ARTICLE
The RCAT Guide to SEO, Part 1: Getting Started with SEO Look: we all know by now that SEO is crucial for both new and established roofing companies to stay competitive in today’s market. It’s a hot topic, and rightfully so—SEO can make the difference between a steady stream of leads or being invisible online. But with all the buzz comes outdated ideas, hucksters, and marketers promising quick fixes. We’re writing this series to cut through the noise and offer roofing contractors a basic crash course on what SEO really means as we head into 2025. You’ll learn what SEO actually is, why it’s essential for roofing businesses, and how to use it to attract more customers. Whether you’re just starting or looking to update your strategy, this series is for anyone in the roofing industry who wants to build a strong digital presence without falling for gimmicks. So let’s dive into the fundamentals and help you take control of your online visibility—on your terms. A Brief History of SEO SEO has come a long way since its beginnings in the mid-1990s when search engines like Yahoo and Google first started ranking websites based on simple keyword usage. In the early days, tactics like keyword stuffing (cramming a page with repeated keywords) and basic link building were enough to help websites rank higher. These early strategies worked because search engines hadn’t yet developed the sophisticated algorithms they use today. However, as the internet grew, so did the complexity of search engines. Major updates like Google’s Panda (2011), Penguin (2012), and BERT (2019) completely reshaped SEO by focusing on quality content, user experience, and natural language processing. Google’s algorithms now prioritize user-friendly websites that offer real value, rather than those just trying to game the system. Despite these advances, many roofing companies (and marketers) still rely on outdated tactics from 10 years ago—like keyword stuffing or low-quality backlinks—because these methods once worked. This leads to some common misconceptions: that ranking on Google is all about cramming keywords or that quick SEO “hacks” can lead to long-term success. In reality, SEO today is a blend of technical optimization, high-quality content, and a focus on what the user truly needs. Roofing companies that understand this evolution and adapt to modern strategies can take full advantage of SEO’s potential, especially in a competitive, digital-first world. Here’s a revised version with a clearer structure: Ok, Ok, But What Is SEO, and Why Is It Relevant to Roofers? I think we’ve gotten a bit ahead of ourselves—what exactly is SEO, and why should you care as a roofer? SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is all about improving your website’s visibility on search engines like Google. In other words, it helps your website show up when homeowners search for terms like "roof repair near me." If your site isn’t appearing in those results, you’re likely missing out on valuable leads. Let’s take a real-world example: as of the day of writing this blog, the keyword “SEO for roofers” receives around 210 searches per month in the U.S., with a 30% difficulty ranking according to SEMRush. This means about 210 roofing companies are actively seeking SEO information every month. The 30% difficulty ranking indicates how competitive it would be to rank on Google’s first page for this search term—it’s not too difficult but still requires solid SEO strategies to achieve high visibility. If you’re not optimizing your website for search, you’re not just competing with local roofers—you’re competing with every other roofing business that’s actively investing in SEO. How SEO Works: The Basics To understand SEO, it’s essential to know how search engines like Google operate. When someone searches for "roof repair" or "roofing contractor near me," search engines use automated bots (often called crawlers) to scan, index, and rank websites based on a variety of factors. The bots “crawl” the internet, collecting data from websites, and then organize that information in an index, similar to a library catalog. Once indexed, Google uses algorithms to decide which websites to show based on factors such as relevance and authority. Several key elements determine how well your roofing website ranks: Keywords: These are the terms users type into search engines, like "roof replacement" or "commercial roofing services." The right keywords help search engines match your content with user intent. On-Page SEO: This involves optimizing your website’s content, title tags, meta descriptions, and headers to make it more relevant and easier for search engines to understand. Off-Page SEO: This refers to building authority and credibility through backlinks, social proof, and external signals from other websites. Technical SEO: Focuses on the backend of your site—ensuring it’s fast, secure, and mobile-friendly. Search engines prioritize websites that offer a seamless experience for users. National vs. Local SEO: What Roofers Need to Know When it comes to SEO, roofers need to focus more on local SEO rather than national SEO. While national SEO aims to rank a website across broad, country-wide search terms, local SEO targets customers in specific areas, helping your business show up in searches like "roof repair near Dallas." Roofers rely on local clients, making Local SEO essential for ranking in your service areas. Both approaches require different strategies. National SEO focuses on broad keywords and extensive link building, while Local SEO prioritizes Google My Business, local directories, and customer reviews. We’ll dive deeper into these differences in future blogs—there’s too much to cover in just one post! SEO as a Long-Term Investment One of the key tips we want to emphasize before diving in is that SEO is not a silver bullet. It’s a long-term strategy that requires patience and consistency. If a marketing agency promises fast, too-good-to-be-true rankings for SEO—run! SEO has evolved over the past 20 years, and today, Google’s algorithms favor one thing above all else: a well-made, authentic website that accurately reflects a roofing company’s services. By steadily improving your site and building real, authoritative content, you’ll see sustainable growth over time. What to Expect in the This Guide Our sole goal with this series is to educate roofing contractors on how SEO can genuinely impact their business. We’re committed to breaking down the complexities of SEO into practical, actionable steps that you can apply to grow your online presence and increase leads. Keyword Research: Learn how to find the right terms your customers are searching for, like "roof repair" or "metal roofing." On-Page SEO: Best practices for optimizing content, title tags, meta descriptions, and internal links to make your website more searchable. Local SEO: Tips on dominating local searches by optimizing your Google My Business profile, gathering reviews, and creating localized content. Technical SEO: We’ll cover key factors like website load times, mobile optimization, and site security, which affect your rankings. Link Building: How to earn high-quality backlinks that enhance your website’s authority and trustworthiness. Tracking Results: How to measure and adjust your SEO efforts using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. This is an ongoing series, and we want to hear from you! If you have any specific SEO questions, let us know—we’re happy to answer them and make sure this series covers the topics that matter most to you. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this blog, please share it with fellow roofers on social media!
Look: we all know by now that SEO is crucial for both new and established roofing companies to stay competitive in today’s market.
It’s a hot topic, and rightfully so—SEO can make the difference between a steady stream of leads or being invisible online.
But with all the buzz comes outdated ideas, hucksters, and marketers promising quick fixes.
We’re writing this series to cut through the noise and offer roofing contractors a basic crash course on what SEO really means as we head into 2025.
You’ll learn what SEO actually is, why it’s essential for roofing businesses, and how to use it to attract more customers.
Whether you’re just starting or looking to update your strategy, this series is for anyone in the roofing industry who wants to build a strong digital presence without falling for gimmicks.
So let’s dive into the fundamentals and help you take control of your online visibility—on your terms.
SEO has come a long way since its beginnings in the mid-1990s when search engines like Yahoo and Google first started ranking websites based on simple keyword usage.
In the early days, tactics like keyword stuffing (cramming a page with repeated keywords) and basic link building were enough to help websites rank higher.
These early strategies worked because search engines hadn’t yet developed the sophisticated algorithms they use today.
However, as the internet grew, so did the complexity of search engines.
Major updates like Google’s Panda (2011), Penguin (2012), and BERT (2019) completely reshaped SEO by focusing on quality content, user experience, and natural language processing.
Google’s algorithms now prioritize user-friendly websites that offer real value, rather than those just trying to game the system.
Despite these advances, many roofing companies (and marketers) still rely on outdated tactics from 10 years ago—like keyword stuffing or low-quality backlinks—because these methods once worked.
This leads to some common misconceptions: that ranking on Google is all about cramming keywords or that quick SEO “hacks” can lead to long-term success.
In reality, SEO today is a blend of technical optimization, high-quality content, and a focus on what the user truly needs.
Roofing companies that understand this evolution and adapt to modern strategies can take full advantage of SEO’s potential, especially in a competitive, digital-first world.
Here’s a revised version with a clearer structure:
I think we’ve gotten a bit ahead of ourselves—what exactly is SEO, and why should you care as a roofer?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is all about improving your website’s visibility on search engines like Google.
In other words, it helps your website show up when homeowners search for terms like "roof repair near me."
If your site isn’t appearing in those results, you’re likely missing out on valuable leads.
Let’s take a real-world example: as of the day of writing this blog, the keyword “SEO for roofers” receives around 210 searches per month in the U.S., with a 30% difficulty ranking according to SEMRush.
This means about 210 roofing companies are actively seeking SEO information every month.
The 30% difficulty ranking indicates how competitive it would be to rank on Google’s first page for this search term—it’s not too difficult but still requires solid SEO strategies to achieve high visibility.
If you’re not optimizing your website for search, you’re not just competing with local roofers—you’re competing with every other roofing business that’s actively investing in SEO.
To understand SEO, it’s essential to know how search engines like Google operate.
When someone searches for "roof repair" or "roofing contractor near me," search engines use automated bots (often called crawlers) to scan, index, and rank websites based on a variety of factors.
The bots “crawl” the internet, collecting data from websites, and then organize that information in an index, similar to a library catalog.
Once indexed, Google uses algorithms to decide which websites to show based on factors such as relevance and authority.
Several key elements determine how well your roofing website ranks:
When it comes to SEO, roofers need to focus more on local SEO rather than national SEO.
While national SEO aims to rank a website across broad, country-wide search terms, local SEO targets customers in specific areas, helping your business show up in searches like "roof repair near Dallas."
Roofers rely on local clients, making Local SEO essential for ranking in your service areas.
Both approaches require different strategies.
National SEO focuses on broad keywords and extensive link building, while Local SEO prioritizes Google My Business, local directories, and customer reviews.
We’ll dive deeper into these differences in future blogs—there’s too much to cover in just one post!
One of the key tips we want to emphasize before diving in is that SEO is not a silver bullet.
It’s a long-term strategy that requires patience and consistency.
If a marketing agency promises fast, too-good-to-be-true rankings for SEO—run!
SEO has evolved over the past 20 years, and today, Google’s algorithms favor one thing above all else: a well-made, authentic website that accurately reflects a roofing company’s services.
By steadily improving your site and building real, authoritative content, you’ll see sustainable growth over time.
Our sole goal with this series is to educate roofing contractors on how SEO can genuinely impact their business.
We’re committed to breaking down the complexities of SEO into practical, actionable steps that you can apply to grow your online presence and increase leads.
This is an ongoing series, and we want to hear from you!
If you have any specific SEO questions, let us know—we’re happy to answer them and make sure this series covers the topics that matter most to you.
Thanks for reading!
If you enjoyed this blog, please share it with fellow roofers on social media!