Pieces Don’t Make a Machine: Why Your Google Ads Aren’t Working 

There’s no better one-two punch in digital marketing than syncing your search engine marketing (SEM) efforts with search engine optimization (SEO).

There are more than seven million advertisers using Google Ads. And while you may think you have other advertising options, keep in mind that Google accounts for 62% of all search queries in the U.S.

Online advertising is getting more expensive each year. When everyone is playing in the same sandbox, it can get a little crowded—and start to cost. Your success using pay-per-click alone is only going to get harder as keyword auction bids go higher. Fortunately, there are other ways to improve your marketing efforts that go beyond a paid-only strategy.  

There’s no better one-two punch in digital marketing than syncing your search engine marketing (SEM) efforts with search engine optimization (SEO). At Socius (and more broadly across specific industries), clients who have both SEM and SEO working together have better click-through rates (CTR) than those who don’t.  

It’s been our experience that when clients employ an SEM-only strategy, they see a CTR that hovers in the low single digits. When those same clients couple SEM with SEO, we see somewhere around 60% higher CTRs—almost 3 full points. That can translate to a lot of added revenue.  

Granted, there are factors like budget size and vertical to take into account (results don’t always translate one-on-one) but you can’t deny the difference in these results. Even if you got a fraction of the improvement we’ve seen with our clients, you’d still be heads and tails above your competition.  

At the very least, coupling SEM with SEO is a conversation worth having with your agency—and an experiment worth trying.

Reborn Cabinets—a Premier Cabinet and Renovation Company—Increased Their Web Traffic by 90%

Reborn Cabinets had a digital marketing partner whose efforts weren’t delivering results for them. Reborn wanted to launch Google Ads, which they felt were essential for success in their vertical, but they felt their existing agency didn’t have the right industry experience to launch these efforts.  

In initial conversations with new vendors, it was clear to Reborn Cabinets leadership that Socius was a leader in the Google Ad space. Their knowledge of targeting and increasing SERP (search engine results page) rankings impressed them. Socius also gave them full control of their website property, something the existing agency did not.  

Socius Marketing stepped in and began managing all of Reborn’s digital marketing initiatives, including the launch of Google Ads. With an updated modern website, continued optimization, and the right combination of Google Ads, SEO, and social media marketing, Reborn Cabinets experienced substantial growth in traffic and conversions.  

Site Traffic Doubles and Conversions Reach 3,000 Monthly 

Socius leveraged a variety of marketing strategies and tactics for Reborn. As a result, the website traffic increased. That led to more opportunities for conversions.  

Through a marketing mix of Google Ads, SEO, and social media ads, Reborn Cabinets realized digital marketing success. The website traffic is nearly double what it was prior to Socius’s involvement, increasing by 90% since 2012. The website conversions also continue to grow year-over-year, averaging about 3,000 per month. Reborn Cabinets defines its success with Socius around results, performance, and ROAS (return on ad spend).  

“Socius never tried to own our website. They always were just there to help us manage our website. For us, that was a key thing because the previous company we worked with owned it, and if you left, they kept all of the gains from the website.”  

Marketing Director, Reborn Cabinets, Edna Lozano 

Tap into the Power of Combining SEO and SEM for Your Business

A methodical approach to your local digital marketing strategy—paired with proven tactics—is the key to local marketing success. It’s how home service business owners like you stand out in a crowded marketplace, optimize marketing spending, and, ultimately, grow.

Schedule a personalized consultation to learn how Socius Marketing can improve your local marketing strategy and help grow your home improvement business.

This post is an excerpt from our ebook “Don’t Stop at the Top: How to Create the Right Marketing Mix for Measurable ROI.” You can get your copy here.