When it comes to running successful Google Ads for roofing companies, the keywords you choose can make or break your campaign. The difference between a profitable lead and wasted spend often comes down to targeting the right search terms—the ones your ideal customers are actually using when they’re ready to hire a roofer.
In this article, we’ll walk you through how to identify profitable keywords for your roofing PPC campaigns, how to avoid costly mistakes, and how to build a list that consistently brings in high-quality roofing leads.
Why Keywords Matter in Google Ads
Google Ads works by matching your ads with user searches. When someone types a query like “roof repair near me,” Google shows ads that are bidding on that keyword. You pay when someone clicks.
But here’s the catch: not all roofing-related keywords are created equal. Some bring in ready-to-buy homeowners. Others attract DIYers, job seekers, or people just looking for information.
Profitable keywords = high intent + local relevance + manageable cost.
Need a full overview of how PPC works? Start with What Is Google PPC and How Can Roofers Benefit From It?
Step 1: Understand High-Intent vs Low-Intent Keywords
Not every person searching “roofing” is ready to book a job. That’s why identifying high-intent keywords is step one.
Examples of high-intent keywords:
- “roof repair near me”
- “emergency roofing service [city]”
- “roof replacement estimate [zip code]”
- “storm damage roofing contractor”
Examples of low-intent or research keywords:
- “how to patch a roof”
- “roofing material types”
- “average cost of a new roof”
High-intent keywords show buyer readiness. Low-intent keywords attract people still researching or looking for DIY solutions. For paid ads, you want to prioritize high-intent searches to maximize ROI.
Step 2: Use Keyword Tools to Uncover Opportunities
To find the best keywords, you’ll need data. Start with:
- Google Keyword Planner: Free inside Google Ads. Shows volume, competition, and suggested bid.
- Ubersuggest or SEMrush: Good for deeper keyword research and competitor insights.
- Google Search Console: Reveals real queries that bring people to your site organically.
Look for roofing keywords that have:
- Moderate to high monthly search volume
- High commercial intent
- Cost-per-click (CPC) within your budget
Step 3: Build a Keyword List Around Services and Locations
Organize your keywords by the services you offer and the areas you serve. This allows for more relevant ad groups and better targeting.
Example keyword groups:
Roof Repair:
- “roof leak repair [city]”
- “emergency roof repair near me”
- “flat roof repair [zip code]”
Roof Replacement:
- “roof replacement estimate [city]”
- “shingle roof replacement [county]”
- “metal roofing contractor [region]”
Storm Damage:
- “hail damage roof inspection [city]”
- “insurance roofing contractor near me”
- “storm damage roofer [zip code]”
Commercial Roofing:
- “commercial flat roof repair”
- “TPO roofing contractor [city]”
This structure also improves landing page relevance and your Quality Score—which helps reduce your CPC.
Step 4: Use Keyword Match Types Strategically
Google Ads gives you several match types for each keyword:
- Broad Match: Reaches the widest audience. Can trigger irrelevant clicks.
- Phrase Match: Shows your ad when the query includes your keyword phrase.
- Exact Match: Triggers your ad only when someone searches the exact term.
Best practice: Start with phrase and exact match to control your traffic and avoid wasting budget on irrelevant searches. Use broad match carefully, if at all.
Step 5: Add Negative Keywords to Filter Out Junk Traffic
Negative keywords tell Google what you don’t want your ads to show for. This helps reduce unqualified clicks and wasted spend.
Common negative keywords for roofing campaigns:
- “DIY”
- “jobs”
- “materials”
- “how to install”
- “free roofing classes”
Review your search term reports weekly to find new negatives to add and tighten your targeting.
Step 6: Monitor Performance and Adjust
Once your Google Ads campaign is running, track these metrics by keyword:
- CTR (Click-Through Rate): Are people engaging?
- CPC (Cost Per Click): Are you overpaying?
- Conversion Rate: Are clicks turning into leads?
- Cost Per Lead: Is it profitable?
Pause keywords that don’t perform and double down on the ones that do. Over time, you’ll refine your list to include only the most profitable roofing keywords for your market.
How HOWL Identifies Profitable Keywords for Roofing Companies
At HOWL, we don’t just guess what keywords work—we use real-time data, homeowner intent signals, and performance history to build PPC campaigns that deliver exclusive, high-quality roofing leads.
We segment campaigns by service, location, and urgency, so we can show the right message to the right person at the right time. Then we track every call, form, and conversion to ensure you're only spending on what works.
Final Thoughts: The Right Keywords Make All the Difference
Running Google Ads for your roofing company without the right keywords is like knocking on the wrong doors—you’ll waste time, money, and opportunity. But with a focused, intent-driven keyword strategy, your ads become a reliable lead generation machine.
Apply to work with HOWL and we’ll build a Google Ads campaign using the most profitable roofing keywords in your market—so you can stop guessing and start growing.