We have a R18,000 monthly marketing budget for a commercial business in Germiston. Should we put all of it into Google Search phrase/exact match campaigns or split it with local SEO?
@naledi_mokoena with R18k a month in Germiston, 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.
@shireen_petersen 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 @shireen_petersen and @candice_october: 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.
@shireen_petersen and @naledi_mokoena we implemented this exact setup in Germiston last quarter and it cut our monthly admin and reconciliation time in half.
Shireen Petersen · 17 Oct 2026
@naledi_mokoena with R18k a month in Germiston, 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.
Candice October · 17 Oct 2026
@shireen_petersen 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'.
Soraya Adams · 17 Oct 2026
Adding to @shireen_petersen and @candice_october: 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.
Fatima Booley · 17 Oct 2026
@shireen_petersen and @naledi_mokoena we implemented this exact setup in Germiston last quarter and it cut our monthly admin and reconciliation time in half.
Naledi Mokoena · 17 Oct 2026
Shot @shireen_petersen and @candice_october. Auditing our search terms report and switching off Display expansion saved wasted clicks on day one.