PPC vs SEO for Limo Operators

Here’s a question for your limo company: should you do Pay Per Click (PPC) or Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

First, let’s define our terms.

By PPC we mean paid search ads or even Facebook ads. Whenever you pay per click, that’s the paid ad strategy this refers to. You have to pay Google to show up above relevant search results. Anytime someone clicks on your ad, you pay Google or Microsoft more money. That’s PPC.

By SEO, those are two different parts of a search results page. You typically have ads and map pack. Those are the paid ways you show up after a search. You can also rank organically, which means that you didn’t pay but just have a website that is optimized to show up in search.

The question for your business is: should you do one or both? Is one better than another? 

Benefits vs Drawbacks of PPC and SEO Advertising

There are some global benefits and drawbacks to both PPC and SEO advertising. Understanding these is fundamental to making the right investment for your limo business.

PPC for Limo Marketing

Benefits:

• Instant lead generation
• Cash flow
• You can quickly tell if an agency knows what they’re talking about
• Results within one month
• Best for budgets of $500-$1,000 (if your budget is $1,500+, you may want to hire an agency or expert)

Note: while PPC has many benefits, it is NOT recommended to have Google build it for you. This will be offered as a service. Generally, though, you have a better understanding than the average Google rep about your own industry.

For ideas on how to build a Google Ads campaign, click here.

Drawbacks:

• Expensive
• Relies on client lifetime value
• Cost per lead only goes so low

SEO in Limo Marketing

Benefits:

• Cost per lead can be very low*
• Lower client acquisition cost
• Investing in an appreciating asset
• Spend remains the same while lead count increases

Remember, everything in your business (vehicles and other assets) are depreciating. Your website is your only asset that appreciates over time. 

*In order for this to be true, you need to hire the right SEO company. Unless you’re in a tiny market, you’ll probably spend $1,500-$2,000/month. That’s a pretty standard number but companies who charge that much get results.

Drawbacks:

• Expensive
• It could take months or even years to get to the first page
• Low lead count at first
• Mis-hires (poor agency) can be costly both financially and in terms of time and opportunity

This really comes down to where you are in your business. Let’s review two scenarios to learn what kind of investment you need to make.

SCENARIO ONE for Limo Operator Marketing

In this scenario, the limo operator is making decisions for their marketing based on this business:

Revenue:	$100,000 a year
How long in business:	One year

If we were brought on as marketing consultants for this client, here are the questions we would ask:

• Is this your only gig? (While you’re bringing in $100k, you’re not making $100k.)
• Do you have extra funds?

Bottom line: for new operators or limo businesses that don’t have a lot of budget, do PPC. 

Here’s why:

1. If you hire an agency, you can tell right away whether or not they are competent.
2. You can start making money right away.

However, as soon as you can afford it, you should do SEO. In the long-run, SEO is superior. The cost per lead can eventually get very low. With PPC, you’re spending money every month and getting leads but not building an asset. Both have their place.

SCENARIO TWO for Limo Operator Marketing

In this scenario, the limo operator is making decisions for their marketing based on this business:

Revenue:	$100,000,000 a year
How long in business:	Ten years

For larger operators, you have the room in your budget to invest more heavily in marketing. What does this mean? It means that you don’t have to choose between improving your organic search and paying for ads. You can do both. 

Bottom line: for a large company with a large budget, you need to do both PPC and SEO.

I have a client in Nashville (the largest stretch limo operator in Nashville) whose business has skyrocketed from PPC alone. He just called me the other day and realized that he’s ready to do SEO. He recognizes how crucial it is to invest in this appreciable asset.

Go here to watch that interview and get insight into how the most successful limo operators in the business make marketing decisions.

Now let’s take a deeper dive into the strategies behind both of these methods for limousine companies.

PPC for Limo Companies

Limo Marketer does PPC strategies for numerous limo companies. Our online campaigns can generate bookings from day one. Here are some basic ideas that we utilize in our highly effective PPC campaigns.

1. Airport campaigns are a useful tool for limo companies. When your company does airport transportation, this is a powerful area for PPC marketing. Campaigns that center around your airport services should target big and small airports near you. Keyword utilization is a core tactic in this strategy. You will want to use both positive and negative keywords as you build an ad campaign around your airport transport.
2. Keyword-rich campaigns are vital to reaching the right audience. PPC campaigns have to be thoughtfully created and managed to deliver your ads to the right people. This is because you’re paying for every click. The fewer tire-kickers and the more real, ready-to-buy customers you get, the better ROI you have. It’s important that this technique isn’t just a generic “limo service” campaign. You understand the limo industry. You know that there is nuance to corporate limo services or car services and chauffeurs. You’ll want to set up your ad campaign accordingly.
3. Geographic keyword targets and exclusions are crucial. This is because people use car services when they travel. PPC ads can target user location. However, many people searching may be looking for transport service in a different city. Leveraging keywords effectively means a thoughtful strategy around which towns you do and don’t specify for your ad delivery.

Sound technical? It is. You can set this up for yourself if you have a limited budget. There are numerous online resources that can get you in the know. If you are further along and have the budget to hire an agency, Limo Marketer is here to help. Contact us to learn more.

For a thorough illustration of how we build PPC campaigns for limo operators, click here and download the FREE case study. This will show you how we took a client in Boston and blew up his business 10x over in just six months using the right strategies for PPC and online marketing.

SEO for Limo Companies

SEO strategies are an integral part of any internet marketing program. SEO is the long-term investment that gets your website to rank for organic search. The longevity of this investment can’t be overstated. As your website improves, the cost of each new client decreases. In every way, SEO credentials and establishes you as an active and trustworthy presence in the industry.

There are a few strategies that are tailor-made for a limo company. At Limo Marketer, we work with one company in each market. This allows us to indiscriminately commit to making you the standout brand in your city. It also enables the layers of SEO support that we offer. These include:

1. Local map optimization. This is an important service for your geographically-oriented business. Whether you have a single location or multiple locations, each of those locations is anchored in a city or town. The way you optimize your website and map listing can transform your organic search rank. Most users search with their location revealed to Google. This means that Google serves them information relevant to their location. This also means that your positioning as a brand in a certain place is essential to getting new customers.
2. SEO and keyword optimization. Your website is the front door. It is what will show up most often in a Google search. It will show up more often and higher on the page if you invest in SEO. SEO services integrate keywords into your website copy. But it’s more than the words a consumer can read. SEO also relates to the way links are configured on your website, what other websites you are linked to or from, and technical pieces like snippets, slugs and meta descriptions. Refining all of that in a cohesive strategy is the only way you are going to have long-term, high-ranking SEO success.

Hire an SEO or PPC Company

Hiring the right SEO or PPC company is important for your long-term success. If you can’t make the investment of hiring a consultant, you can learn how to do it yourself. As you grow in profitability, you will want to spend the money on more marketing. Your business can only benefit from growing your online presence. Want to learn more? Subscribe to the Limo Marketer YouTube channel for regular training, tips and ideas about how to grow your limo business.

Want to watch an overview of this content? Here it is!