We have a R18,000 monthly marketing budget for a managed it, fibre business in Stellenbosch. Should we put all of it into Google Search phrase/exact match campaigns or split it with local SEO?
@capebuilder_za 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.
@debbie_katz_jhb 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 @debbie_katz_jhb and @hayley_fenwick: 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.
@debbie_katz_jhb and @capebuilder_za we implemented this exact setup in Stellenbosch last quarter and it cut our monthly admin and reconciliation time in half.
Debbie Katz · 04 Oct 2026
@capebuilder_za 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.
Hayley Fenwick · 04 Oct 2026
@debbie_katz_jhb 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'.
Jenna MacFarlane · 04 Oct 2026
Adding to @debbie_katz_jhb and @hayley_fenwick: 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.
Kerryn Ballantyne · 04 Oct 2026
@debbie_katz_jhb and @capebuilder_za we implemented this exact setup in Stellenbosch last quarter and it cut our monthly admin and reconciliation time in half.
CapeBuilder · 05 Oct 2026
Shot @debbie_katz_jhb and @hayley_fenwick. Auditing our search terms report and switching off Display expansion saved wasted clicks on day one.