How to Dominate Local Leads During Hurricane Season
By Dipa Gandhi
Read it to me! Click the video below.
Every year, hurricane season causes not only physical damage but business disruption—especially for service area businesses like roofers, tree removal companies, general contractors, and water damage restoration teams. And while these storms can bring destruction, they also bring a massive spike in demand for emergency and recovery services. Contractors who prepare now with a solid digital marketing foundation will be the ones who capture that surge. Those who wait risk missing out on thousands of dollars in potential jobs.
Hurricane season officially starts June 1, and preparation doesn’t begin when the storm hits—it starts now.
When Disaster Strikes, Consumers Search Online First
The moment a hurricane hits, homeowners scramble to Google. They're searching for:
- "Roof repair near me"
- "Emergency tree removal"
- "Flood cleanup service"
- "Board-up contractor"
- "Water damage restoration"
They need help fast. And more often than not, they choose one of the first local listings they see. If your business isn’t showing up with a polished and visible Google Business Profile (GBP) and an active Local Services Ad (LSA), you’re invisible to these high-intent customers.
The Cost of Delaying Marketing Setup
Let’s say your area gets hit in mid-July. If you wait until then to start setting up your marketing, you’re too late. GBP verifications can take days or even weeks if issues arise. LSAs require background checks, license verification, and profile approvals—all of which take time.
Consider this real-world case:
Tom, a roofing contractor in Florida, waited until after a tropical storm passed through in August 2023 to run LSAs. He scrambled to get verified and finally went live… three weeks later. By then, the urgent jobs had been taken. His competitor, Jake, who had already passed LSA verification and had a fully optimized GBP, booked over 40 storm-related jobs in the same timeframe.
Here's What You Should Prioritize Right Now
The month before hurricane season starts is your golden window to prepare your digital marketing. Focus on:
✅ Google Business Profile (GBP)
- Make sure your business info is accurate. Double-check your category, hours, phone number, and service area.
- Add recent photos showing your work, equipment, team, and completed jobs.
- Respond to all reviews. A high response rate signals that you’re active and engaged.
- Use posts to highlight services like emergency storm repair or 24/7 availability.
- Start the onboarding process immediately. LSAs require background checks and license verification, which can take 2–4 weeks.
- Choose the right categories like “Tree Service,” “Roofing,” “Water Damage Restoration,” or “Junk Removal” depending on your business.
- Use a professional photo and write a compelling bio. Show credibility and empathy—people are hiring someone they’ll trust during a crisis.
⏳ Wait on Google Ads… For Now
While GBP and LSA are must-haves before the season starts, Google Ads can be activated in real-time during the storm season to target zip codes or keywords experiencing active weather alerts. This gives you flexibility without incurring costs too early.
The Opportunity Is Time-Sensitive
Once a hurricane hits, you won’t have time to wait for profile approvals, review responses, or LSA verifications. You’ll either be booking leads… or watching competitors do it.
Business owners who take 2–3 hours now to optimize their GBP and kick off the LSA setup process will be ready when it counts most.
Don't be the contractor scrambling after the storm. Be the one they find before the chaos starts.
