Google Ads leads typically cost more per click but can generate inquiries very quickly because they capture homeowners actively searching for help.
Typical range:
$35 – $120 per lead depending on market competition.
Best for immediate demand and emergency work.
SEO leads take longer to build but often become the lowest-cost source over time.
Once rankings improve, leads arrive without paying for every click.
Typical range over time:
$15 – $60 per lead depending on traffic and conversion rate.
Leads from Google Maps often have strong conversion rates because homeowners trust local businesses with strong reviews.
Typical range:
$20 – $70 per lead depending on visibility and location.
Referrals technically cost little upfront but depend heavily on past clients and existing relationships.
Typical range:
Highly variable and impossible to tie to actual dollar amounts, and difficult to scale consistently.
Many companies focus on cost per lead, but that number alone can be misleading.What actually matters is cost per booked job.
For example:
A $40 lead that never converts is expensive.
A $90 lead that turns into a $2,000 removal job is extremely profitable.
Tree companies often evaluate marketing by asking:
• how many leads become estimates
• how many estimates turn into jobs
• what the average job value is
• how quickly the crew schedule fills
When those numbers are tracked properly, the real return on marketing becomes much clearer.
A tree removal company in California wanted to understand whether lead generation campaigns could produce profitable jobs.
After launching their first campaign:
‣ 32 qualified leads generated
‣ 19 estimates scheduled
‣ 10 jobs closed
Average job value: $1,620
Revenue generated: $16,200
