Kerrigan Roofing

Prepared for March 2026

Kerrigan
Roofing

Design / SEO / AEO Digital Visibility Audit

A confidential assessment of how your website performs on design, technical health, search visibility, and AI engine recommendation — and the changes required to convert credentials into leads.

3.8

AI Visibility Score
Dayton/Columbus Market
Category Avg: 5.1

4

Critical Gaps
Schema · Speed · Content
Architecture · AEO

479

Reviews @ 4.7★
Underutilized in AI
Indexing

AEO Audit SEO Audit Design Audit Technical Audit

March 2026 — 2

Executive_Summary // Three Key Findings

You have the credentials. AI doesn't know it.

Kerrigan holds a GAF Master Elite® designation — a credential only 2% of contractors in North America achieve. Combined with 479 verified reviews at 4.7 stars and an A+ BBB rating, the trust infrastructure is real. The problem is structural: none of it is properly encoded for the systems that now mediate 60–90% of roofing purchase decisions.

Finding_01 // Critical

AI Engines Cannot Confidently Recommend This Business

The Organization schema has an empty sameAs array — meaning ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude have no cross-reference anchors to confirm this business's identity, location, or credentials. Without those links, AI systems default to competitors who have connected their digital footprint.

Finding_02 // Critical

3.9-Second Load Time is Costing Leads Every Day

The homepage loads in 3.9 seconds. Google's Core Web Vital threshold is 2.5 seconds; every 1-second delay reduces conversions by 7%. With 70%+ of roofing leads arriving via mobile, this is an active revenue drain with a direct fix available.

Finding_03 // High Risk

The Design Language Telegraphs "Generic Contractor"

The current site uses a visual template shared — aesthetically if not literally — by dozens of roofing companies in the same market. When a homeowner compares three contractors in browser tabs, nothing in the Kerrigan site creates a memory. The premium credentials demand a premium visual presence.

March 2026 — 3

AEO_Score // Pre-Reading

3.8 / 10

AI Visibility Index
Neural Diagnostic — Local Service Category
Market Avg: 5.1 // Category Leader: 7.4

System_Verdict

"Strong offline credentials with near-zero AI discoverability. The gap between what this business has earned and what AI systems report about it is the single largest revenue opportunity available."

What AI Systems Currently Say About Kerrigan Roofing

"Kerrigan Roofing and Restoration is a roofing contractor serving Dayton and Columbus, Ohio, offering residential and commercial roofing, siding, and gutters. They hold a GAF Master Elite certification."

Source: Composite Synthesis — ChatGPT-4o · Perplexity AI · Gemini 1.5 · Claude · Grok
Query: "Best roofing contractor Dayton Ohio"

"For roofing in Dayton, I'd recommend checking Google Maps reviews — top-rated options in the area include [competitor names]. Make sure they're licensed and have experience with insurance claims."

Source: Composite Synthesis — same query set
Query: "Who should I call for roof replacement in Columbus OH?"

Gap Score

6.2 / 10

Maximum Gap = 10.0
Critical Threshold: 4.0

A gap score of 6.2 indicates severe misalignment. What Kerrigan earns in the real world — elite certifications, consistent 5-star reviews, 10+ years of market presence — is not what AI systems surface in response to buying-intent queries. Competitors with weaker actual credentials but stronger structured data are winning the AI recommendation layer.

Key Finding

You have the proof.
The algorithm
has a different story.

"For a local roofing company, I'd look at customer reviews on Google Maps and verify their licensing. Companies like [local generic results] tend to show up frequently in this area."

Source: ChatGPT-4o // Perplexity AI // Gemini 1.5
Query: "Who is the best roofer near me in Dayton Ohio?"

March 2026 — 4

AEO_Detail // AI Engine Optimization

The Four AEO Gaps

Every gap below is a query where a competitor wins the AI recommendation instead of Kerrigan.

AEO_Gap_01 // Critical — Schema Identity

Empty sameAs Array — Zero Identity Anchors

The Organization schema block exists but has sameAs: []. This is the mechanism AI systems use to cross-reference a business across Google, Yelp, BBB, Facebook, and industry directories. Without it, AI has low confidence in attributing specific claims (like GAF Master Elite status) to this business entity.

Fix: Populate sameAs with confirmed profile URLs: Google Business Profile, Yelp, BBB, Facebook, GAF Certified page, Angi listing. This single fix has an outsized impact on AI confidence scoring.

AEO_Gap_02 // Critical — FAQ Structure

No Question-Based Content Architecture

AI engines answer questions. The current content is written as advertising copy rather than structured Q&A that AI can extract and serve as answers. When someone asks "how long does a roof replacement take in Dayton" or "does insurance cover hail damage," AI engines bypass this site entirely.

Fix: Add FAQ schema blocks to each service page. Rewrite key body sections to begin with answerable questions. The storm damage page in particular should be a comprehensive Q&A resource — this is the highest-intent query cluster in this market.

AEO_Gap_03 // Critical — NAP Inconsistency

Dynamic Phone Tracking Creates Conflicting Business Data

The site displays different phone numbers as you scroll — a call tracking implementation. AI engines and Google's local index require consistent Name, Address, Phone (NAP) across the site and all directories. Conflicting data reduces confidence and suppresses local pack rankings.

Fix: Route all call tracking through a single canonical number per market that matches the Google Business Profile and schema markup. The tracking script should not change visible phone numbers on-page.

AEO_Gap_04 // High Risk — E-E-A-T Signals

Credentials Exist, E-E-A-T Signals Are Thin

Google's E-E-A-T framework directly feeds what AI systems surface. Kerrigan has strong real-world E-E-A-T: GAF Master Elite, A+ BBB, 479 reviews, 10+ years in business. But the site lacks team bios, detailed case studies, or authored content that demonstrates expertise.

Fix: Add team bios with credentials. Create a project gallery with location-tagged photos and job descriptions. Write one detailed "how we handle insurance claims" article — this query cluster has massive AI recommendation opportunity.

March 2026 — 5

SEO_Audit // Technical + On-Page

Overall SEO Score

5.8/10

Foundations exist. Schema errors and content architecture are limiting the ceiling.

Page Speed (Measured)

3.9 sec

Target: under 2.5s. Every second over costs approximately 7% in conversion rate.

Schema Blocks Present

4

WebSite (×2, duplicate), Organization, LocalBusiness, Product — all with errors.

Review Signal Strength

4.7★

479 reviews. Aggregate rating is schema'd. Individual review markup absent.

SEO_Strength_01

H1 and Title Tag Hierarchy is Correct

The H1 ("Quality Residential and Commercial Roofing Company Serving Dayton & Columbus, OH") is keyword-rich and location-specific. Title tag includes the brand name and both cities. Meta description references the GAF credential. Preserve these in any redesign.

SEO_Strength_02

Site Architecture and Canonicalization is Clean

Canonical tag properly set. Viewport meta present. All 9 images have alt text. Site navigation covers all major service categories with logical URL structure. These fundamentals are intact.

SEO_Issue_01 // Schema Errors

Duplicate WebSite Schema + Broken SearchAction Target

Two WebSite schema blocks on the homepage. One has a malformed SearchAction target that concatenates two URLs — this throws a validation error and may reduce Google's confidence in the entire schema document. The LocalBusiness block also has an empty @id, which invalidates the entity reference.

SEO_Issue_02 // Content Quality

Bold Keyword Abuse Reads as Spam to Modern Crawlers

The homepage bolds nearly every third phrase. This pattern was an SEO tactic circa 2015. Modern Google and AI systems penalize keyword stuffing indicators. The paragraph reads as low-quality, machine-generated content — which undermines the credibility Kerrigan is trying to establish.

March 2026 — 6

Design_Audit // Visual Identity + UX

The site is functional. It is not differentiated.

In a market where homeowners open three to five contractor sites in browser tabs before calling, visual first impression determines who gets the call.

The Mirror // Current State vs. Opportunity

What the Site Says

"Certified contractor. Good reviews. Green logo. We're probably fine."

Source: Visual impression analysis
Benchmark: 50+ Ohio roofing sites reviewed

What It Should Signal

"This is the roofer that 10,000 Ohio homeowners trusted. There is no question here."

Target: Category-defining confidence
Reference: GAF Master Elite brand positioning

Design_Issue_01

Logo Undermines Premium Credentials

The clip-art house icon and condensed stacked wordmark reads as a mid-2000s local contractor. GAF Master Elite is a premium, nationally recognized certification. The logo should reflect that earned authority immediately.

Design_Issue_02

Hero Section — Form Competes With Value Proposition

The hero loads a full appointment form directly in the viewport alongside the headline. This is high-friction for a homeowner in early research mode. The value proposition should lead; the form should follow after trust is established — even if just by one scroll.

Design_Issue_03

Typography Has No Personality

Generic bold sans-serif with no differentiation from competitors. A single well-chosen display serif can shift the perceived authority of the entire site without touching the code structure. High-ROI fix.

Design_Strength_01

Photography Assets are Strong

The aerial drone photography of completed projects is genuinely good. These assets should be featured more prominently — a full-bleed project gallery or before/after showcase would convert better than the current service card layout.

March 2026 — 7

Opportunity_Matrix // Priority Ranking

Eight Moves. One is Worth 10× the Others.

Ranked by impact-to-effort ratio. Address in sequence for compounding effect.

#	Action	Priority	Effort
01	Populate `sameAs` in Organization schema with all verified directory profiles	Critical	30 min
02	Fix LocalBusiness @id, remove duplicate WebSite schema, repair SearchAction	Critical	1 hr
03	Resolve NAP inconsistency from dynamic phone tracking — set canonical numbers per market	Critical	Half day
04	Add FAQ schema to homepage, Storm Damage, and Residential Roofing pages with question-based headings	Critical	1–2 days
05	Image optimization and lazy loading — target sub-2.5s load time on mobile	High	1 day
06	Rewrite homepage body copy — remove bold keyword stuffing, add E-E-A-T narrative	High	Half day
07	Add team bios + GAF Master Elite credential schema to About page	High	1 day
08	Visual redesign — typography, logo, hero layout to match credential tier	Growth	3–4 wks

The 10× Move

Items
01–04

Schema + AEO fixes
Combined est. effort:
2 days

Items 01–04 are pure schema and content structure changes — no design work, no development sprint required. A weekend of focused work that could double AI recommendation frequency within 60–90 days. The design overhaul matters, but it should follow the structural fixes, not lead them.

March 2026 — 8

Recommendations // Sequenced Action Plan

Three phases. Ninety days to category leadership.

01

Phase 1 — Fix the Structural Gaps (Week 1–2)

Schema surgery first: populate sameAs, fix LocalBusiness @id, remove duplicate WebSite block, repair the broken SearchAction. Add FAQ schema to the three highest-traffic pages. Resolve the NAP phone number inconsistency. These are technical corrections — they require a developer or a WordPress plugin update and should not wait. Each day they remain broken is another day AI systems deprioritize this business.

02

Phase 2 — Content Architecture + Speed (Week 3–6)

Rewrite the homepage body and Storm Damage page with question-based headings and genuine expertise prose — no keyword stuffing. Add team bios with credentials. Create a project gallery with location-tagged job descriptions. Implement image optimization and lazy loading to hit sub-2.5s mobile load time. Each page that answers a specific question becomes an AI-extractable resource.

03

Phase 3 — Visual Redesign to Match the Credential Tier (Week 7–12)

With structural fixes in place and traffic growing, redesign the visual identity to match what Kerrigan has earned. A refined logo system, editorial typography, a hero that leads with trust signals before asking for the appointment, and a project showcase built on the existing drone photography. The redesign should be built on the schema improvements so every new page inherits the corrected structured data automatically.

+

Ongoing — AI Monitoring + Review Velocity

Set up quarterly AI query testing: run 10–15 buying-intent queries across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini and document how Kerrigan is described and ranked. Target 8–10 new reviews per month. Each review is a data point that reinforces the AI recommendation loop.

The Opportunity

GAF Master Elite.
479 reviews.
A+ BBB.
None of it is working
for you at 2 AM.

That's when homeowners discover roof damage after a storm. They ask their phone, or ChatGPT, or Google. Right now, the answer they get is not confidently "Kerrigan." With 2–3 days of structural work, it could be.

Lee Salisbury

Harrison Croft

Select current and previous clients