50 Roofing Keywords That Actually Drive Jobs (2026)

Here's the truth about roofing SEO: most contractors target the wrong keywords. They chase high-volume terms like "roofing" (impossible to rank) or waste time on informational keywords like "how to shingle a roof" (wrong audience).

After analyzing search data from 500+ roofing contractors and $2M+ in ad spend, we've identified the 50 keywords that actually bring homeowners ready to hire. Not tire-kickers. Not DIYers. Real customers with real roofing problems.

How to Use This Keyword List

Each keyword below includes:

• Monthly search volume (US national average)
• Keyword difficulty (0-100 scale, 100 = hardest)
• Intent level (Low/Medium/High/Very High)
• Best use case (where to target this keyword)

Category 1: Emergency & Urgent Keywords (Highest Intent)

These keywords indicate immediate need. Searchers are usually dealing with an active leak or storm damage and need help TODAY.

How to rank for emergency keywords:

1. Create a dedicated "Emergency Roof Repair" service page
2. Add emergency contact info (24/7 phone) in header and footer
3. Use Google Business Posts to advertise emergency availability
4. Get listed on emergency service directories
5. Run Google Ads for these keywords (they convert at 20%+)

Category 2: "Near Me" & Local Keywords

These are the bread and butter of roofing SEO. 78% of local mobile searches result in an offline purchase within 24 hours^[1].

Ranking strategy for "near me" keywords:

• Your Google Business Profile is 70% of the ranking battle
• Get 50+ Google reviews with your city name mentioned
• Create location pages for each city you serve
• Build citations on local directories (Yelp, BBB, Chamber of Commerce)
• Add "near [city]" variations to your homepage title tag

Category 3: Specific Service Keywords

These target specific roofing services. Lower volume but MUCH easier to rank for than generic terms.

Category 4: Material-Specific Keywords

Homeowners who search for specific materials are usually further in the buying process and know what they want.

Best use for material keywords: Create dedicated pages for each material you install (e.g., "/metal-roofing", "/asphalt-shingle-installation"). Include photos of past jobs, pros/cons, pricing guides, and material comparisons.

Category 5: Insurance & Storm Damage Keywords

These keywords target homeowners dealing with insurance claims after storms—often the highest-value jobs.

Pro tip: If you work with insurance claims, create a detailed page explaining the insurance claim process. Add an inspection request form specifically for storm damage. These keywords spike massively after major weather events in your area.

Category 6: Commercial Roofing Keywords

Lower search volume but MUCH higher job value. Commercial roofing jobs average 5-10x more than residential.

Category 7: Long-Tail Opportunity Keywords

Ultra-specific keywords with low competition. Perfect for blog posts and FAQ pages.

How to Actually Rank for These Keywords

Having the keyword list is step one. Here's how to turn it into rankings and leads:

Step 1: Choose Your Keywords Strategically

Don't target all 50. Pick 5-10 based on:

• Services you actually offer (don't target "metal roofing" if you only do shingles)
• Keywords with difficulty under 50 (unless you have an established site)
• High or Very High intent keywords (these convert at 10-20x informational keywords)
• Local variations (add your city name to any keyword that makes sense)

Step 2: Build Dedicated Landing Pages

Each important keyword deserves its own page:

• URL: yourdomain.com/[keyword] (e.g., /emergency-roof-repair)
• Title tag: Keyword + City + "| Company Name" (e.g., "Emergency Roof Repair Dallas | ABC Roofing")
• H1: Natural variation of keyword (e.g., "24/7 Emergency Roof Repair in Dallas")
• Content: 1,000+ words covering the service in depth
• Photos: 5-10 photos of actual jobs you've completed
• Strong CTA: Phone number, contact form, free estimate button

Step 3: Optimize Google Business Profile

For local keywords (especially "near me"), your Google Business Profile matters more than your website:

1. Primary category: "Roofing contractor" (not "contractor" or "construction")
2. Services: Add every service as a separate entry (use your keywords!)
3. Description: 750 words mentioning your top 5 keywords naturally
4. Photos: Upload 50+ photos tagged with keywords in filenames
5. Posts: Post 2-3x/week with keyword-rich updates
6. Q&A: Add questions using your keywords, answer them yourself

Step 4: Get Reviews Mentioning Your Keywords

Google's algorithm looks at review content. After each job, ask customers to mention the specific service in their review:

Reviews mentioning "emergency roof repair" help you rank for "emergency roof repair." It's that simple.

Step 5: Build Local Citations

Get your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) listed on 100+ directories, especially:

• Yelp, Facebook, Better Business Bureau
• HomeAdvisor, Angi, Thumbtack, Porch
• Local Chamber of Commerce
• Industry directories (National Roofing Contractors Association)
• Local business directories for your city

Use a service like BrightLocal or Whitespark to find citation opportunities.

Step 6: Create Supporting Content

Blog posts targeting long-tail keywords drive traffic and build topical authority:

• "5 Signs You Need Emergency Roof Repair" → links to your emergency repair page
• "Metal vs. Asphalt Roofing: Which is Better?" → links to both service pages
• "How to File a Roof Insurance Claim After Storm Damage" → links to storm damage page

Each blog post should link to your main service pages using keyword-rich anchor text.

Common Keyword Targeting Mistakes to Avoid

Action Plan: Your Next Steps

Here's exactly what to do starting today:

Final Thoughts

These 50 keywords represent over 500,000 monthly searches from homeowners actively looking for roofing contractors. That's potential you can't ignore.

But here's the reality: most roofing contractors will read this list and do nothing. They'll save it, bookmark it, maybe even print it out. Then they'll go back to paying $100+ per lead on HomeAdvisor or running ineffective Google Ads.

The contractors who win are the ones who take action. Pick 5 keywords today. Create one landing page this week. Ask for three reviews this month. Small, consistent actions compound over 3-6 months into rankings that generate leads on autopilot.

The jobs are there. The search volume proves it. The only question is whether you'll show up when homeowners are searching.