals of your digital ads will be to get potential customers to your website—and specifically a landing page. So before you launch your marketing plan, get your roofing website in the best possible shape. You can build your website yourself for free or hire a professional to do it for you.

Your site is the heart of your online presence so it should be attractive, easy to use, informative, and optimized for mobile—especially when you consider there are nearly 300 million smartphone users in the U.S. It should also reflect your brand in the way it looks and the content it offers. Describe who you are, what you offer, and what you stand for in a way that will resonate with your target market. Include your contact details, relevant and helpful content, photos of jobs you’ve done, and as many testimonials as you can gather.

Also, consider creating a pop-up that invites visitors to sign up for your mailing list by providing their name, email address, and phone number. You could offer an incentive like a free roof inspection or a discount on their next roof repair. This helps to build your email list so you can stay in touch with current and potential new customers. 

2. Create content marketing around your roofing company

A new roof is a big investment, and people are likely to do some research before they spend their hard-earned money. If you create helpful, user-friendly content that answers their questions, there’s a good chance they’ll come to you first for a quote.

Content marketing works best when you create high-quality content that provides the information your target audience wants to know. For example, you could write blog posts on determining when it’s time for a new roof, what roofing material is best for your home based on local climate, or what questions to ask when looking for a roofing contractor. You could also add other useful, related content like how to clear your gutters or how much space you need on a roof for a solar panel. 

If writing isn’t your strength, consider creating short videos instead—or hire someone to create ad copy for you.

3. Leverage the power of social media marketing

Depending on the demographics of your target audience, social media platforms are excellent places to promote your business. Many people use Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn to get a sense of a business before they reach out for a quote.

Use social media to share useful tips, links to your latest blogs, or any special offers you’re running. Post photos of you and your team to humanize your roofing business, as well as photos of happy customers with their new or repaired roof (with their permission, of course). Remind your audience that the rainy season is coming or snow is expected, so it’s a good time to think about a roof inspection.

Always make sure you include a clear call to action in your social media posts. For example, direct your audience to your website for more information or invite them to become a subscriber to your email list. 

4. Keep customers in the loop with email marketing

Email marketing is one of the most powerful ways to build your business. Instead of disappearing in a feed, emails stay visible in an inbox until they’re moved elsewhere. Potential customers have multiple opportunities to read your roofing advertisement emails; plus, emails are easy to share, and you should encourage your audience to do exactly that.

Consider what your audience might be interested to know, and keep them updated on the latest developments in your business and the roofing industry. Promote your blog posts and any special offers, and subtly toot your own horn with success stories, customer testimonials, and photos of recent work. 

To maximize the effectiveness of your email marketing, plan to send emails regularly (but not too often) so your audience knows they’ll be hearing from you periodically. Remember to include that all-important call to action in your emails—for example, encourage them to request a free quote. 

5. Implement search engine optimization (SEO) 

When your content is optimized for search engines, it appears above the search results when potential customers search for roofing services. Be sure to include roofing SEO keywords in your content right from the start.

Start by thinking about what keywords customers might be searching—for instance, “roof replacement,” “roof repair omaha,” “leaking roof detroit,” or “roof inspection.” You can also use free keyword research tools to determine your target phrases. Then write your website copy, blogs, and social media posts around those keywords.

Writing SEO-optimized copy is a skill that can be learned, but it can also be time consuming, so consider hiring someone with the expertise to do it for you. Look on websites like Fiverr or Upwork to find people who specialize in this.

6. Encourage word-of-mouth advertising with a referral program

Your best salespeople are satisfied customers who happily tell their friends and family all about you. And because word-of-mouth marketing is so powerful, those people are more likely to contact you when they need a new roof.

Encourage word-of-mouth further with a referral program that rewards customers when someone they’ve referred uses your services. For example, perhaps you could offer a free seasonal roof inspection for every three customers they refer. 

Another inexpensive way to spread the word is to ask satisfied customers if you can put up yard signs for your business in front of their homes.

7. Make sure your business is listed on online platforms

To find services like roofing repair, many people do research using review sites and online advertising directories. Get listed on industry-specific sites like roofersDB or USRoofingCompanies, as well as on local business platforms like Yelp.

When you claim your Yelp Business Page, you make it easy for people to find your business and all your contact details. You can upload high-quality photos to show the quality of your work and share more information about your specialities and business’s history.

Your Yelp Business Page is also a place for people to leave online reviews for other potential customers to see. This is a powerful form of free advertisement because the majority of people read reviews when looking for a local business. Plus you can respond to these reviews—both positive and critical—in a way that shows off your customer service. 

Inexpensive, effective roofing advertisement ideas  

To make the most of your advertising efforts as a roofing business owner, identify your target audience and align your brand with their values. Then you can fine-tune your website and develop an SEO-optimized content marketing plan that includes blogs and social media posts.

Email marketing can help get the word out about your roofing services, and implementing a referral program can turn your happy customers into free roofing lead generators. Make sure your business is up-to-date on online review sites and directories, and always respond to customer reviews, even if they’re critical.

Once your advertising techniques have drawn in those new business leads, learn the art of following up in sales with these four follow-up strategies.