CinchLocal
Commercial Roofing SEO Case Study:
From Zero Leads to 26-Roof Deals.
How One Roofer Went From Zero Commercial Leads to Property Managers, Investors, and 26‑Roof Deals — Without Running Ads.
Industry: Commercial Roofing / Home Services
Client: 12 Stones Roofing & Construction
Location: Pasadena, Texas
System Used: CinchLocal Footprint Expansion System™
Primary Focus: Commercial Roofing Authority, Google Maps SEO, Organic SEO, AEO (AI SEO)
Data Validation: Ahrefs (3rd‑Party SEO Intelligence)
Introduction:
Why Most Roofers Never See Commercial Opportunities.
Most roofing companies fight over the same residential homeowners.
Meanwhile, property managers, real estate investors, and institutions quietly search Google for one thing:
A roofing company that looks established, credible, and safe to call.
They do not click ads.
They do not fill out lead forms.
They shortlist authority — then call.
This case study documents how 12 Stones Roofing went from zero inbound commercial roofing leads to receiving calls from property management firms, real estate teams, and large institutions, including a single call representing 26 roofs across one business park.
And it happened during the slow season.
Client Testimonial
“We are seeing various new leads, including specific styles of commercial leads we weren't getting before.
It is important to note that we are still in the build‑up phase, yet our call and appointment volume has already increased — even during the slow season.
If you are looking for a roadmap to long‑term success and becoming a Local Authority in roofing, I strongly suggest CinchLocal.”
— Clark Gullickson, 5‑Star Google Review
What follows is the proof behind that statement.
Proof Beyond Dashboards:
The Real Conversations
Real Results, Documented In Real Time
This is a full, unedited SMS conversation between Clark Gullickson and CinchLocal during the campaign.
It is intentionally included because:
- Anyone can claim “more leads”
- Very few agencies will show live conversations while results are unfolding
The SMS thread documents:
- When the first commercial leads appeared
- Clark’s real‑time reactions
- Confirmation these were new lead types they had never received before
- The moment skepticism turned into certainty
This is not hindsight. This is operational proof.
The Problem:
Invisible to Commercial Buyers.
Before CinchLocal, 12 Stones Roofing faced the same issue most roofers do.
Key Challenges:
- No visibility in Google Maps for competitive terms
- No inbound commercial roofing leads
- Reliance on residential work only
- Skepticism from leadership due to past marketing disappointments
- A winter slow season approaching
Clark understood something critical:
Commercial roofing buyers do not respond to marketing.
They respond to authority.
The Solution:
The Footprint Expansion System™
CinchLocal implemented its proprietary Footprint Expansion System™, a structured, multi‑layered approach designed specifically for local authority dominance, not generic SEO.
This is not a traditional SEO campaign.
It is a system designed to force authority signals across every surface commercial buyers (and Google) trust.
Campaigns like this demonstrate how SEO for roofing contractors actually works when authority —
not tactics — is the foundation.
What the System Actually Does
1. Organic SEO (Authority Foundation)
- High‑intent service pages
- Commercial roofing relevance signals
- Entity‑based content aligned with E‑E‑A‑T
- Built to rank and support Maps visibility
This layer establishes long-term roofing SEO results that compound instead of fluctuating.
2. Google Maps SEO (Lead Engine)
- Google Business Profile optimization
- Weekly Google Posts
- Geotagged project photos
- Review velocity and trust signals
- Local relevance reinforcement across the service area
This is where Google Maps SEO for roofers becomes a call-generation engine — not just a ranking exercise.
3. AEO / AI SEO (Future‑Proofing)
- Structured service + location content
- Brand entity reinforcement
- Built for AI‑driven search and citations
- Visibility beyond traditional blue links
This layer ensures the brand is recognized as an authoritative roofing entity by AI systems before a buyer ever clicks.
This system does not chase clicks.
It positions companies where
high‑intent buyers already look.
Ahrefs‑Validated Performance Data
All metrics below are independently validated using Ahrefs.
Engagement Start: July 19, 2025
Market: Texas, United States
1. Organic Keyword Growth (Authority Expansion)
Source: Ahrefs – Site Explorer → Keywords History (Monthly)
Month‑by‑Month Keyword Growth (All Rankings)
| Month | Top 3 | Positions 4–10 | Positions 11 | Total Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | 1 | 3 | 54 | 58 |
| Sep 2025 | 6 | 11 | 70 | 87 |
| Oct 2025 | 10 | 70 | 80 | 160 |
| Nov 2025 | 22 | 83 | 111 | 216 |
| Dec 2025 | 33 | 64 | 112 | 209 |
| Jan 2026 | 39 | 60 | 136 | 235 |
Start vs Current:
- August 2025: 58 ranking keywords
- January 2026: 235 ranking keywords
- Net Growth: +305%
Case Study Insight:
Keyword growth accelerates sharply starting October–November, aligning with authority lift and the reported increase in repair and commercial leads.
2.
Top‑10 Keyword Growth (Call‑Trigger Zone)
Source:
Ahrefs – Keywords History (Top‑10 Aggregation)
| Month | Keywords in Top 10 |
|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | 4 |
| Sep 2025 | 17 |
| Oct 2025 | 80 |
| Nov 2025 | 105 |
| Dec 2025 | 97 |
| Jan 2026 | 99 |
Start vs Current:
- Aug 2025: 4 keywords in Top 10
- Jan 2026: 99 keywords in Top 10
- Growth: +2,375%
Case Study Insight:
This is the clearest SEO proof point.
Top‑10 placement is where calls begin — especially for service‑based and commercial queries.
3. Referring Domain Growth (Trust Velocity)
Source:
Ahrefs – Referring Domains History
| Month | Referring Domains |
|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | 51 |
| Sep 2025 | 59 |
| Oct 2025 | 64 |
| Nov 2025 | 68 |
| Dec 2025 | 76 |
| Jan 2026 | 85 |
Start vs Current:
- Aug 2025: 51 referring domains
- Jan 2026: 85 referring domains
- Net Growth: +66%
Case Study Insight:
This steady, non‑spiky growth explains why rankings stuck instead of fluctuating.
Google rewards consistency over velocity.
4.
Estimated Organic Traffic Growth (Demand Unlock)
Source:
Ahrefs – Site Explorer → Metrics History
| Month | Est. Organic Traffic |
|---|---|
| Jan–Jul 2025 (Before) | 34–38 |
| Aug 2025 | 37 |
| Sep 2025 | 58 |
| Oct 2025 | 224 |
| Nov 2025 | 325 |
| Dec 2025 | 322 |
| Jan 2026 | 477 |
Start vs Current:
- July 2025: ~34 visits/month
- January 2026: 477 visits/month
- Growth: +1,300%
Traffic Value (Ahrefs Organic Cost)
- July 2025: ~$9,600
- January 2026: $110,513
Case Study Insight:
Even if traffic were 50% overestimated, the trend is undeniable — and aligns with real‑world lead volume.
5. Commercial‑Intent Keyword Visibility (Why the Phones Rang)
Source:
Ahrefs – Organic Keywords (Filtered Set)
Keyword Categories Tracked
- Commercial
- Flat roof / flat roofing
- Roof repair
- Emergency roof
- Roofing contractor
- Industrial
- Low‑slope
- Property management
Visibility Pattern
- Pre‑CinchLocal: Minimal Top‑10 presence
- Post‑November 2025:
- Commercial & repair keywords enter Top 10
- Flat‑roof terms surface
- Contractor‑level searches unlock
Why This Matters
Commercial keywords:
- Have lower volume
- Carry higher call intent
- Require an authority threshold (achieved in November)
This directly explains:
- Flat‑roof lead increase
- Property management calls
- Business park and institutional inquiries
This is how commercial roofing leads emerge naturally once authority is established.
The Results:
Commercial Roofing Leads They Never Had Before
1. Property Management Firms
- Multiple inbound calls from property management teams
- Requests covering multi‑building portfolios
- Flat and pitched roofs combined
- One call represented 26 roofs across a business park
2. Real Estate Investment & Management Teams
- Inbound outreach from teams managing multiple properties
- Roofing evaluations tied to acquisitions and long‑term planning
- Vendor‑style relationships, not one‑off jobs
3. Institutional Opportunities
- Invitation to bid on a 500,000 sq. ft. college campus roofing project
- Exposure to opportunities they were never previously aware of
- Entry into a higher tier of commercial work
They did not win every bid — but they entered rooms they were never in before.
That is how real growth starts.
The Bigger Outcome: Becoming the Local Authority
Beyond leads, something more valuable happened.
12 Stones Roofing became:
- Recognizable
- Trusted
- Respected
- “The company people see everywhere”
That visibility wasn’t limited to one market — similar local Google Maps wins have been achieved across competitive service areas as authority compounds.
Clark summarized it perfectly:
“I always believed in your promise since day one. Now others are seeing the results.”
That is what authority looks like.
Conclusion: This Is a Roadmap, Not a Shortcut
This case study proves one thing clearly:
If you build real authority across organic search, Google Maps, and AI visibility, commercial roofing leads follow naturally.
Not overnight.
Not randomly.
But predictably.
Ready to Attract Commercial Roofing Leads Like This?
If you want:
- Property managers calling you
- Investors finding you
- Higher‑value commercial opportunities
- Visibility that compounds instead of resets
Then you do not need “SEO.”
You need a Footprint Expansion System™.
Book Your Free Authority Audit
We will:
- Map your Google Maps footprint
- Show where commercial buyers are leaking to competitors
- Compare your authority against your market
- Build your roadmap to dominance
Schedule your consultation today and start expanding your footprint.
