# The Roofing Ads Report 2026

Roofing Google Ads statistics and benchmarks, by Bluelight. Published 9 October 2026. New Zealand.

> The Roofing Ads Report 2026 follows $336,000 of roofing Google Ads spend in New Zealand, 53,508 clicks from November 2020 to September 2026, from the click to the phone call, the form and the written quote, alongside audits of 182 roofing ad accounts. It has 25 findings, each with its chart and sample size.

Source: https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report  
Author: Nick Berns, Founder, Bluelight  
Use: free to quote and reuse, with a link to the report.

## Key findings

- **Up to 27%** of real leads are missed by Google Ads, even with tracking set up properly. (https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#tracking-gap)
- **7.5% vs 6.8%** Google’s «Good» ads out-clicked its «Excellent» ones: the grade measures completeness, not quality. (https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#ad-strength)
- **42 days** is how long roofers wait to get paid, on a job worth a median $22,000. (https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#payment-time)

## $336,000 in roofing ads from click to invoice.

Most roofers know Google Ads works. Few know what a lead really costs, or which leads turn into jobs.

**So we counted.** Every click, call and form from the roofing accounts we have run or audited since 2020, followed through to the quote and the invoice.

I hope it shows you where you stand, and what is possible.

— Nick Berns, Founder, Bluelight

## What this report is built on

- **53,508** Ad clicks analysed
- **1.26M** Ad impressions
- **1,652** Days of campaign data (November 2020 to September 2026)
- **4,809** Phone calls and forms tracked independently of Google
- **31,989** Distinct search queries that triggered a roofing ad
- **2,520** Written inquiry messages read and classified
- **1,014** CRM records followed from lead to quote
- **NZ** Markets

## 25 findings in five parts

### Intro: Roofing clicks cost 20% more every year.

Since 2020 the cost of an Auckland roofing click has nearly **tripled**. The last twelve months were the steepest yet: **+35%** at a fixed budget.

- **What this tells you:** At nearly ×3 the 2020 price, every click has to work harder.
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#two-eras

## Part 1: Who is searching

### Finding 1: 10% of clicks become a lead.

Across 3,763 tracked leads, about **one click in ten** became a phone call or a form.

- **What this tells you:** What ten clicks cost you is your cost per lead.
- **Sample:** 36,779 clicks and 3,763 leads
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#query-intent

### Finding 2: Emergency-type clicks convert at 17%.

Out of every 100 clicks, how many became a phone call or a form, by what was searched.

- **What this tells you:** Fund urgent searches first: they convert ×7 better.
- **Sample:** 34,170 clicks
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#search-type

### Finding 3: 60% of clickers are over 55.

Where Google knows the age, for roofers focused on repairs.

- **What this tells you:** 6 in 10 clickers are over 55: design for reading glasses.
- **Sample:** 9,725 clicks where Google knows the age
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#over-55

### Finding 4: 35% of «new roof» clickers actually want a repair.

Going the other way, **12%** of people who click a repair ad want a whole new roof.

- **What this tells you:** 1 in 3 «new roof» leads wants a repair: decide before you pay.
- **Sample:** 470 written inquiries
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#intent-mismatch

## Part 2: When they get in touch

### Finding 5: Leads peak in March, not in winter.

March brings about **50%** more leads than an average month. June to August sit below average.

- **What this tells you:** Staff and budget for March: 50% more leads than average.
- **Sample:** 3,727 leads over 55 months
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#seasonality

### Finding 6: Morning clicks convert ×3 better than evening clicks.

Same ad, same price per click. The morning is the best time to run roofing ads.

- **What this tells you:** Mornings convert ×3 better: schedule your ads around them.
- **Sample:** 30,200 weekday clicks
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#hour-of-day

### Finding 7: 79% of leads come in during work hours.

Monday and Tuesday are the busiest days. The peak hour is **11am**.

- **What this tells you:** Monitor your inbox on weekdays, especially before noon, and you will capture 4 in 5 inquiries.
- **Sample:** 4,443 leads
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#when-they-arrive

### Finding 8: Half of all leads come via phone call.

Calls and website forms split the leads almost exactly in half, and have done for six years.

- **What this tells you:** Half your leads call: put your number on every page.
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#phone-calls

## Part 3: Where the money leaks

### Finding 9: Google can’t see 1 in 4 of your leads.

Up to **27%**, even with tracking set up properly. And Google’s automatic bidding only learns from the leads it counts, so every missed call teaches it to chase the wrong clicks.

- **What this tells you:** Google misses up to 27%: judge campaigns on your own count.
- **Sample:** 9,725 clicks and 1,205 leads, checked against Google’s count
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#tracking-gap

### Finding 10: Ad quality matters more than ad budget.

When a roofing ad does not show, it is usually because Google ranked it too low, not because the budget ran out.

- **What this tells you:** Ad quality costs you ×2 more views than budget: fix the ad first.
- **Sample:** 5,036 days of search campaigns
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#impression-share

### Finding 11: High-quality keywords bring leads 63% cheaper on average.

Google scores every keyword from 1 to 10. On average, a lead from a keyword scored 8 to 10 cost **$61**; from one scored 1 to 3, **$165**.

- **What this tells you:** Lift your quality score: high scores cut lead costs by 63%.
- **Sample:** 25,302 clicks
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#quality-score

### Finding 12: Google’s «Excellent» ads lost to its «Good» ones.

Google Ads ad strength measures how complete an ad is, not how good it is.

- **What this tells you:** Stop at «Good»: it out-clicked «Excellent», 7.5% to 6.8%.
- **Sample:** 626,000 impressions
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#ad-strength

### Finding 13: Problem-first headlines get 23% more clicks.

The two most-used themes, the city name and years of experience, do nothing.

- **What this tells you:** Name the problem: it earns 23% more clicks.
- **Sample:** 296,000 impressions
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#headline-themes

### Finding 14: 5% of keywords bring in 62% of leads.

Leads concentrate in a small handful of searches.

- **What this tells you:** 5% of keywords bring 62% of leads: fund your best few.
- **Sample:** 34,170 clicks on 888 keywords
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#top-keywords

### Finding 15: One Google setting sends 1 in 3 clicks out of town.

Google’s default, «presence or interest», shows your ad to anyone *interested in* your area, not just people in it: someone in Sydney searching «roofer auckland» counts.

- **What this tells you:** Switch to «presence»: the default sends 1 in 3 clicks out of town.
- **Sample:** About 27,000 clicks
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#location-targeting

## Part 4: From lead to job

### Finding 16: Up to 40% of website leads get a written quote.

Re-roof leads get quoted most. Leak repairs almost never do.

- **What this tells you:** Up to 40% get quoted: know your rate for each lead type.
- **Sample:** Web leads followed into the CRM
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#quote-rate

### Finding 17: Leads logged automatically get quoted ×4 more often.

Where the website writes every lead into the CRM, **40%** got a written quote. Where leads were typed in by hand, **9%**.

- **What this tells you:** Log leads automatically: 40% quoted, against 9% by hand.
- **Sample:** Web leads followed into the CRM
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#crm-gap

### Finding 18: Leads planning ahead get quoted ×2 more often.

Web leads choose a timing on the form. Those who want it **within a month** are the bigger group. Those **planning ahead** are the ones who get quoted.

- **What this tells you:** Planners get quoted ×2 as often: follow them up as hard.
- **Sample:** Web leads followed into the CRM
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#lead-timing

### Finding 19: A written quote costs up to $330 in ads.

At a 2026 roofing cost per lead of $80 to $130, it takes about two and a half leads to win one quote, on a job worth a median **$22,000**.

- **What this tells you:** A few hundred dollars buys a shot at a $22,000 job.
- **Sample:** Modelled from 36,779 clicks and 3,763 leads
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#cost-per-quote

### Finding 20: $22,000 is the median Auckland re-roof quote.

What a re-roof costs in Auckland, from 714 quotes, and steady every year since 2021.

- **What this tells you:** A typical residential re-roof in Auckland: $16,000 to $31,000.
- **Sample:** 714 quotes (690 residential shown)
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#quote-value

### Finding 21: 10% of every re-roof quote is scaffolding.

A median **$2,200** on a $22,000 job, on the quotes that list it.

- **What this tells you:** Scaffolding is 10% of the quote: show it before they ask.
- **Sample:** 1,631 quote line items across 257 quotes
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#scaffolding

### Finding 22: Roofers wait 42 days to get paid.

The invoice matches the quote almost to the dollar. Getting the money is the slow part.

- **What this tells you:** You wait 42 days to get paid: ask for a deposit.
- **Sample:** Paid invoices in the CRM, 2021 to 2026
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#payment-time

## Part 5: What it takes

### Finding 23: 92% of audited accounts have broken conversion tracking.

Of the **182** roofing accounts we audited, almost every one was counting something other than real leads.

- **What this tells you:** 92% of accounts count the wrong thing: fix tracking first.
- **Sample:** 182 roofing accounts audited
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#tracking-setup

### Finding 24: 72% of audited accounts pay for the wrong searches.

Broken tracking tops the list of what we find. Wrong search terms and poor ad quality come next.

- **What this tells you:** 72% pay for the wrong searches: check search terms monthly.
- **Sample:** 182 roofing accounts audited
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#audit-issues

### Finding 25: Unoptimised accounts pay at least ×2 more per lead.

Roofing accounts we have run for six months or more, against the 182 accounts we audited.

- **What this tells you:** The same budget buys at least twice the leads once the account is optimised.
- **Sample:** 182 audited accounts, and accounts Bluelight has run for six months or more
- **Link:** https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#optimisation-gap

## Takeaways for roofing companies

1. **Answer the phone.** Every weekday, mornings first: 79% of leads come in during work hours, peaking at 11am, and half of them by phone. (https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#when-they-arrive)
2. **Use an ad schedule.** Once you can see when inquiries come in, run your ads in the hours you can answer the phone. (https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#hour-of-day)
3. **Set up call and conversion tracking.** Google misses up to 27% of leads, and its bidding learns only from what it counts. (https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#tracking-gap)
4. **Plan for March, not July.** March brings about 50% more leads than an average month. Have the crew and the budget ready. (https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#seasonality)
5. **Set location targeting to «presence» only.** Google’s default sends 1 in 3 clicks out of town. (https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#location-targeting)
6. **Name the problem in the headline.** Leak, repair and fix headlines get more clicks than your city or your years in business. (https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#headline-themes)
7. **Fix the ad and the page before adding budget.** Most roofing ads that do not show are ranked too low, not out of money. (https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#impression-share)
8. **Decide on repair leads before you pay for them.** A third of «new roof» clicks want a repair. (https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#intent-mismatch)
9. **Follow up the planners.** Leads planning a few months ahead get quoted twice as often as the urgent ones. (https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#lead-timing)
10. **Ask for a deposit.** Roofers wait 42 days to get paid on a job worth a median $22,000. (https://www.bluelightads.com/roofing-ads-report#payment-time)

## How to read these numbers

**Sources.** Google Ads data provided by the Google Ads API. Leads from a call and form tracking platform that records every ad call through dynamic number insertion and every website form, independent of Google. CRM data based on CRM records. All money in New Zealand dollars, nominal. New Zealand time throughout.

**Qualified leads.** New Zealand origin, not a test, not empty, not spam, not a supplier, recruiter or marketer. «Ad lead» also requires a Google click marker. Junk rates exclude the businesses' own test submissions and set aside two concentrated spam attacks.

**Statistics.** Complete calendar months only for monthly and seasonal statistics. September 2026 is partial and excluded from those. Two structural breaks (an account rebuilt in mid-2022; a change of management in mid-2026) are treated as era boundaries. Rates computed from sums, never averaged from row-level ratios. Proportions carry 95% confidence intervals where quoted. Impression share is impression-weighted, then averaged. Every figure was re-derived by a second analyst before publication.

**Limitations.** Most of the data is Auckland. Search query shares reflect what these advertisers chose to bid on. CRM outcomes are recorded inconsistently by the businesses, so win rates are not published. Phone calls cannot be matched to CRM records reliably, so quote rates cover web leads only. Auction insights were not available. Google's own conversion counts are used only to measure their accuracy.

**Optimisation.** Findings 23 and 24 come from 182 roofing Google Ads accounts Bluelight audited; an account counts towards a problem if the audit found it at least once. In finding 25, “unoptimised” is the cost per lead in those 182 audited accounts. “Optimised” is the cost per lead in roofing accounts Bluelight has managed for six months or more, either taken over and optimised or set up by Bluelight and running for over six months.

## About Bluelight

Bluelight is the only agency in New Zealand that works exclusively with roofing companies.
Website: https://www.bluelightads.com. Contact: https://www.bluelightads.com/#form