How Roofing Contractors Can Use Retargeting Ads to Stay on potential clients’ Radar
When a homeowner visits your website, they're likely considering roof repairs or replacements—but not every visitor picks up the phone right away. In fact, over 90% of first-time website visitors leave without taking action. That’s where retargeting ads come in.
For roofing contractors, retargeting ads are a powerful way to stay in front of interested homeowners and guide them back to your business when they're ready to act. In this blog post, we’ll explore how retargeting works, why it matters, and how you can start using it to win more roofing jobs in your local market.
What Are Retargeting Ads?
Retargeting ads (also called remarketing ads) are online ads shown to people who have already visited your website or interacted with your business online. These ads “follow” users around the internet—appearing on other websites, social media platforms, and even apps—reminding them about your services.
Let’s say a homeowner visits your site after a storm, reads your blog on hail damage, and then leaves without booking an inspection. Later that day, they’re scrolling Facebook or reading the news and see an ad that says:
“Think You Might Have Roof Damage? Get a Free Inspection Today!”
That’s a retargeting ad in action.
Why Retargeting Is So Effective for Roofing Contractors
1. Stay Top-of-Mind Until They’re Ready
Most homeowners don’t book roofing services the first time they visit your site. They might be comparing contractors, waiting on insurance, or simply distracted by life. Retargeting keeps your brand in front of them so when they’re finally ready to take action, you’re the one they remember.
2. Target High-Intent Leads
Retargeting focuses only on people who’ve shown interest in your services—making your ad spend more efficient. You’re not casting a wide net. Instead, you’re re-engaging warm leads who already know who you are.
3. Boost Conversions
Studies show retargeted website visitors are 70% more likely to convert than those who aren’t retargeted. For roofers, that can mean more inspection bookings, more repair jobs, and more full replacements.
4. Affordable and Scalable
Compared to traditional ads or expensive lead-gen platforms, retargeting is highly cost-effective. You can start small—just a few dollars a day—and increase your budget as you start seeing results.
What Happens If You Don’t Use Retargeting?
If you’re not using retargeting ads, you risk losing potential clients to your competitors who are—even after you’ve already caught their attention.
Here’s what can happen:
They forget you: The average person visits multiple contractor websites before choosing. If you don’t follow up, someone else will.
Competitors retarget them instead: If your competitors are running retargeting campaigns and you’re not, guess whose ad they’ll see next?
Your marketing dollars get wasted: You may have spent money on SEO, Google Ads, or Facebook posts to get someone to your site—only to lose them forever after one visit.
You miss repeat opportunities: Retargeting isn’t just for first-time visitors—it can also help re-engage past clients and website lurkers.
The bottom line: retargeting helps maximize the value of every website visitor, ensuring your marketing investment goes further.
How Roofing Contractors Can Set Up a Retargeting Campaign
Getting started with retargeting might sound technical, but it’s easier than you think—especially with modern tools and platforms.
Step 1: Choose Your Platform(s)
The two most popular platforms for retargeting are:
Google Display Network – Your ads appear on millions of websites, YouTube, and even Gmail.
Facebook and Instagram Ads – Great for visually engaging retargeting ads that show up in social feeds.
You can use one or both depending on your audience and budget.
Step 2: Install a Tracking Pixel on Your Website
A “pixel” is a small piece of code you install on your website to track visitors. This allows you to target them later with ads.
For Facebook, you’ll use the Meta Pixel
For Google Ads, it’s the Google Tag
Most website platforms (like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace) make it easy to install these using plugins or header scripts.
Step 3: Define Your Audience
Decide who you want to retarget. Common roofing audiences include:
Visitors to your homepage or service pages
People who visited your contact page but didn’t fill out the form
Blog readers (especially posts about storm damage or roof replacements)
Past clients or leads who engaged with your content
You can even create custom audiences—like targeting people who viewed a specific landing page or spent more than 30 seconds on your site.
Step 4: Create Your Ad Creative
Your ads should be visually clean, on-brand, and have a clear call to action. Great retargeting ads for roofers might include:
Before/after roofing photos
Offers like “Free Inspection” or “Storm Damage? We Can Help!”
Trust builders: local awards, 5-star reviews, BBB accreditation
Location targeting: “Serving Homeowners in [Your City]”
Make sure to include your logo, company name, and contact info in every ad.
Step 5: Set Your Budget and Launch
You can start with as little as $5 to $10 per day and gradually increase as you see results. Monitor your metrics like:
Click-through rate (CTR)
Cost per click (CPC)
Conversions (form fills, calls, bookings)
Both Facebook Ads Manager and Google Ads offer dashboards to help you optimize your campaigns over time.
Pro Tips for Effective Retargeting
Use video ads: Videos showcasing inspections, team introductions, or drone roof footage tend to perform well.
Split test your ads: Try different headlines, images, and CTAs to see what works best.
Set a frequency cap: You don’t want to bombard people—limit how often they see your ad in a day or week.
Create urgency: Ads like “Storm Season is Here – Book Now” can drive faster action.
Include testimonials: Social proof builds trust. Try ads with a quote from a happy customer and a photo of the finished roof.
Final Thoughts: Retargeting Ads Help You Win the Jobs You Already Earned Attention For
As a local roofing contractor, you work hard to bring people to your website—through SEO, ads, social media, or referrals. Retargeting helps you get the most out of those efforts by staying top-of-mind with high-intent homeowners.
In a crowded and competitive market, the difference between a booked inspection and a lost lead often comes down to who follows up better. Retargeting is your automated follow-up system—working 24/7 to bring homeowners back to your business.
Need Help Getting Started?
If you’re ready to add retargeting to your roofing company’s marketing strategy, I can help. We offer done-for-you digital marketing services tailored to local roofers—including retargeting ad setup, management, and creative design.
Let’s turn your website visitors into paying customers—schedule a free consultation today!
