Common Questions from NJ Contractors

What does Kinetic Marketing do?

Kinetic Marketing runs SEO, Google Ads, and AI lead generation campaigns for home service contractors in New Jersey. The goal is more calls and booked jobs — without shared leads from Angi or HomeAdvisor. Trades served include roofing contractor marketing and HVAC contractor marketing, along with plumbers, electricians, and general contractors.

Who do you work with?

Roofers, HVAC contractors, plumbers, electricians, and general contractors in NJ. Most clients are owner-operated businesses with 1 to 10 employees who have tried other marketing and are done paying for reports instead of results.

Where are you located and what areas do you serve?

Kinetic Marketing is based in Belle Mead, NJ — Somerset County. Clients are served across Middlesex, Bergen, Essex, Morris, Somerset, and Monmouth County. Most are within 45 minutes of Central Jersey.

Do you work with businesses outside New Jersey?

Not currently. The focus is on NJ contractor markets — where the competitive landscape, county-level demand patterns, and seasonal timing are well understood. That specificity is part of what makes campaigns work.

Is there a long-term contract?

No. Every engagement is month to month. No setup fees, no lock-in periods. If the results aren't there, you're not stuck.

Who will I be working with?

You work directly with Kenny, the founder. No account managers, no handoffs to a junior associate. The same person who builds your strategy runs your campaigns and sends your reports.

How long does SEO take for a roofing company in NJ?

Most roofing clients in NJ see measurable ranking movement within 60 to 90 days. Page 1 positions for competitive terms like "roofing contractor [county] NJ" typically take 90 to 120 days. Google Ads for contractors run in parallel during that window to keep calls coming while the organic work builds.

What is local SEO and why does it matter for contractors?

Local SEO puts you in front of people searching for what you do — the map pack, organic results, searches like "roofer near me" or "HVAC contractor Edison NJ." 97% of homeowners use Google to find local contractorsSource: BrightLocal. That means calls without paying per click.

How do I know if my SEO is working?

Phone calls and form submissions from organic search. Google Search Console shows impressions and clicks, but the real measure is call volume from non-paid sources. Reports include call tracking data, not just screenshots of rankings.

What is the difference between SEO and Google Ads?

Most contractors who get consistent results run both — Google Ads for contractors for immediate calls, SEO for home service contractors for compounding lead volume over time.

Can SEO replace Angi or HomeAdvisor leads?

Yes, and typically at a lower cost per lead. The FTC fined HomeAdvisor $7.2 million in January 2023 for deceptive lead practicesSource: FTC.gov. Most contractors pay $40 to $120 per shared leadSource: FTC.gov — the same lead sold to 3 to 5 competitors. SEO generates exclusive calls from people already searching for your specific trade in your market.

How quickly can Google Ads generate calls?

Most campaigns produce inbound calls within 7 to 10 days. Week one is typically lighter as the campaign learns, but call volume stabilizes by week three. Emergency searches — roofing after a storm, HVAC on a 95-degree day — convert fast when the ad copy and landing page are built for that intent.

How much should a contractor spend on Google Ads in NJ?

Starting budget depends on the trade and target county. Roofing in Middlesex or Bergen County typically requires $1,500 to $3,000 per month in ad spend to generate consistent leads. HVAC runs slightly lower. Budgets below $1,000 per month in competitive NJ markets rarely produce meaningful call volume.

What is a good cost per lead for a roofing company?

Well-managed roofing campaigns in NJ run $40 to $80 per lead. Poorly structured campaigns — wrong keywords, weak landing pages, no negative keyword lists — often push that to $150 or more. Setup quality matters more than spend level.

What is the difference between Google Ads and Local Services Ads?

Both generate inbound calls. The right mix depends on your trade, county, and how quickly you need leads.

What is Google Business Profile optimization?

Your Google Business Profile is what shows in Google Maps and the map pack when someone searches for your trade nearby. Optimizing it means accurate fields, a consistent review strategy, regular posts, and categories that match how customers search. For most contractors, it's the highest-ROI move in local search.

Why isn't my business showing up in Google Maps?

The most common reasons: incomplete profile, wrong primary category, low review count relative to competitors, or no recent activity. Distance from the searcher also matters — a roofer in Woodbridge will struggle to rank in Hackensack for "roofer near me." A GBP audit usually surfaces the issue in under 20 minutes.

How many Google reviews does a contractor need to rank?

There's no fixed number, but competitive NJ markets typically require 15 to 30 reviews minimum to appear in the top 3 of the map pack. Quality matters: 25 detailed, specific reviews outperform 60 generic five-star ratings. Review velocity — getting new reviews consistently — signals active business to Google.

What happens after I sign up?

Week one: full audit — rankings, GBP status, Google Ads history, competitor gaps by county. Week two: written 90-day plan. Week three: campaigns go live. Monthly from there: call tracking data, ranking movement, and what's next.

How do you measure results?

Calls, form submissions, and booked jobs. Call tracking starts on day one. Monthly reports cover call volume by channel, cost per lead if running ads, and keyword ranking movement. Traffic is tracked too — but the headline number is always calls.

How much does it cost?

SEO starts at $1,000 per month. Google Ads management starts at $700 per month plus your ad spend paid directly to Google — no markup on what you spend with Google. Most clients run both. Exact pricing depends on scope and competitive market. Get a free audit to see what the numbers look like for your market before committing to anything.

What if I already have a website?

Most clients do. If the site is technically sound — fast, mobile-friendly, properly indexed — the SEO work builds on it. If it has issues blocking results (slow load times, no SSL, poor mobile experience), those get flagged in the free audit with a clear fix list.

What if I don't have a website?

A website is needed before running SEO or Google Ads effectively. A basic contractor site optimized for lead generation can be built before campaigns start. That's a separate conversation from the marketing retainer — bring it up during the audit.