Intent data is one of the most powerful tools a roofing company can use to generate higher-quality leads, faster. But despite its effectiveness, most roofers don’t understand how it works—let alone how to use it. The good news? You don’t need to be a data scientist to make it work for your business.
In this article, we’ll break down exactly how intent data works, what types of intent signals matter, and how roofing companies can turn those signals into booked jobs and revenue.
What Is Intent Data?
Intent data is behavioral information that shows what a person is actively researching or considering buying. For roofers, this includes signals like:
- Homeowners searching for “emergency roof repair near me”
- Reading articles about hail damage roof insurance claims
- Watching videos about roof replacement costs
Each of these actions signals buyer intent—meaning the person is likely in the market for roofing services soon, if not immediately.
Want a broader overview? Check out What Is Intent Data and How Can Roofers Use It to Generate Leads?.
How Does Intent Data Actually Work?
There are two main types of intent data that roofing companies can use:
1. First-Party Intent Data
This is the data you collect directly from your own marketing assets, like:
- Website visitors who spend time on your “roof replacement” page
- Leads who open multiple emails or click through to your inspection booking page
- People who engage with your Meta or Google Ads
First-party data is valuable because it reflects direct interest in your business. You already own it—and you can use it to follow up more effectively, trigger automations, or prioritize your hottest leads.
2. Third-Party Intent Data
This is data collected across the wider internet, outside of your owned channels. It includes activity like:
- Searching for roofing solutions on Google
- Comparing contractors on third-party directories
- Reading home insurance articles after a storm
At HOWL, we use proprietary third-party intent data that goes far beyond demographic or contextual targeting. We track real behavior signals that show which homeowners are researching roofing services right now—often before they reach out to anyone.
How We Capture True Buyer Intent
Many agencies sell “intent data,” but what they’re really offering is recycled contact lists or lookalike audiences based on vague indicators. That’s not true intent—that’s just hope.
Here’s how real intent data works at HOWL:
- We monitor online behavior across hundreds of verified sources.
- We identify patterns that match roofing-related research activity.
- We layer in location, context, and urgency—such as recent weather events or page visits.
- We deliver those insights into your campaign funnel, so you only target prospects with proven buying signals.
This data can then be used to fuel your Meta Ads, Google PPC, email automations, and even direct outreach.
Examples of Intent Signals That Matter for Roofers
Here are real-world behaviors that indicate strong roofing intent:
- Searching “how to file a roof insurance claim after hail”
- Visiting three or more local roofing company websites
- Clicking on “roof financing options in [city]”
- Watching a YouTube video about roof repair costs
- Checking roof warranties or product comparisons online
These signals are gold. They mean the homeowner is likely in the decision-making phase—not just casually browsing.
How Roofing Companies Can Use Intent Data
1. Smarter Ad Targeting
With intent data, you’re not guessing who to target. You know who is actively shopping for roofing services in your service area. You can then run tailored ad campaigns that speak directly to their pain points or stage in the buying journey.
Example: If someone has been researching insurance claims, your ad could say: “Storm Damage? We Handle the Roofing and the Paperwork. Free Inspections Available.”
2. Prioritized Sales Outreach
Your sales team doesn’t need to call every cold lead. Intent data helps them focus on the warmest opportunities—people who are showing strong signals of interest in your services.
This improves close rates, reduces time wasted on bad leads, and shortens your sales cycle.
3. Behavior-Based Email & SMS Campaigns
Segment your messaging based on what people are interested in:
- If they’re reading about storm damage, send offers for free inspections.
- If they’re exploring financing, highlight your payment plans and approval process.
- If they visited your roof replacement page, retarget them with a testimonial carousel.
Intent data makes your marketing more relevant and more likely to convert.
4. Website Optimization
Intent data can even shape your website content. If the majority of your prospects are researching insurance claims or repair costs, feature that content more prominently. Create new blog posts or FAQ sections around it. This helps turn passive visitors into real leads.
The Advantage of Using Intent Data in Roofing
Most roofers are still relying on one of the following:
- Low-quality lead providers like Angi or HomeAdvisor
- Canvassing and door knocking, which are time-consuming and unpredictable
- Word-of-mouth, which doesn’t scale consistently
Intent data changes the game. It allows you to:
- Be first in line: Reach homeowners before they fill out a form or request multiple quotes
- Improve marketing ROI: Spend less chasing bad leads and more on converting real buyers
- Win jobs faster: Because you’re aligning with timing and need
How to Get Started With Intent Data
You don’t need to figure this out on your own. At HOWL, we integrate behavior-driven intent data directly into our campaigns for roofers. That means:
- Your ads are only shown to homeowners with real buying signals
- Your follow-up is prioritized around interest, not randomness
- Your cost per lead and cost per acquisition drop while quality increases
We pair intent data with smart PPC, retargeting, SEO, and landing pages built to convert—giving you a full-funnel growth system.
Final Thoughts: Intent Data Turns Guessing Into Growth
If you’re tired of playing the lead lottery or wasting budget on cold clicks, intent data is your way out. It gives you a real competitive edge by aligning your marketing and sales efforts with what homeowners are already doing online.
The best part? The roofers who use it right now will get the biggest advantage—because most of your competitors still don’t understand it.
Apply to work with HOWL and let us plug intent data into your roofing business. We’ll help you generate leads that close faster, cost less, and actually grow your bottom line.