Q&A Session: Boosting Your Business with SEO, Google Ads, and B2B Relationships

We’re diving into a Q&A session where business owners submitted questions about marketing and growing their businesses. We are answering three excellent questions about SEO, Google Ads, and lead generation through B2B relationships.

Let’s jump right in!

1. How Do I Know if My SEO is Working?

Our first question comes from a business owner who runs a multi-figure company. He asked, “My digital marketing company says they do SEO, but how do I know if it’s working?”

SEO can sometimes feel like black magic – you’re trusting someone to improve your rankings, but how do you know if you’re getting results? Here’s what I recommend you ask your SEO company: How are you going to track and benchmark your performance over the next 3-6 months?

If they can’t answer that, you’ve got a problem. You can’t manage what you can’t measure, and if they aren’t providing a way to track progress, it’s time to be concerned.

At our company, we use tools like BrightLocal, Ahrefs, or SEMrush. These platforms allow you to track specific keywords (e.g., “fire damage restoration in Fairfax”) across different search types, such as desktop, mobile, and local rankings. You can see where you started and track your improvement over time.

For example, one of our clients went from 18 keywords in position 1 to 57 over a period of a few months. It’s essential to have this visibility so you can monitor whether your SEO is actually driving results or if something else is affecting your business.

DIY SEO Tracking Tools

Even if you’re doing SEO on your own, here are two quick ways to track your performance:

1. Detailed Plugin: A free plugin that lets you view your title tag, meta description, and H1 tags on each page of your site. Ensure they include your target service and geographical area.
2. Google Search: Use the search command site:yourwebsite.com to view your indexed pages. Check the title tags and meta descriptions for accuracy.

If your SEO company isn’t doing these basics, it might be time to reassess.

2. How Much Should I Spend on Google Ads?

The second question comes from a company that specializes in duct cleaning and mold remediation. They asked, “How much should we spend on Google Ads monthly?”

This is a common question, and here’s the formula we recommend:

Your marketing budget should be 3-10% of your annual revenue. So, if you’re doing $1 million in revenue, you should be spending between $30,000 and $100,000 on marketing annually. From there, allocate around 10-20% of that budget to Google Ads.

For example, if your marketing budget is $50,000 for the year, you might spend $10,000 on Google Ads and the rest on other channels like SEO or social media.

Google Local Service Ads

An excellent way to estimate your Google Ads spend is by checking Google Local Service Ads. On their landing page, you can see the average cost per lead in your area. Let’s say it’s $50 per lead, and you have a budget of $1,000. You could expect around 20 leads from that budget.

But that’s only half the equation. The real key is tracking your return on ad spend (ROAS). You need to know if your $1,000 is making you $10,000 or if it’s a wash. Tracking your ROAS helps you determine if you should increase your budget or adjust your strategy.

3. What’s the Best Lead Channel Most People Don’t Talk About?

Our third question came from a podcast I was featured on, where we discussed lesser-known but highly effective lead channels. My answer? B2B (Business-to-Business) Relationships.

While many companies focus on SEO and Google Ads to drive leads, B2B relationships can often be a quicker and more cost-effective way to grow. Instead of fighting for leads through ads and SEO, you can build referral partnerships with complementary businesses. These could be HVAC contractors, electricians, roofers, or lawn care companies, depending on your industry.

Referrals are easier to close, and the best part is you don’t need to spend a fortune on ads. You could offer a referral fee for every lead or closed deal, creating a win-win situation for both parties. I know businesses that built multi-million-dollar operations entirely on referrals and B2B relationships – no ads required.

Boost Your Business with SEO, Google Ads, and B2B Relationships

These questions highlight the importance of tracking your marketing efforts, spending wisely on Google Ads, and leveraging B2B relationships for growth. Whether you’re just starting or already scaling your business, having a clear strategy and actionable steps will set you up for success!