If you run a roofing company and you want leads from Google, you have two main paid options — Google Ads and Local Service Ads. Both put your business at the top of search results. Both cost money. But they work in very different ways, and picking the wrong one can waste your budget fast.
Most roofing contractors we talk to at StormLead Growth are confused about the difference. Some are running one without even knowing the other exists. Others are spending on both but have no idea which one is actually producing calls.
This post breaks it all down in plain language. No marketing jargon. Just a clear comparison so you can decide what makes sense for your roofing business.
What Are Google Ads for Roofers?
Google Ads (sometimes still called Google AdWords) are the text ads that show up at the top of search results when someone searches for something like “roof repair near me” or “roofing company in Dallas.”
You pick the keywords you want to show up for. You write an ad. You set a daily budget. And every time someone clicks your ad, you pay — whether they call you or not. That’s why it’s called pay-per-click (PPC).
The cost per click for roofing keywords usually falls somewhere between $8 and $50, depending on your location and how competitive your market is. In big metro areas, some roofing keywords can go even higher.
Google Ads for roofing companies work well when they’re set up properly — with the right keywords, negative keywords to filter out junk clicks, proper conversion tracking, and a landing page that actually makes people pick up the phone.
The problem is, most roofing contractors don’t set them up properly. They pick broad keywords, send traffic to their homepage, and wonder why they’re spending $3,000 a month with nothing to show for it.
If you want to understand how we structure Google Ads campaigns specifically for roofers, check out our Google Ads management for roofing contractors page.
What Are Local Service Ads for Roofers?
Local Service Ads (LSAs) are different. They show up at the very top of Google — even above regular Google Ads. They look like a small business card with your company name, rating, hours, and a “Google Guaranteed” badge.
The biggest difference is how you pay. With Local Service Ads for roofers, you don’t pay per click. You pay per lead. That means you only get charged when someone actually contacts you through the ad — either by calling or sending a message.
The cost per lead for roofing LSAs typically ranges from $25 to $80, depending on your area and the service type. That’s often cheaper than what you’d pay through regular Google Ads to get a single phone call.
To run LSAs, your business needs to go through Google’s screening and verification process. Once you pass, you get the “Google Guaranteed” badge, which tells homeowners that Google has checked your business and backs it with a guarantee. That badge alone can increase trust and get more people to call you.
How They Show Up Differently on Google
When a homeowner searches “roofer near me,” here’s what they see from top to bottom:
First: Local Service Ads (if available in your area). These sit at the very top with the Google Guaranteed badge, your star rating, and your phone number. Homeowners can call directly from here without even visiting your website.
Second: Google Ads. These are the text-based ads below LSAs. They look like regular search results but with a small “Sponsored” label. People click these and land on your website or landing page.
Third: The Google Map Pack. These are the organic local results showing businesses on a map. You can’t pay to show up here — it’s based on your local SEO.
Fourth: Regular organic results. Your website pages, blog posts, competitor sites, and directories like Yelp and Angi.
So if you’re running both LSAs and Google Ads, your roofing company could show up twice at the very top of the page. That’s a strong position to be in.
Cost Comparison: Google Ads vs LSA for Roofers
Let’s look at this with real numbers. These aren’t exact — they vary by market — but they give you a realistic picture.
Google Ads:
- Average cost per click: $15–$40
- Conversion rate (clicks that turn into calls): 5%–15%
- Average cost per lead: $80–$250
- You pay for every click, even if the person doesn’t call
- Monthly ad spend for most roofers: $1,500–$5,000
Local Service Ads:
- Average cost per lead: $25–$80
- You only pay when someone actually contacts you
- You can dispute leads that aren’t real (wrong number, spam, out of area)
- Monthly ad spend for most roofers: $500–$3,000
On the surface, LSAs look cheaper per lead. And for many roofers, they are. But there are a few things to keep in mind.
LSAs give you less control. You can’t pick specific keywords. You can’t write custom ad copy. You can’t send people to a specific landing page. Google decides when to show your ad based on your profile, reviews, and proximity to the searcher.
Google Ads give you full control. You pick the keywords, you write the ad, you choose the landing page, you set the bid. If you know what you’re doing (or hire someone who does), you can fine-tune everything to lower your cost per lead over time.
Which One Is Better for Roofing Contractors?
The honest answer: it depends on your situation. Here’s a simple way to think about it.
Choose LSAs first if:
- You’re new to online advertising and want something simple
- You have a strong Google Business Profile with good reviews (4.0+ stars)
- You want to keep your budget low while testing the waters
- You’re in a market where LSAs are available for roofers (not all areas have them yet)
Choose Google Ads if:
- You want to target specific services (storm damage, commercial roofing, inspections)
- You want to target specific neighborhoods or zip codes
- You have a landing page that converts well
- You want to scale up and are willing to invest more for more control
Run both if:
- You want to take up as much space as possible at the top of Google
- You have the budget to support both channels ($2,500+ per month total)
- You want to reduce your risk — if one channel slows down, the other keeps leads coming
At StormLead Growth, we usually recommend starting with LSAs to get some quick leads flowing, then layering in Google Ads once we’ve built a proper landing page and conversion tracking system. That way you’re not wasting money on clicks that don’t convert.
Common Mistakes Roofers Make with Both
With Google Ads:
Running ads to your homepage instead of a dedicated landing page. Your homepage talks about everything — your story, your services, your team. A landing page focuses on one thing: getting the visitor to call. That focus is what turns clicks into calls.
Not using negative keywords. If you’re bidding on “roofing” you might show up for “roofing supply store” or “roofing jobs hiring.” Those clicks cost you money and bring zero leads. Negative keywords block those irrelevant searches.
No conversion tracking. If you don’t know which keywords and ads are producing calls, you’re flying blind. You need call tracking and form tracking set up from day one.
With LSAs:
Not responding fast enough. Google tracks how quickly you respond to leads. Slow response times can push your ad lower or stop showing it entirely. If you can’t answer the phone during business hours, get an answering service.
Not disputing bad leads. If someone calls asking about gutters and you do roofing only, you can dispute that lead and get your money back. A lot of roofers don’t bother and end up paying for leads they should have disputed.
Not asking for reviews. Your star rating and number of reviews directly affect how often your LSA shows up. After every job, ask the homeowner for a Google review. Make it easy — send them a direct link.
Can You Run Google Ads and LSAs at the Same Time?
Yes, and we recommend it for roofers who have the budget.
When you run both, your business can show up twice at the top of the search results — once in the LSA section and once in the regular ads section. That doubles your visibility and makes it more likely a homeowner clicks on your business instead of a competitor.
It also gives you data from two sources. You can compare which channel gives you cheaper leads, which brings higher-quality calls, and which services perform better on each platform.
The key is to track everything separately. You need to know your cost per lead from LSAs and your cost per lead from Google Ads independently. Otherwise you’re just spending money without knowing what’s working.
We manage both Google Ads and LSA campaigns for roofing contractors through a single system with unified reporting. See how it works on our Google Ads for roofing contractors page.
What About SEO? Do You Still Need It?
Paid ads get you leads fast. But the moment you stop paying, the leads stop too. That’s the trade-off.
SEO — specifically local SEO — builds something that keeps producing leads over time without a per-click or per-lead cost. When your roofing company ranks in the Google Map Pack and in organic results, those clicks are free.
The smartest approach is to use paid ads for immediate lead flow while building your SEO in the background. Over time, as your organic rankings grow, you can reduce your ad spend while maintaining the same lead volume.
That’s how roofing companies build marketing systems that don’t depend on a single channel.
We build local SEO systems for roofers that rank in Google Maps and AI search results. Learn more about our local SEO for roofing contractors service.
The Bottom Line
Both Google Ads and Local Service Ads work for roofers. They just work differently.
LSAs are simpler, cheaper per lead, and great for getting started. Google Ads give you more control, more targeting options, and more room to scale. Running both gives you the best coverage.
The most important thing isn’t which one you pick — it’s whether it’s set up correctly. A well-managed Google Ads campaign will beat a poorly managed one every time, and the same goes for LSAs.
If your roofing company is spending money on either of these and you’re not sure what you’re getting back, it might be time for a second look. At StormLead Growth, we help roofing contractors build paid ad systems that actually track results down to the cost per lead and cost per job booked.
No long-term contracts. No confusing reports. Just more calls from homeowners who need a roof.
✦ Not sure which channel is right for your market? We’ll tell you — free, within 24 hours. Request your custom proposal at StormLead Growth.