Keyword research is not as simple as it once was. For roofing contractors, everyone in the industry is fighting for the same keywords. So what is the solution? Thinking outside the box. When roofing contractors perform keyword research in 2017-2018 and beyond, they should focus on the underlying theme of the keywords. Follow this guide to get ahead of competitors:
Step 1: Defining an Audience
Before you research any keywords, you must define an audience. This should be fairly simple in the case of roofing contractors. But be careful not to oversimplify. Be detailed. Ask questions. For example, if you offer roofing services, but don’t sell roofing products, you have to differentiate from customers looking for services and customers looking for roofing products. Let’s list a mock profile of our target audience:
Homeowners
Homeowners in (City, ST)
Homeowners in (City, ST) with roof problems
Homeowners in (City, ST) with roof problems looking for services
As you can see, the audience profile evolved from the basic “homeowners” to a more detailed description of what the target audience is actually looking for. Once you can form that profile, you can move on to step 2 of the process.
Step 2: Making a List
The previous step gave us a defined audience profile. From there you can develop a list of possible search queries. As experts in the industry, we have a large list of roofing keywords that will help you get started. Similarly, your position as a roofing contractor can probably spark some good keyword ideas. Let’s start with these:
roofers near me
storm roof damage repair near me
shingle roof installation
tile roof installation
roof leak (City, ST)
roof replacement near me
chimney not working (City, ST)
What we did was take some common roofing problems and combine them with the local term “near me”. Google will customize results based on the user’s location, so the proximity of your business will correlate with the “near me” search qualifier. After generating this list, you can move on to step 3.
Step 3: Choosing a Keyword Tool
To gather data about keywords, you will need a keyword research tool. Several options are available, but most require a subscription. Google Keywords Planner can be used if you have an AdWords account already set up. If you are looking for the best paid keyword research tools, consider Moz Keyword Explorer and SEMRush. From there you will want to measure:
Search Volume
Competition
Opportunity
Cost Per Click (CPC)
Related Keywords
Metrics will vary depending on the keyword tool you utilize. For example, Moz offers opportunity and priority metrics, while SEMRush uses KD percentage, which stands for keyword difficulty. The goal is to gather as much data as possible to make an informed keyword list. The more information you have at your disposal, the more precise your campaign will be.
Step 4: Refining Your List
With the new information, roofers now have a much better idea of which keywords to target. From your original list of keywords, and the added keywords from “related keywords”, you’ll want to create a master list — the list you are going to use to optimize your content. Pick your top 5 keywords based on all the available information, and list them. For example:
roofing services near me
shingle roof repair (City, ST)
roofer near me
residential roof repair near me
tile roof repair near me
You have now completed your keyword research process. From here you will transition to content marketing and search engine optimization. Keep in mind, you can use the same research process for individual service pages as well. If you have a page like “Commercial Roofing Services” you can get a more detailed keyword list for that particular page. For assistance with your internet marketing, give Roofing Webmasters a call at (800) 353-5758.
