How roofing contractors can improve their social search rankings [+video]

Search engine optimization (SEO) has been rapidly evolving over the past few years. For example, in October 2009 Google first introduced its social search strategy, and have since introduced the +1 button and the Google+ social media platform. These three things alone have to some degree minimalized the value of traditional SEO practices.

With more than a 60% market share in web search, Google remains king so like them or not, you need to play by their rules. How does a roofing contractor like yourself get the search rankings you need at a time when the rules are evolving so rapidly? Here are five things you can do right now:

Content
The first is content. Despite the rapid pace of change, one thing that has remained constant and is actually now more true than ever before is that good, relevant content is still the most important thing when it comes to SEO. Your roofing company should be committed to regularly producing high quality content.

Content Diversity
The second is content diversity. A traditionally optimized website is no longer enough to rank well for top industry keywords. In addition to text, you also need to produce video and photo content that is also optimized with proper tags and descriptions. Downloadable content like eBooks, slideshows and white papers can also be indexed, and help tell search engines that you are a producer of good, relevant, diverse content for the roofing industry.

Google's +1 Button
The third is Google's +1 button, which when clicked is a signal to Google that someone thinks your content is valuable. Just having this button on your website's home page isn't enough. Every piece of content you produce, including every page of your roofing website should have social sharing buttons, and especially the +1 button.

Social Sharing
The fourth is social sharing. Sharing content across various social media platforms has become extremely influential in rankings for all search engines, who now track how much your content is shared by others. Social sharing buttons on everything you produce (even in your email newsletters) is incredibly important to make it easy for people to do so.

Everyone Works in Marketing
The fifth is your marketing department. Content sharing is so important that everyone who works for your roofing company needs to pitch in. If all of your employees share your company's blog posts, YouTube videos, Tweets, and Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn posts across their own social networks, it turns the entire company into a marketing department.

The takeaway is that social search is here to stay. Producing good, quality, diverse content that is shared frequently by different people across social media is how you will get found online before your competitors when people in your area search for roofing services.

If you would like to discuss this further, need help getting started, or want to get your company to the next level, please feel free to email RoofPal@gmail.com any time.


This edition of the RoofPal Marketing Podcast is brought to you by KM Coatings - the last roof you'll ever need! KM Coatings has been manufacturing high quality, energy efficient reflective roof coatings since 1986. For more information or learn how to become a certified installer, please visit http://www.KMCoatingsMfg.com.