Social media for roofers: a practical guide for 2026

People rarely browse for a roofer. They need one because of a leak, a storm or a sale, and they want someone local, insured and trustworthy. Your social accounts are where they check you are real and that your work looks right.

Google Business Profile matters most for urgent searches. If you visit customers rather than having them visit you, Google says to remove your address and set a service area, with up to 20 areas and no more than about two hours' driving from your base. Facebook is where homeowners ask neighbours for recommendations. Instagram and TikTok suit short before-and-after clips. LinkedIn helps if you want commercial work from property managers, housing associations or main contractors.

Source: Google Business Profile Help: Manage your service area for service-area businesses, checked 15 October 2026

Take photos at the same points on every job: before, during and after, from the same angle. That one habit gives you a week of posts from each job without extra effort.

• Monday: a finished job, with a before-and-after from the same angle.
• Tuesday: an explainer. What a valley is, why flashing fails, or how flat roofs are built.
• Wednesday: a work-in-progress shot that shows care, such as scaffolding and edge protection.
• Thursday: a customer review, shared with permission.
• Friday: a team post or a vehicle and kit check.
• Seasonal: a pre-winter checklist, gutter clearing, or what to do after a storm.

A before-and-after is the strongest post a roofer has, as long as it is honest. Use the same angle and light, do not edit the finished roof to look better than it is, and say what was done in plain words: "replaced 40 slates, new lead flashing on the chimney" tells people more than "stunning transformation".

If you post prices or price guides, show the total. In the UK, the CMA says a social media post can be an invitation to purchase, and the total price should normally include unavoidable charges such as VAT. If the price depends on the roof, say what it depends on.

• Photograph the problem clearly: the slipped slate, the cracked mortar, the sagging felt.
• Ask before posting any photo that shows the house front or the street.
• Explain what you found and why you chose the repair, not just the result.
• Never post photos of another firm's work to criticise it.

Source: CMA: Providing clear and accurate information about prices (summary), checked 15 October 2026

Trade association and scheme logos build trust, which is why the ASA takes them seriously. In a 2019 ruling against a roofing firm, the ASA found that showing logos of bodies the firm could not prove membership of was misleading, and told it not to imply membership unless it held documentary evidence. Only show logos you can prove today, and remove them if a membership lapses.

In the US, the FTC tells homeowners to consider only licensed and insured contractors, get written estimates from more than one, and walk away from anyone who wants cash up front. Make that easy for people: post what your written quote includes, show proof of insurance on request, and never pressure anyone in a comment or message.

After a storm, post useful advice first: how to make a leak safe, how to photograph damage for insurance, and when to wait for a proper inspection. Avoid scare tactics. Unlicensed contractors and scammers often appear in recovery zones, the FTC says, and you want to look like the opposite.

Sources: ASA ruling on Hanson Roofing and Building Ltd (30 October 2019), checked 15 October 2026; FTC Consumer Advice: How to avoid scams after weather emergencies and natural disasters, checked 15 October 2026

Drone shots make roof work easy to see, but the rules apply to you whether you fly for fun or for work. In the UK, the CAA says you need both a Flyer ID and an Operator ID for a drone of 250g up to 25kg, and also for a drone of 100g up to 250g that has a camera. Any organisation responsible for a drone must register for an Operator ID.

The CAA's Drone Code says to respect other people's privacy, tell people before recording where you can, think carefully before sharing photos and videos on social media, and store images securely. Neighbours' gardens, windows and children playing should not appear in your posts. In the US, check the FAA's rules for flying drones for work before you fly.

1. Register before the first flight and keep your IDs current.
2. Tell the customer and, where practical, neighbours before you fly.
3. Frame shots on the roof you worked on, not the street.
4. Crop or blur anything that identifies other people or properties.
5. Delete footage you do not need.

Sources: UK CAA: Registering to fly drones and model aircraft, checked 15 October 2026; UK CAA Drone Code: Protecting people's privacy (points 21 to 26), checked 15 October 2026

Ask every customer for a review the same way, for example in your final invoice email. Google's policy bans incentives for reviews and selectively asking only happy customers, and the FTC's 2024 rule bans buying fake reviews or rewarding reviews with a particular sentiment.

Disclosure: this guide is published by Zolyp, an AI social media manager. Zolyp plans a calendar around your content pillars, writes and designs each post, and schedules it to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads. You start in review-everything mode, so nothing goes live without your approval. You can add your own photos or pull from your brand gallery, so posts show your real work rather than stock images. Everything in this guide works just as well done by hand.

• Week 1: pick the best two or three finished jobs you have permission to share.
• Week 2: post an explainer and a seasonal checklist.
• Week 3: share a review and a team or safety post.
• Week 4: check which posts led to quotes, update your Google profile and plan next month.

Sources: Google Maps user-generated content policy: fake engagement, checked 15 October 2026; FTC: Federal Trade Commission announces final rule banning fake reviews and testimonials (14 August 2024), checked 15 October 2026