- When wind, hail or ice hits your area, homeowners start searching for a roofer right away. The roofers who show up first are usually the ones whose ads were ready before the storm.
- Build storm ad groups, storm ads and a storm landing page now, then keep them paused until you need them.
- Block storm searches that won’t turn into roofing jobs, like auto hail repair and storm jobs, before they cost you money.
- Have a plan for budget, service area and phone coverage, so you can turn things on in minutes instead of days.
Storm season is the worst time to find out your account has gaps. Run these quick checks while the weather is calm.
Is your Google Ads account set up to bring in the jobs you want?
Get the free Roofing Google Ads Health Checklist: 8 quick checks you can run in about five minutes, with no login or technical skills needed.
Rather talk it through? Call (888) 593-9326 for a free account review.
Fall and winter bring high winds that lift shingles, hail that bruises them, and ice dams that push water under them. When a storm rolls through, homeowners grab their phones and start searching.
The problem is timing. Campaigns, ads and landing pages take time to build, and new ads must pass Google’s review before they show. This guide covers what to set up now, so your ads are ready to switch on when the weather turns.
Why should roofers get their Google Ads ready before storm season?
Storm demand arrives fast and doesn’t wait for you to build an account. New campaigns, ads and landing pages take time to create and get approved, and the first days after a storm are when homeowners are calling around. Doing the setup in advance means you can turn it on the same day.
What storm searches should your roofing ads be ready for?
Plan for searches tied to the damage homeowners actually see: wind damage, hail damage, leaks after a storm, missing shingles, emergency tarping and ice dams. Each one points to a different worry, so group them by type of damage and match each group with its own ads and landing page sections.
- Wind damage. Searches about missing or lifted shingles, roof damage after high winds, and emergency roof repair.
- Hail damage. Searches for hail damage roof inspection, hail roof repair and roof replacement after hail.
- Leaks and emergencies. Roof leaking after a storm, emergency roofer near me and roof tarp service.
- Winter damage. Ice dam roof leaks, snow damage and leaks from melting ice, if your crews handle that work.
- Insurance questions. Searches about roof damage insurance claims and roof inspections for insurance.
Only build groups for work you actually do, so you don’t pay for calls you’ll have to turn away.
How do you set up storm campaigns before the storm hits?
Build a separate storm campaign or storm ad groups with their own keywords, ads and budget, then pause them. Write ads for each damage type, add call and location assets, and point them to a storm landing page. When a storm hits, you switch them on instead of starting from scratch.
- Create storm ad groups for each type of damage you repair.
- Write ads that name the damage, your service area and how quickly you can inspect.
- Set up a storm landing page with a click-to-call button, a short form and photos of your real work.
- Make sure call tracking and form tracking are working, so you know which storm searches bring in jobs.
- Get the ads approved, then pause them until you need them.
Keep the message honest. Homeowners have often heard about storm chasers, so local roots, real reviews and a clear explanation of the inspection build more trust than big promises.
Which storm searches should roofers block with negative keywords?
Block storm searches that won’t become roofing jobs. Common ones include auto hail repair, car dent repair, storm chaser jobs, storm damage lawyers, weather updates and tree removal if you don’t offer it. Adding them before a storm keeps your budget on homeowners with roof damage when search volume jumps.
Storms bring new searches that look close to roofing without being roofing. Hail is the classic example: many people searching about hail damage want their car fixed. Our guide to negative keywords for roofers explains how to find and block these searches, and the search terms report is where you’ll spot new ones after each storm.
Check your search terms every day right after a storm. That’s when unexpected searches show up fastest.
What should roofers change in Google Ads right after a storm?
Turn on your paused storm campaigns, decide how much extra budget you’re willing to spend, and focus your location targeting on the areas that were actually hit. Then make sure someone answers every call. Ads only help if the phone gets picked up while homeowners are still choosing a roofer.
- Budget. Set a clear limit for the storm push so a busy week doesn’t turn into a surprise bill.
- Location. Target the towns and zip codes that took damage, as long as your crews can reach them.
- Ad schedule. Keep ads running during the hours someone can answer the phone or call back quickly.
- Capacity. If your schedule fills up, lower budgets or pause ads so you don’t pay for leads you can’t serve.
When things settle down, scale back and note which storm searches turned into signed jobs. That tells you what to keep ready next time.
Where do Local Services Ads fit in a roofer’s storm plan?
Local Services Ads can bring in calls during storms, but only if your profile is already verified, your job types and service area are right, and your hours match when you answer. Google says screening and verification take 3 to 4 weeks on average after you submit your documents, so get it done before storm season rather than after the first big storm.
Reviews, responsiveness and profile accuracy all affect how Local Services Ads perform, and storms test every one of them. Our guide to setting up and optimizing Local Services Ads covers the details. Fully Armed helps roofers set up LSAs and coaches them on optimizing, while your company runs them day to day.
How does Fully Armed help roofers get storm-ready?
Fully Armed helps the roofers we work with get storm campaigns and negative keywords ready ahead of the season, so they’re ready to switch on. We help you plan budgets and service areas for a storm push, then watch search terms closely after the weather hits so your budget stays on real roofing jobs.
Want a second set of eyes before storm season? Our Google Ads management for roofers team can walk through your account with you and point out what to get ready.
Curious about pricing? Our guide to what Google Ads management costs for roofers lays out how we charge: a $500 one-time setup fee with the first month’s management and ad-spend fees waived, then $700 per month plus 10% of ad spend, billed after the month’s work is done. No long-term contract, and 30 days’ notice to cancel.
Frequently asked questions
Should roofers pause Google Ads in the winter?
Usually not completely. Homeowners still search for leak repairs, ice dam problems and storm damage in winter, and a paused account can’t catch those calls. Many roofers lower budgets and focus on repairs and inspections during slow months, then raise budgets again when the weather or the season picks up.
Should storm ads mention insurance claims?
They can, as long as you’re accurate. It’s fine to say you inspect storm damage and can help homeowners understand the claims process. Avoid promising that insurance will pay or that a roof will be free. Clear, honest wording builds trust and keeps your ads within Google’s policies.
How quickly can Google Ads start running after a storm?
If your storm campaigns are already built and approved, you can turn them on within minutes. If you have to build new ads, they need to pass Google’s review first, which usually takes about a business day but can take longer. That delay is the main reason to prepare before storm season.
Should I target areas outside my normal service area after a storm?
Only if your crews can actually reach those areas and handle the work well. Expanding too far can bring in calls you can’t serve and leads that cost more than they’re worth. Stick to places where you can inspect quickly and follow through on the job.
Want help getting your account storm-ready?
Call (888) 593-9326 and we’ll walk through what your roofing ads need before the next storm. Straight answers, no jargon.
Know a roofer who’d benefit? Refer them to Fully Armed and get paid every month they stay. See the referral program →
