01
Ads-first if
You need leads in 30 days. SEO is 3–6 months minimum. Ads buy you signal while SEO compounds.
Comparisons
Local SEO vs Google Ads — which first?
Most contractors should run both, but in a specific order. SEO compounds for free over years. Ads buy you data and leads today. Here's the timing math.
02
SEO-first if
You can wait 90 days for the engine to start. Total cost over 24 months is dramatically lower.
03
Both if
You can afford it. Ads + LSAs for short-term cash flow, SEO for long-term compounding. The Heist Plant Your Flag baseline.
Timing math
SEO at $1,500/mo for 12 months: $18K total, with leads starting around month 3 and compounding through month 24. Google Ads at $2,500/mo (spend + management) for 12 months: $30K total, leads start week 1, stops the day you stop paying.
The honest answer
If cash flow is tight: ads for 6 months while SEO catches up, then dial ads back. If you have a runway: SEO from day one, ads as a velocity layer. We build for both at Heist.
The Heist Way
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