Answers · PPC
How should a Colorado HVAC or plumbing company split its budget between Google Ads and SEO?
Updated October 17, 2026 · Honest answer from a Colorado agency that does this work daily.
Short answer
Most Colorado HVAC and plumbing companies do best putting ads behind emergency, same-day calls while SEO and Google Maps build cheaper long-term leads. A common starting split is 60% ads and 40% SEO in the first 3–6 months, shifting toward SEO as map and organic rankings climb. Our marketing plans run $950–$2,750/mo with ad spend paid separately to the ad platform.
- Ads deliver calls this week; SEO and Maps deliver lower-cost calls over months
- Emergency keywords (no heat, burst pipe) are the most expensive clicks
- Shift budget toward SEO once map rankings produce steady calls
- Track calls by source so you know what each dollar returns
Why not just one or the other
Ads alone get expensive in winter and summer peaks. SEO alone takes months to produce steady calls. Running both covers the gap while organic results grow.
How the split changes over time
Months 1–3: heavier on ads to keep the phone ringing. Months 4–9: as you climb the map results, reduce ad spend on keywords where you already rank. After that, ads usually cover only emergencies and peak season.
Follow-up questions
What does your HVAC marketing cost?
Starter $950/mo (Local SEO + Maps), Growth $1,650/mo (adds AI search and social), Expert $2,750/mo (adds ad management and reputation). Ad spend is separate.
Do I need a long contract?
No. We work month-to-month.
Want a real conversation about your situation?
Free audit. We'll walk through what's actually working for businesses like yours in Colorado — no sales pressure, no contracts.