The Complete Guide to Facebook Ads for Roofers

Most roofers think of Google when they think of digital advertising. And Google is great — when someone searches "roof repair near me," they're ready to buy.

But here's what many roofing companies miss: Facebook ads can generate leads at a lower cost than Google, build your brand in the community, and reach homeowners before they even know they need a new roof.

The key is understanding that Facebook works differently than Google. This guide shows you exactly how to set up and run profitable Facebook ads for your roofing business.

Why Facebook Works for Roofers

Facebook advertising is different from Google in one crucial way: on Google, you're capturing existing demand (people actively searching). On Facebook, you're creating demand (reaching people before they search).

This makes Facebook ideal for:

Storm damage campaigns: After a major storm, you can target affected zip codes immediately — before homeowners start searching for roofers.

Roof replacement awareness: Most homeowners don't think about their roof until there's a problem. Facebook lets you educate them about warning signs and the value of proactive replacement.

Brand building: When homeowners do need a roofer, they're more likely to call someone they recognize. Facebook keeps you visible in your community.

Retargeting: Someone visited your website but didn't call? Facebook lets you stay in front of them until they're ready.

The numbers work too. We typically see roofing leads from Facebook cost 30-50% less than Google Ads, though they may require more nurturing before they convert.

Setting Up Your Targeting

Facebook's targeting options let you reach exactly the homeowners most likely to need your services. Here's how to set it up:

Geographic Targeting

Start with the basics: your service area. But be strategic:

• Target by zip code, not city — Some areas of a city are more valuable than others
• Focus on homeowner-dense neighborhoods — Skip apartment-heavy zip codes
• Consider drive time — Factor in travel costs for distant areas

Demographic Targeting

Narrow your audience to people who actually own homes:

• Age: 30-65+ (younger people are less likely to own homes)
• Homeownership: Facebook has a "Homeowners" interest and behavior targeting option — use it
• Income: If you do premium work, target higher income brackets
• Life events: "Recently moved" can indicate new homeowners

Interest and Behavior Targeting

Layer these on top of demographics:

• Home improvement interests
• DIY and home renovation
• Real estate
• Local community groups
• Homeowner behaviors

Lookalike Audiences

Once you have customer data, create lookalike audiences. Upload a list of your past customers (emails or phone numbers), and Facebook will find people similar to them.

Lookalike audiences often outperform interest targeting because they're based on your actual customers, not Facebook's guesses about who might be interested.

Ad Formats That Work

Facebook offers multiple ad formats. Here's what works best for roofing companies:

Video Ads

Video dramatically outperforms static images for roofing. Why? Roofing is visual — people want to see the work.

Video ideas that convert:

• Time-lapse of a roof installation — Compressed into 30-60 seconds
• Before and after reveal — Show the transformation
• Drone footage — Aerial views of completed projects look impressive
• Customer testimonials — Real homeowners talking about their experience
• Storm damage education — What to look for after a hail storm

Keep videos short (under 60 seconds for feed, under 15 for Stories) and front-load the most interesting content. Most people won't watch to the end.

Carousel Ads

Carousel ads let you show multiple images in a swipeable format. Use them to:

• Show a project from multiple angles
• Display different service types (repairs, replacements, gutters)
• Walk through your process step-by-step

Lead Form Ads

Facebook lead forms let people submit their information without leaving Facebook. The form pre-fills with their name, email, and phone from their profile, reducing friction.

For roofing, lead forms work well for:

• Free inspection offers
• Storm damage assessments
• Estimate requests

The downside: lead form leads are often lower quality than website leads because the barrier to submit is so low. More on this below.

Creative Best Practices

Your ad creative (images, videos, and copy) determines whether people stop scrolling and pay attention. Here's what works:

Visual Best Practices

Before and after photos: These are gold for roofing. Show the dramatic difference between an old, damaged roof and your finished work.

Action shots: Your crew working on a roof is more engaging than a static finished photo.

Faces: Ads with people (your team, happy customers) get more engagement than ads without.

Avoid stock photos: Homeowners can spot generic stock photos instantly. Use real photos of your real work.

Local landmarks: Including recognizable local scenery builds trust with the community.

Copy Best Practices

Lead with the benefit, not the feature:

• Bad: "We offer 30-year shingles"
• Good: "A roof that protects your family for 30 years"

Create urgency without being pushy:

• "Storm season is coming — is your roof ready?"
• "Limited-time financing: 0% for 18 months"

Address objections:

• "Free estimates with no obligation"
• "We handle your insurance claim from start to finish"

Include social proof:

• "500+ roofs installed in [City]"
• "4.9 stars from 200+ Google reviews"

Clear call to action:

• "Get your free inspection"
• "Schedule your estimate"

Lead Forms vs. Landing Pages

This is one of the biggest decisions you'll make. Should you send traffic to a lead form (within Facebook) or a landing page (your website)?

Lead Forms: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Lower cost per lead (less friction)
• Auto-fills contact info
• People stay on Facebook (faster, easier)

Cons:

• Lower lead quality (too easy to submit)
• Less information about the lead
• Can't pixel for website retargeting

Landing Pages: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Higher quality leads (more intent required)
• More information collected
• Website visitors can be retargeted
• You control the entire experience

Cons:

• Higher cost per lead
• Page load speed matters
• Requires good mobile experience

Our recommendation: Test both. Many roofing companies find that landing pages produce fewer but better leads, resulting in more actual jobs. But your results may vary.

If you use lead forms, add a qualifying question like "When are you looking to start your roofing project?" with options like "Immediately," "Within 1 month," "Within 3 months," and "Just researching." This helps filter serious leads.

Budgeting and Bidding

How Much to Spend

Start with at least $1,500-3,000/month for Facebook ads. Less than that, and you won't have enough data to optimize effectively.

If that sounds like a lot, consider: a single roof replacement is worth $10,000-25,000+. You only need a few jobs from Facebook to see strong ROI.

Budget Structure

Split your budget across:

• Top of funnel (60%): Reaching new audiences
• Retargeting (40%): People who've engaged with your content or visited your website

Bidding Strategy

Start with "Lowest Cost" (automatic bidding). Once you have conversion data (50+ leads), switch to "Cost Cap" and set a maximum cost per lead you're willing to pay.

Don't set your cost cap too low initially — let Facebook's algorithm learn what works before restricting it.

Measuring ROI

The lead isn't the end goal — the signed job is. Track these metrics:

Cost per lead: What you pay for each form submission Lead to appointment rate: What percentage of leads become inspections/estimates Appointment to sale rate: What percentage of estimates become jobs Cost per job: Total ad spend divided by jobs closed Revenue per job: Average job value ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): Revenue generated divided by ad spend

Example calculation:

• Ad spend: $3,000/month
• Leads: 60 ($50/lead)
• Appointments: 30 (50% conversion)
• Jobs closed: 6 (20% close rate)
• Average job value: $15,000
• Revenue generated: $90,000
• ROAS: 30x (for every $1 spent, $30 returned)

Not every company will see 30x returns, but this illustrates why the math can work extremely well for roofing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Targeting too broad: "Everyone in my city" isn't a strategy. Narrow your audience to homeowners in specific, high-value areas.

Giving up too soon: Facebook's algorithm needs time and data to optimize. Give campaigns at least 2-3 weeks before making major changes.

Ignoring mobile: 95%+ of Facebook users are on mobile. If your landing page isn't mobile-friendly, you're wasting money.

No follow-up system: Facebook leads go cold fast. Call them within 5 minutes if possible, or have an automated text go out immediately.

Only running ads after storms: Storm chasers flood the market after weather events. Build your presence year-round so you're the trusted local company when storms hit.

The Bottom Line

Facebook ads can be a profitable channel for roofing companies — if you set them up correctly. The key is understanding that Facebook is about reaching homeowners before they search, building brand awareness, and staying top of mind until they're ready to buy.

Start with solid targeting, create compelling before/after content, test both lead forms and landing pages, and track all the way to closed jobs — not just leads.