If you’re anything like me, you’re thinking “uhhh, aren’t those the same thing?” Well, well, well. You’ve come to the right place. After much research, help from ChatGPT, YouTube, and the legend Google itself, I have now self-diagnosed myself as an expert on this topic.
So buckle in, because this Google Local Service Ads for roofers and Google Ads for roofers journey can get pretty intense.
Let's Get Back to the Basics!
To start this off on the right foot, let's go back to the very beginning. Who is who? Where does your money go? What's the main goal of each of these? Etc.
We'll take this one at a time to keep it clean
Google LSA
Google LSA stands for Google Local Service Ads. Picture yourself walking up to your local Google rep in your area and saying: "Google, find me people who need a roofer and connect them directly to my business." That is essentially the task Google LSA sets out to do for you and your business.
Google LSA is best known for local, high-intent service leads. The main goal for Google LSA is to generate those local leads. The keyword here, if you haven't picked up on it yet, is, in fact, "local".
An example of how this would be in action would be someone searching online for “roofers near me.” Then your Google Local Service Ad for your business will pop up, prompting them to give you a call!
When you have Google LSA running, it appears on Google Search results and Maps. Maps are a unique angle, for sure. Many people will be searching on Maps for things like “roofing business” or “roofing help.” Being present on Maps can bring your name to the forefront.
When it comes to payment for Google LSA, you primarily pay per “valid” lead. This can certainly work in your favor. You’re not going to (or shouldn’t) be left with a big bill of obscure leads with no hope of a return.
However, it can get sticky when defining “valid,” though. Google does a good job of breaking down how leads work, more relevantly saying a valid lead must be related to your business/services and can include several types of customer contact.
For example, these are all examples of “valid” leads:
- Phone Call: A homeowner calls through LSA, and you actually speak to them.
- Missed call: They call, you miss it, and you subsequently call/message them back and either speak with them or leave a voicemail.
- Message: They send you a text/email through LSA.
- Voicemail: They leave a voicemail with a meaningful service request.
- Booking: They request a
Google also says leads can be reassessed and automatically credited if later determined to be low quality. Huge Win! One thing worth noting, though: "Valid" doesn't mean "good sales opportunity"
That's an important distinction.
Someone legitimately calling because they need a roof repair can be a valid lead even if: "Actually, I only have $500 to spend."
Google is not guaranteeing that every paid lead becomes a $15,000 roof replacement.
The call-to-action with LSA is to have the customer contact you (typically via phone number).
Google Ads
With Google Ads, the approach is a little different. Picture this instead: “Google, show my advertisement when someone searches for these types of things, and send them to the page I want them to see.”
Google Ads is best known for greater control over specific searches, services, and messaging. An example of how this would be in action is someone searching “hail damage roof repair Nashville,” then they click your ad and are directed to a specific landing page.
The main goal for Google Ads is to generate clicks, leads, sales, etc. The direction of these clicks goes to a designated area of your choosing. That’s all to say, the LSA keyword is “local,” and the Google Ads keyword is “landing pages.”
For Google Ads, you pay per click for Search. And when running Google Ads, they will appear on Search and potentially Google’s wider ad network; it really depends on the campaign type (more on that later).
For Google Ads, the call-to-action is the customer visiting your website.
The Pros and Cons
Google LSA: Good News & Bad News
Good news: It’s simple! A big pro for those getting started. LSA is a great beginning place for a roofing company.
If you're sitting here reading this thinking, “We’ve never advertised on Google; where do we even start?” I would suggest here; Google LSA is where you should start. Especially if you’re:
- A legitimate business
- Properly verified
- In an eligible category
- Serving a defined geographic area
- Able to answer the phone consistently
- Already have a decent reputation/review base
- Ready to handle incoming leads
Google specifically positions pay-per-lead campaigns for local businesses wanting direct connections with high-intent customers.
Bad news: Because of its simpler nature, decisions are more automated. That can be helpful and efficient early on, but it does mean you have less control.
As mentioned above, “valid” leads doesn’t always mean they're good. And depending on your market and competition, the cost of individual leads can add up quickly.
This is an important thing to evaluate. Are you in a tight market? Do you have a lot of local competitors? Advertising locally is important, but make sure you enter the LSA arena knowing what you’re up against.
Other bad news for LSA is you still have to sell. Unlike Google Ads, LSA only points customers to contact you. But you are still responsible for answering the phone, scheduling the inspection, following up, and/or closing the roof.
Google Ads: Good News & Bad News
Good news: Google Ads provides space for more control in your pursuit of good customers. With Google Ads, you can target/manage keywords in Search campaigns. And a huge plus: you can direct people to exactly where you want them to go.
For example, you can send someone to:
- A roof replacement page
- A hail damage page
- A commercial roofing page
- A location-specific landing page
- A financing page
- A free inspection offer
- A form to request an estimate
Google Ads can go much deeper into the campaign strategy. Here's an example:
Campaign A - Roof Replacement
Search: "roof replacement in Nashville"
-> Roof replacement ad
-> Roof replacement landing page
-> Inspection CTA
Campaign B - Hail Damage
Search: "hail damage roof repair"
-> Hail damage ad
-> Hail damage landing page
-> Free inspection CTA
Campaign C - Commercial Roofing
Search: "commercial roofer Nashville"
-> Commercial roofing ad
-> Commercial landing page
-> Request estimate CTA
That's much more granular. You get to control the customer journey better. The ability to send someone directly to a landing page designed for exactly what they searched for. Unlike Google LSA, with Google Ads, you aren't required to do as much selling. The intentional and specific landing pages tend to weed out those who don't fit your criteria.
It’s also a great opportunity for testing. Google Ads gives you flexibility to test different headlines, offers, landing pages, calls-to-action, locations, etc.
Bad news: Because of its simpler nature, decisions are more automated. That can be helpful and efficient early on, but it does mean you have less control.
Systematically, it is complicated, but it also requires more expertise and preparation. You cannot simply select a location and run an ad (well, I mean you can, but it’s going to flop!). There’s much more to monitor and optimize than simply turning on an ad.
Clicks can be expensive! Competitive roofing keywords can cost a lot, particularly in lucrative markets. Poor keyword targeting, bidding, ad copy, landing pages, or conversion tracking can also burn through a budget quickly.
As I mentioned in the preparation, you need a great website and landing page. This can be a lot of upfront work. This often plays out positively in the long run, but there is no guarantee.
Competitors? No, They’re Teammates
I hope you’re not disappointed that this blog took a positive turn. In reality, Google Ads and Google LSA are less like competitors and more realistically ideal teammates. A good roofing marketing strategy could use all of this (including the Google Business Profile tips here).
Google Business Profile establishes the credibility needed for people to trust your business. LSA then captures local, high-intent leads. Google Search Ads targets specific searches and services, hitting a different angle in reaching good leads. And improving your business SEO will build organic visibility over time!
In the simplest terms:
- Google Business Profile: Who are you?
- LSA: Are you a legit local service provider I can contact?
- Google Ads: Can you put your offer in front of someone searching for exactly what you sell?
- SEO and ranking: Can you earn visibility organically?
All in all, LSA is the simpler, more direct lead-generation option. Google Ads give you more control and flexibility over who you target, what you say, where you send them, and what you measure.
Don't judge either one by how many leads you generate. Judge it by how many profitable jobs those leads turn into. Because if an LSA lead costs $100 and turns into a $15,000 roof, that's potentially a fantastic lead. If a Google Ad click costs $15, but 100 clicks produce zero legitimate opportunities, it doesn't matter that the CPC (cost-per-click) looks cheap.
The metric that matters to a roofer is ultimately the cost to acquire a customer, not cost per click or even cost per lead. So always have your goals top of mind!
About the Author
Matthew Sanborn is a Process Specialist at Alivo, an AI lead engagement platform for roofing and home improvement contractors. His work includes regular conversations with roofing companies evaluating and operating CRM and lead-response systems.
