We have a R18,000 monthly marketing budget for a courier, freight business in Stellenbosch. Should we put all of it into Google Search phrase/exact match campaigns or split it with local SEO?
@sbu_ngcobo with R18k a month in Stellenbosch, put 70% into tightly geo-fenced Google Search Ads targeting high-intent buyer keywords with a strong negative keyword list (blocking 'jobs', 'courses', 'DIY', 'free', 'learnership'), and put 30% into building out your Google Business Profile, local citations and service case-study pages so your organic leads compound over 6 months.
@buhle_khumalo is spot on about the negative keyword list! Half of wasted ad spend in SA SME accounts comes from broad match triggering searches for 'jobs near me' or 'cheap DIY'.
Adding to @buhle_khumalo and @zanele_sithole: track actual phone calls and WhatsApp clicks as primary conversions using server-side tagging, and turn off Google Display Network expansion on Search campaigns immediately.
@buhle_khumalo and @sbu_ngcobo we implemented this exact setup in Stellenbosch last quarter and it cut our monthly admin and reconciliation time in half.
Buhle Khumalo · 03 Oct 2026
@sbu_ngcobo with R18k a month in Stellenbosch, put 70% into tightly geo-fenced Google Search Ads targeting high-intent buyer keywords with a strong negative keyword list (blocking 'jobs', 'courses', 'DIY', 'free', 'learnership'), and put 30% into building out your Google Business Profile, local citations and service case-study pages so your organic leads compound over 6 months.
Zanele Sithole · 03 Oct 2026
@buhle_khumalo is spot on about the negative keyword list! Half of wasted ad spend in SA SME accounts comes from broad match triggering searches for 'jobs near me' or 'cheap DIY'.
Lerato Mahlangu · 03 Oct 2026
Adding to @buhle_khumalo and @zanele_sithole: track actual phone calls and WhatsApp clicks as primary conversions using server-side tagging, and turn off Google Display Network expansion on Search campaigns immediately.
Ayanda Mthembu · 03 Oct 2026
@buhle_khumalo and @sbu_ngcobo we implemented this exact setup in Stellenbosch last quarter and it cut our monthly admin and reconciliation time in half.
Sibusiso Ngcobo · 03 Oct 2026
Shot @buhle_khumalo and @zanele_sithole. Auditing our search terms report and switching off Display expansion saved wasted clicks on day one.