Ads bring customers this week. SEO brings them for years. The best plan uses both, but the order depends on your cash and how competitive your area is.
What each one does best
Google Ads gives you immediate calls and full control over which searches you show for. Local SEO and your Business Profile build free traffic that grows over time.
- Ads: fast, measurable, stops when you stop paying
- Local SEO: slower, compounding, lower cost per lead later
- Profile: the cheapest way to win map-pack calls
A simple budget split
If you need leads now, start with 70% on ads and 30% on profile and website fixes. As rankings improve, move budget from ads toward SEO.
- Month 1-3: mostly ads plus profile fixes
- Month 4-6: add content and links
- Month 7+: lower ad spend on terms you already rank for
How to know it works
Track calls, form fills and booked jobs by source. Compare cost per lead across ads, map pack and organic every month and shift budget to the cheapest source.
- Call tracking by source
- A single monthly report
- Honest forecasts for each channel
Want this done for you?We run a free audit of your Google Ads and Business Profile and send you the top fixes. Get your free audit →