Yelps Ads - Roofing Company advice

Let’s face it: Yelp is a double-edged sword for roofers. On the one hand, it can drive targeted traffic and get your business in front of homeowners actively seeking roofing services. On the other hand, Yelp ads can chew through your budget if you’re not strategic. But don’t worry—we’re here to walk you through how to make Yelp ads work for your roofing business. Whether you specialize in metal roofing, shingle installations, or gutter work, this guide will help you maximize your ad spend and increase your leads.

Yelp Platform Stats you need to know:

• 32-42 million people or more use Yelp every month but 45% of local homeowners look at your Yelp Reviews before calling you.
• 531,000 companies are paying for Yelp Ads across America right now.
• They are a review heavy algorithm and with over 287 million reviews, if you pay for ads and don't have reviews, your leads will be less.
• Yelp is a hiring advertising platform, it's meant to get a homeowner or business to hire a local tradesman or tradeswoman.
• 75% of Gen Z (younger crowds) have never written a Yelp review
• You can be de-platformed (your profile removed) if you ask for reviews.
• Yelp's top 5 categories are food, movie, travel, music, politics, then home services at #6.

Yelp is essentially a hiring platform. Homeowners aren’t just browsing—they’re ready to hire someone, and they use Yelp to find the right contractor. Your job is to show up, stand out, and close the deal. Let’s dive into how to make that happen.

Why Help works for Roofers

instant credibility through reviews

Reviews are everything on Yelp. Homeowners rely on them heavily before making a call, and Yelp’s algorithm prioritizes businesses with solid reviews. If you already have a good number of reviews, you’re at an advantage, but if not, focus on growing that base organically—never ask for reviews outright, or Yelp may de-platform you.

ad budget bonuses

Yelp offers an enticing incentive: free ad spend. If you commit to running ads for 1-6 months, Yelp will throw in an extra $300 to $900 of ad budget for free. This can give you a major head start in getting leads, especially when you’re launching your campaign. But be warned—once that free ad spend runs out, the lead volume may dip, so budget accordingly.



no fake reviews

Unlike Google, Yelp is far more vigilant when it comes to weeding out fake reviews. This levels the playing field and ensures that competitors can’t boost themselves with phony feedback. For roofers, that’s huge. Real reviews help you shine, especially in local markets where trust is everything.

Yelp Roofing Keywords

Yelp’s search function may not be as robust as Google’s, but you still need to select your keywords carefully. Focus on roofing-specific terms like “roof repair,” “roof installation,” “metal roofing,” and “shingle roof.” Limit your keyword list to 10-15 terms to prevent blowing through your ad budget too quickly.

Here are some solid keyword options for roofers:

• roof repair
• shingle roofing
• metal roofing
• roof installation
• roofing company
• emergency roof repair

Don’t forget to add negative keywords too. If you don’t want to do small repairs or gutter cleaning, make sure you exclude those terms to avoid wasting money on low-ticket jobs.

How to choose the right cities for you roofing yelp ad

When setting up your ad's location, it might seem simple to just pick a radius of 5 to 25 miles around your business, but that’s not the most effective strategy. To truly maximize your ad performance, you need to target specific cities that offer the best potential for high-value jobs.

Instead of a blanket radius, focus on cities that meet these criteria:

• Highest household incomes: Homeowners with higher incomes are more likely to invest in premium roofing services or larger projects.
• Proximity to your business: While it’s important to target high-income areas, you also want to make sure you’re not spreading yourself too thin with long travel times.
• Larger populations: Targeting more densely populated cities increases your chances of reaching more potential customers, ensuring a better return on your ad spend.

We run a detailed audit for every client to identify the best cities based on these factors. This approach ensures your ad dollars are spent on areas where you’ll find the highest-quality leads and the best opportunities for growth.

What your Ad should look like to Yelp users

To ensure your roofing Yelp ad performs at its best, it's crucial to include all the right features and have a complete, professional-looking portfolio. One standout feature to highlight is the Verified License badge. By going into your "business settings" and verifying your license, you can increase your ad's credibility and boost your click-through rate by 5% or more.



Homeowners on Yelp may be budget-conscious, but they still prioritize professionalism and trustworthiness—especially when it comes to something as critical as their roof. Showing that you're a licensed professional not only gives them peace of mind but also makes you stand out among competitors.

Yelp Ad Messaging Tips

When it comes to roofing, Yelp ads can be highly effective for both large and small projects. Unlike other platforms, Yelp doesn’t focus specifically on roof replacements or installations but can attract a variety of inquiries. However, to make the most of your ad spend, you’ll want to focus on the high-ticket jobs—roof replacements and major repairs—while qualifying the smaller leads.

take the expert approach to messaging

To win more roofing projects on Yelp, it’s crucial to qualify each lead. Not every inquiry is worth your time, and small repair jobs often won’t bring the same ROI as larger projects. The sweet spot? Roofing jobs ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Here's a sample set of qualifying questions you can use to filter out smaller, less profitable jobs:

• What type of roof do you have?
• How old is the roof?
• Is the roof leaking? How severe is the issue?
• Are you looking for a full roof replacement?
• How big is the section needing repair?
• What color is the roof? (Ensures you have the right materials in stock)

These questions help you assess the project size and urgency, ensuring you're focused on the jobs that deliver the most value.

response time is everything

Yelp recommends responding to messages within one business hour, but in reality, you need to respond within 10 minutes during business hours to increase your chances of landing the job. Homeowners are often contacting multiple roofing companies at once, and the first contractor to respond with a reasonable quote typically gets the job.



If you notice a blue phone icon next to a message, it means the customer is ready to be called. Pick up the phone and contact them immediately—roofing deals are much easier to close with a direct conversation. In fact, you’ll close 200% more leads over the phone compared to messaging alone.

the power of phone calls vs. messages

Our experience speaks volumes: in one month, we drove 125 leads for a roofing client, 80 of which came through messages and 45 through phone calls. Out of the messages, only 3 turned into actual clients. On the other hand, 15 phone calls resulted in closed deals, amounting to $20,000 in revenue. This shows that prioritizing phone calls over messages can significantly boost your conversion rate.

Next Steps

As part of our monthly marketing service, TIP will handle all of your local marketing needs which includes full Yelp management. We'll post new updates, handle Yelp paid advertising campaigns, and created designs and content for those ads. If you're looking for a new full marketing solution, check out our marketing packages by clicking here.