Google Ads can be a game-changer for local service businesses like roofing companies. However, one of the most common challenges is getting the keyword match type strategy right. When Google keeps urging you to use broad match, it can be tempting to follow their advice. But is broad match the best way to spend your budget? For roofing businesses, phrase match and exact match—combined with the right techniques—often deliver better results by targeting high-intent leads.
In this blog, we’ll show you the pros and cons of each match type, explain why phrase match and exact match work best for local service businesses, and share actionable strategies to build a winning keyword structure for your Google Ads campaigns.
Understanding Keyword Match Types in Google Ads
Google Ads offers three primary keyword match types: broad match, phrase match, and exact match. Each has unique benefits and purposes, but not all are suitable for every business type. Let’s break them down.
Broad Match Keywords
- Definition: Broad match triggers your ads for searches that are related to your target keywords, even if the search doesn’t include the exact keyword. For example, if your keyword is “roof repair,” Google might show your ad for broader queries like “fixing a leaking roof” or “DIY roofing tips.”
- Advantages:
- Captures a wider audience, including queries you might not have thought of.
- Google’s AI uses intent-matching, which can interpret similar phrases or synonyms.
- Useful for discovering new search terms.
- Disadvantages:
- Relevance issues: Broad match may show your ad for irrelevant searches like “free roof repair” or “roofing tutorials.”
- Wasted budget: More clicks may come from unqualified leads, eating up your ad spend without conversions.
- Less control over ad placements: This is a challenge for small businesses with tight budgets.
Phrase Match Keywords
- Definition: Ads are shown when searches contain your keyword phrase (in the same word order) with slight variations. For example, the keyword “roof repair near me” might match searches like “affordable roof repair near me” or “best roof repair near me,” but not something unrelated like “DIY roof repair tips.”
- Advantages:
- Provides a balance between expanded reach and targeting.
- Better alignment with search intent compared to broad match.
- Effective for specific, localized searches like “[city]+ roof repair services.”
- Disadvantages:
- Less flexibility than broad match, which means you may miss some variations of search queries.
- Still requires monitoring to ensure irrelevant clicks are minimized.
Exact Match Keywords
- Definition: Ads only appear when your keyword matches a search query exactly (or with minor variants like plurals or synonyms). For example, the keyword [roof repair near me] will only appear for queries like “roof repair near me” but not for “how to repair a roof.”
- Advantages:
- Provides maximum control over ad relevance.
- Minimizes unqualified clicks, making it ideal for high-intent searches.
- Perfect for terms with strong purchase intent, like “emergency roofer near me” or “roof replacement [city].”
- Disadvantages:
- Restricts reach, which may limit impressions.
- Requires building and managing a long list of target keywords to cover all search variations.
Why Phrase Match & Exact Match Work Best for Local Roofing Businesses
Local service businesses like roofing companies rely on high-intent traffic to drive leads and sales. Unlike eCommerce businesses or blogs, roofing services address urgent customer needs, such as repairing storm damage or replacing a leaky roof. This makes highly targeted keywords essential to avoid wasting budget on curious or irrelevant searches. Here’s why phrase match and exact match are better for your roofing business:
1. Target Only High-Intent Searches
People searching for “roofing company near me” or “emergency roof repair” are likely ready to hire a professional. Using phrase match or exact match ensures your ads appear for these high-value queries, keeping traffic laser-focused on potential buyers.
2. Localized Targeting
Most roofing businesses serve specific geographic locations. Phrase and exact match keywords allow you to tightly focus on location-based searches. For instance:
- Keyword Examples:
- “roof repair in [city]”
- “best roofing company [city]”
- [emergency roofing near me]
With geo-targeting features in Google Ads, you can restrict your ads to people searching within your service area—ensuring your budget is spent only on nearby customers.
Take the guesswork out of managing your Google Ads campaigns. Contact us today at [email protected], and let Six10 Digital transform your Google Ads strategy into a lead-generating powerhouse!
3. Minimize Wasted Spend
Broad match terms can drain budgets with irrelevant searches, such as “how to fix a roof leak” or “DIY roof repair content.” Phrase and exact match reduce wasted clicks by serving ads only to users whose queries match specific intent.
4. Improved Conversion Rates
Higher relevance means your ads speak directly to the user’s need, increasing the likelihood they’ll click on your ad and convert. For example, an ad for “Roof Replacement in Boston” will resonate far more than a general “roofing services” ad.
Building a Winning Keyword Structure for Your Local Roofing Business
To achieve maximum results, you need to follow an intentional approach to campaign structure and keyword selection. Here’s a simple plan:
1. Organize Your Campaigns by Service Type
Break your campaigns into specific services for better ad targeting and performance:
- Roof Repair Campaign: “roof repair near me,” “leaking roof repair.”
- Roof Replacement Campaign: “roof replacement [city],” “replace roof cost near me.”
- Emergency Roofing Campaign: “emergency roof repair near me,” “24/7 roof repair.”
This structure ensures ad copy and targeting aligns perfectly with customer intent for each service.
2. Use Keyword Match Types Strategically
- Focus on Phrase and Exact Match: Dedicate the bulk of your budget to these match types for higher relevance and conversion rates.
- Examples:
- “roofing company near me” (phrase match)
- [roofers in [city]] (exact match)
- Examples:
- Cautiously Use Broad Match: Consider broad match for keyword discovery but set up safeguards:
- Add negative keywords (e.g., “DIY,” “free,” “cheap”) to block irrelevant clicks.
- Use geo-targeting to focus only on searches within your service area.
3. Geo-Target Your Ads
Ensure you adjust location targeting in Google Ads to show your ads only to people within a specific radius (e.g., 15 miles) of your business or to those in particular cities or zip codes. This minimizes clicks from people outside your service range.
4. Regularly Refine With Search Term Reports
Use Google Ads’ Search Term Report to analyze which queries triggered your ads. From here:
- Add valuable keywords to your campaigns.
- Remove irrelevant terms by updating your negative keyword list.
5. Optimize Your Ad Copy
Match your ad copy to each service and location to ensure relevance. For example:
- For roof repair campaigns: “Affordable Roof Repair in [City]” or “Fix Your Leaky Roof Today—Call Now!”
- For emergency services: “24/7 Emergency Roof Repair Near You.”
This increases your Quality Score, lowers CPCs, and improves conversion rates.
The Role of Negative Keywords
Negative keywords are your ultimate budget protector. Add them to prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant queries. For roofing, some examples include:
- DIY-related searches: “DIY roof repair kit,” “how to fix roof tiles.”
- Price-sensitive terms: “cheap roofing services,” “free roof repair.”
- Non-local intent: “what’s the cost of a roof?”
Conclusion: The Best Approach for Roofing Companies
For a local roofing business, phrase match and exact match keywords provide the right balance of control, targeting, and reach—ensuring your budget is spent on the most relevant, high-intent traffic.
Key Takeaways:
- Use exact match for hyper-specific, high-converting terms like [emergency roof repair near me].
- Leverage phrase match to expand reach while still aligning with user intent.
- Limit broad match usage unless paired with strict geo-targeting and negative keywords.
- Regularly refine your keywords, negative keywords, and targeting using Google Ads reports.
By following these strategies, your roofing company can reduce wasted spend, boost conversion rates, and maximize the ROI on your Google Ads campaigns.
If you’re struggling to optimize your Google Ads for your local roofing business, we’re here to help. Email us at [email protected] to set up a free consultation. Let’s build a Google Ads strategy for your business that drives local leads and maximizes ROI!
