The truth about running a website for your roofing business is that the Internet never takes a break. Even when you are on holiday, your website isn’t. Neither are the millions of customers out there searching for similar services. After all, if a roof decides to leak during the holiday season, there is little that can be done to prevent it. That’s why it’s so important to get your roofer SEO tactics right, particularly as we are heading into the New Year. 2020 has been a challenging year for all of us, and many businesses are looking to make a fresh start by implementing effective SEO tactics in 2021.
If that applies to you, you have come to the right place. In this article, we share with you some roofer SEO tactics to help your business triumph in 2021.
Incorporate Long-Tail Keywords and Local SEO
The reality is that there are only so many generic keywords associated with the roofing industry. With the number of competitors out there, ranking top for these keywords is next to impossible. Even if you have a sizeable budget to spend bidding on keywords, Google algorithms are now so advanced that being the highest bidder does not guarantee you will be ranked top in its SERP. Other factors such as user experience play a part in website rankings, too. The good news is that all is not lost. Statistics has proven that it is far better to be on page 1 of a more specific keyword than page 2 of a generic one when it comes to CTRs, website traffic and conversion rates.
It is completely possible for your roofer website to rank on page 1 of the following SERPs:
- Long-tail keywords: Think of the most generic term that can be used to sum up your business. This is probably something along the lines of “roofing services”. Since we already know it will be a tough job ranking top for that particular keyword, think of a unique offering your business provides or something you specialize in. This could be something like “repair asphalt roof shingles” or “repair roof leaks from inside”. Once you have identified these keywords, make them your focus instead of “roofing services”.
- Local SEO: The nature of the work roofers do means that you can only offer your services within a certain radius. Hence, narrowing down your efforts to local SEO can be doing your business a great service. Bringing more local customers in connection with you, local SEO strategies include but are not limited to: targeting the exact demographic you want, incorporating location-centric keywords on your website, ensuring that you are featured on major map listings and more.
- Branded Keywords: Branded keywords simply refer to keywords that include your brand name or a variation of it. If your roofer business is called “New Jersey Roofers”, this may not be the most helpful but if you have a unique name such as “Donut and Labrador Roofers”, you may want to focus on branded keywords.
Repurpose Existing Content
Many roofers may not have the time to generate new content for their websites regularly. However, not doing so can cost you your SERP ranking. Frequency of new content is a ranking factor, telling Google that the website – and therefore, the business – is still in operation. This makes sense: if you stumble upon a website where the latest update was years ago, you may question whether the business is still operating or if the information is still relevant. If you are stuck for ideas for new content or it is not viable for you to update your blog regularly, why not consider repurposing your existing content? This can be something as simple as rewriting an old article or turning a blog post into a YouTube video. Which brings us to our next important point.
Optimize YouTube Video Descriptions
Many roofing businesses have YouTube channels where they post videos of the work they do and the services they offer. If you do not already have one, you could be letting your competitors get ahead. The nature of roofing work means that it is an industry where concepts are better demonstrated than explained, making it a huge bonus point if videos are part of your content marketing.
Take a look at the last YouTube video you uploaded and read the title and description you wrote for it. Does it consist of only a few words or lines? If so, you have missed out on a valuable SEO opportunity. Despite how advanced Google algorithms are these days, they are as yet unable to “watch” videos and scan them for content. This means that all the hard work falls on your title and description. Write descriptions that are about 200 words long and remember to include your keywords. This ensures that it shows up in relevant search results, building brand awareness and exposure to the widest group of customers possible.
Optimize Keywords in Titles and Meta Descriptions
Many roofers have done the essential base work of identifying keywords and producing content around them. However, if you do not place them strategically in your titles and meta descriptions, it could be defeating the purpose. Strategic keyword placement is a key aspect of successful SEO strategies – always check that you have not passed up any opportunities to insert your keywords.
One place keywords should absolutely show up is in your title and meta description. This does not have to sound forced or unnatural. After all, your content is largely centered around that keyword so there should be no problem coming up with a title that includes it. Same goes for your meta description, which as a general rule, should not be more than two lines. If you are having trouble incorporating your keywords into your title and meta description, you may be utilizing the wrong one. If that’s the case, you could benefit from rereading your content and targeting the right keyword.
Link to Authority Sites
Did you know that linking to authority sites or pages that offer a lot of information can boost your SERP ranking? If you are a new business trying to find its feet or have just started online marketing, this can be an incredibly useful tactic. Google algorithms prefer websites that either offer a lot of information themselves or link to websites that do. Building up a substantial load of content takes time: meanwhile, backlink to authority sites. These can be anything from websites that offer statistics relevant to your business, official government websites and more. While you will not want to link to direct competitors, you may want to consider linking to related businesses who have done relevant interviews or case studies.
There is no doubt about it, organic SEO for home services can go a long way in boosting website traffic and as a result, Google SERP rankings. Due to the nature of the roofing industry, certain strategies such as local SEO and incorporating videos in your content marketing can prove to be incredibly helpful. If you are looking for roofer SEO strategies to help you triumph in 2021 but do not have much experience in this field, you may want to consider outsourcing your marketing efforts. The hard work does not stop once you have launched your SEO campaign: maintaining a successful SEO strategy requires regular analyses and deriving actionable insights from this data. When you engage top roofer SEO marketers, not only do you get the expertise of numerous experienced professionals behind you, you are freeing up your time to focus on the more important aspects of your business. Watch your roofer business grow by leaps and bounds in 2021 when you implement winning SEO strategies.
