When you run Google Ads for your roofing company, one of the most important factors in your success is geographic targeting. Showing your ads to the right people in the right places means more qualified leads, less wasted spend, and faster booked jobs. But many roofers get this wrong—either by targeting too broad or not using the tools Google gives you to get precise.
In this article, we’ll break down the best practices for targeting specific service areas in Google Ads, so you can maximize your reach where it matters and stop paying for clicks that can’t turn into customers.
Why Service Area Targeting Matters for Roofers
Roofing is a local business. You can’t serve every city, and you shouldn’t be paying for clicks from homeowners outside your service zone. Proper targeting allows you to:
- Show ads only in cities, zip codes, or neighborhoods you work in
- Bid more for areas that generate higher job value
- Reduce cost-per-click (CPC) by improving ad relevance
- Attract higher-intent leads who are more likely to convert
It also helps align your campaigns with location-specific landing pages—which improves your Quality Score and lowers your cost-per-lead.
Best Practices for Targeting Specific Areas in Google Ads
1. Use Zip Code or City-Level Targeting
Instead of targeting an entire metro area or broad region, break your campaign down by:
- Individual zip codes (e.g., 75034, 75070)
- Specific cities (e.g., Frisco, Plano, McKinney)
- Neighborhood clusters or service radii (e.g., 15 miles around your office)
This allows you to control where your ads show and tailor your ad copy to match each area.
2. Choose “Presence” Over “Interest”
Google Ads offers two location targeting options:
- People who are physically in your target location
- People who are interested in your location (but might be physically elsewhere)
Always select “Presence” to avoid wasting money on people out of state or outside your service area.
3. Layer Bids by Area Value
Not all neighborhoods are equal. Some zip codes generate bigger jobs, easier closes, or better profit margins. Use bid adjustments to:
- Increase bids in high-income or high-conversion areas
- Decrease bids in low-performing zones
This lets you stretch your budget further and focus more on the leads you actually want.
4. Align Ads and Landing Pages with Each Location
If someone searches for “roof repair in Allen TX” and clicks your ad, they should land on a page that references Allen—not a generic homepage.
Make sure your ad copy includes the city name and that your landing page is optimized for that location. Learn more in our guide on optimizing meta tags for local roofing SEO.
5. Use Location-Specific Ad Copy
Customize your headlines and descriptions for each service area. Examples:
- “Trusted Frisco Roof Repair Since 2010”
- “McKinney Homeowners: Book a Free Roof Inspection”
- “Storm Damage Repair in Allen – Fast Estimates Available”
This builds relevance and trust—boosting click-through rates and lowering CPCs.
6. Track Performance by Area
Use Google Ads reports to analyze performance at the zip code or city level. Look for patterns in:
- CTR (click-through rate)
- Conversion rate
- Cost per conversion
- Lead-to-sale close rate (if tracked in your CRM)
Pause underperforming locations and reinvest in top-performing ones.
7. Exclude Irrelevant Areas
Just as you should target specific cities, you should also exclude areas you don’t serve. This prevents clicks from outside your territory and protects your ad spend.
Examples of exclusions:
- Rural zones you don’t travel to
- Out-of-state areas from broad searches
- Low-quality zip codes with poor conversion history
8. Run Separate Campaigns by Region or City (Optional)
If you serve multiple markets, consider splitting your campaign into regional or city-specific campaigns. This gives you tighter control over:
- Budgets
- Ad messaging
- Landing page experience
- Conversion tracking
It also allows better A/B testing and performance analysis for each service area.
How HOWL Targets Specific Areas in High-Performance Google Ads Campaigns
At HOWL, we don’t “set it and forget it” when it comes to service area targeting. Our strategy includes:
- Custom zip code mapping based on lead quality and job size
- Bid adjustments for top-performing neighborhoods
- Location-specific targeting paired with tailored ad copy and city pages
- Ongoing performance monitoring by location
This approach ensures our roofing clients get the best leads from the best areas—without wasting spend on the rest.
Final Thoughts: Target Smarter, Convert More
When it comes to roofing PPC, every mile matters. By focusing your Google Ads on the areas that bring in the most profitable jobs—and aligning your messaging accordingly—you create campaigns that deliver better results at a lower cost.
Apply to work with HOWL and let us build a hyper-targeted Google Ads campaign that turns local clicks into booked roofing jobs—right in your best service zones.