How SEO and PPC Work Together for Maximum Results

By Jordan Evans

Read it to me! Click the video below.

 

In the competitive world of service area businesses—whether you’re a roofer, painter, or HVAC technician—visibility is everything. With so many options for customers to choose from, simply offering a great service isn’t usually enough. You need to ensure your business is found online by potential customers at the exact moment they need you. Want a winning combination to achieve this? SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and PPC (Pay-Per-Click) working hand-in-hand is a great way to get more leads.

But how do you effectively blend these two strategies, and why is this pairing essential for businesses in service fields like water damage restoration or electrical services? Let’s break it down.

The SEO Challenge: Great, but Slow

SEO is the marathon runner of the digital marketing world. It helps your business rank higher in organic search results, leading to consistent traffic over time. By optimizing your website for relevant keywords like “emergency water damage repair” or “local roof repair services,” you can attract high-intent customers.

The problem? SEO takes time. Building domain authority, securing backlinks, and improving content for search engines doesn’t happen overnight. Most service area businesses might not have the luxury of waiting six months to a year for SEO to really kick in.

That’s where PPC swoops in to save the day.

PPC: The Quick Fix with a Catch

PPC campaigns, like Google Ads, allow businesses to jump to the top of search results immediately. You bid on relevant keywords, and when someone searches for “emergency plumber near me,” your ad shows up right where they’re looking. The instant traffic is a game-changer, particularly for businesses that rely on immediate customer needs.

But here’s the catch: PPC isn’t free. In industries like roofing or water damage restoration, cost-per-clicks can range from $20 to $150, depending on the competition. This means that while PPC can generate leads fast, it can also become costly without proper management and a long-term organic strategy to balance things out.

The Power of Combining SEO and PPC

When you combine SEO and PPC, you get the best of both worlds. Imagine your business showing up in both the paid search results and the organic search listings for high-intent keywords like “emergency HVAC repair” or “commercial cleaning services.” It increases your brand visibility, builds trust, and ensures you're capturing leads at every stage of the customer journey.

Here’s why this combination works:

• Double the Visibility: Eventually, appearing in both organic and paid results reinforces your brand presence and credibility. Customers often view businesses that dominate search results as more reliable and trustworthy.
• Cost Efficiency Over Time: While PPC is great for immediate visibility, long-term SEO reduces your reliance on paid traffic. Over time, as your SEO efforts gain traction, you can scale back your PPC spending, allowing for a more sustainable digital marketing strategy.
• Keyword Insights: PPC data offers valuable insights into which keywords drive conversions. You can use this information to refine your SEO strategy, ensuring your content is optimized for high-value keywords.
• Targeting High-Intent Customers: PPC ads can target specific demographics, locations, and customer behaviors. Meanwhile, SEO focuses on capturing customers through organic search. Together, these strategies ensure you’re covering a wide range of potential customers, from those ready to buy to those doing initial research.

There Are More Than Two Options—Variety Helps

While SEO and PPC are a dynamic duo, they aren’t your only tools for landing jobs and growing your business.

Here are other effective ways to land more jobs:

• Local Service Ads (LSAs): These ads, designed specifically for local service providers, appear at the top of Google search results. They require verification through Google, which boosts your credibility and connects you with high-intent customers. LSAs also allow you to pay per lead, which can be more cost-effective than traditional PPC models depending on how many 5 star reviews you have.

• Database Reactivation: Don’t forget about the customers you’ve already served. By reactivating old leads or previous customers, you can generate repeat business. This is a powerful strategy for service businesses with strong customer satisfaction. Reaching out through email, SMS, or phone calls can bring in new jobs without the high acquisition costs of paid ads.

• Newsletters and Email Marketing: Regularly engaging with your customer base through email marketing keeps your business top of mind. Share helpful tips, promotions, or updates about your services to maintain a connection. Newsletters also help nurture leads who may not be ready to hire right away but could become future customers.

• Social Media and Google Business Profile Posts: Don’t underestimate the power of social media or your Google Business Profile. Posting regular updates, before-and-after project photos, and customer testimonials on your business profile and social media pages can boost local SEO and create trust with potential clients.

By incorporating these strategies alongside SEO and PPC, you create multiple touchpoints with potential customers, giving them more opportunities to find and choose your business. Testing different marketing channels also helps you hone in on what works best for your specific service area and customer base. This variety ensures you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket and can adapt to changes in the market or shifts in customer behavior.

Real-Life Example: From Invisible to Unmissable in Land O' Lakes, FL

One business that saw great success from combining SEO and PPC is Affordable Glass Protection Services Inc, a home window tinting business in Land O’ Lakes, FL. Owner Chris Bens was struggling to reach homeowners interested in energy efficiency and privacy, even though he knew his service had strong demand.

99 Calls started by enhancing Chris’s online presence with an organic SEO strategy. We optimized his website for local search terms like “home window tinting near me” and “window tinting installation,” improving the visibility of his business over time.

Once the SEO groundwork was laid, Chris decided to accelerate his business growth by adding Google Ads PPC to his strategy. The results were nothing short of impressive. Combining SEO and PPC helped Affordable Glass Protection Services average 41 leads per month, and in just eight months, inbound calls doubled. This dual strategy positioned Chris’s business as the go-to provider for window tinting in the area, significantly boosting his lead volume and online visibility.

Tips for Service Area Businesses to Combine SEO, PPC, and More

Want to start using this powerhouse combination for your business? Here are some actionable tips:

• Identify High-Intent Keywords: Start by researching which keywords are most likely to lead to conversions. Use PPC to test these keywords and then optimize your site for the top performers through SEO.
• Track Performance Across All Channels: Use tools like Google Analytics, Google Ads, and CRM software to track which keywords and strategies are performing best. Adjust your campaigns and tactics across SEO, PPC, LSAs, and email marketing based on the data.
• Focus on Local SEO: As a service area business, local SEO is crucial. Make sure your Google Business Profile is optimized, your website contains location-specific content, and you’re appearing in local map packs. PPC and LSAs can complement this by targeting specific geographic areas.
• Keep Testing: As you try different channels like database reactivation, newsletters, or social media, pay attention to what brings in the most jobs at the lowest cost. What works for a painter may differ from what works for an HVAC tech.

Conclusion: Don’t Choose—Combine

In the world of service area businesses, it’s not about choosing between SEO or PPC—it’s about how effectively you can combine them. With the right mix of long-term organic growth, immediate traffic boosts, and a variety of additional strategies, you’ll be in the best position to dominate your local market, secure more leads, and grow your business.