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Case Study — Paid Ads & SEO

$96 back for every $1 spent on Google Ads.

GovCon had tried SEO and Google Ads before without results. Six months after 417 Marketing rebuilt their campaigns from scratch, they were generating exceptional ROI across both paid and organic channels.

Google Ads SEO Analytics Setup Conversion Tracking Link Building
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The Client
GovCon

20+ years of DCAA compliance expertise — with digital marketing that wasn’t keeping up.

Founded in 2004, GovCon boasts well over 20 years of experience, having worked with hundreds of clients to ensure DCAA compliance. Since opening their doors, they have expanded their service offering and continued developing an unmatched software solution in partnership with Intuit QuickBooks. GovCon offers the preferred government contracting software built specifically to manage DCAA accounting and compliance.

GovCon had tried SEO and Google Ads before but wasn’t pleased with the results they were getting. They specifically asked for help with SEO and Google Ads — coming to 417 Marketing with a clear mandate: fix what wasn’t working and build something that actually produces results.

Previous SEO and Google Ads had underperformed — they had tried both channels before and weren’t satisfied with the results they were getting

No effective Google Analytics system — without accurate data, there was no way to understand what was working or make informed decisions

No conversion tracking — leads were not being accurately tracked, making ROI measurement impossible

Poorly structured ad account — existing Google Ads campaigns lacked proper targeting, ad copy quality, and account structure

No SEO foundation — no technical optimization, link building strategy, or content plan in place to build organic authority

The Solution

Built the foundation first — then launched campaigns that actually converted.

01
Complete Analytics & Conversion Tracking Setup

After meeting with GovCon, the first priority was accurate data. We established a complete Google Analytics tracking system including spam filters and conversion and event tracking — so every lead could be attributed and every campaign decision would be data-driven.

02
Deep Business Discovery

We walked GovCon through a comprehensive questionnaire, taking the time to understand their business, the kinds of people they wished to target, and what a qualified lead actually looks like in the government contracting compliance space.

03
New Google Ads Account & Search Ads

Using insights from the discovery process, we developed a new Google Ads account from scratch, wrote new search ads, and adjusted targeting to reach the right audience — businesses needing DCAA compliance software and accounting services.

04
SEO — Technical, Link Building & Content

Implemented a full SEO plan based on technical optimization, link building, and content creation. We worked with GovCon to establish high-value blog topics relevant to their target audience of government contractors — building organic authority in a specialized market.

The Results

Immediate results from Google Ads. Fast SEO growth within six months.

$96.39

Per $1 spent on Google Ads

Estimated revenue generated for every $1 spent on Google Ads — six months into the campaign.

$77.71

Per $1 spent on SEO

Estimated revenue generated for every $1 spent on SEO — six months into the campaign.

164%

Increase in keywords

Increase in keywords for which the domain gov-con.com ranks in the top-100 results at google.com over the first six months of the campaign.

Google Ads Performance
  • $96.39 estimated revenue per $1 spent on Google Ads — six months in
  • Immediate results upon campaign launch — client saw improvements within the first six weeks
  • New account structure, ad copy, and targeting drove dramatically better performance than previous attempts
SEO Performance
  • $77.71 estimated revenue per $1 spent on SEO — six months in
  • Significant increase in keywords ranking in the top 100 results at Google.com over the first six months
  • SEO results arrived faster than the industry standard, aided by strong technical optimization and link building
Foundation Established
  • Complete Google Analytics system with spam filters and conversion tracking — for the first time
  • Every lead now accurately attributable to its source channel
  • Blog content strategy established to build long-term organic authority in the government contracting space

“417 Marketing is awesome! They have increased our leads and sales in just 6 weeks!”

Jennifer Scriven
GovCon
Project Conclusion

The right structure and the right data changes everything.

GovCon’s story is a common one — a business that had tried digital marketing before, been disappointed, and came to 417 Marketing looking for something different. The difference wasn’t spending more money. It was building the right foundation first: accurate tracking, a deep understanding of the audience, and campaigns built around real business goals.

Once those pieces were in place, the results came quickly. Google Ads produced immediate returns. SEO — a channel that typically takes 6–12 months to gain meaningful traction — delivered measurable ROI within six months. Both channels continue to compound as the campaign matures.

Complete Google Analytics and conversion tracking built from scratch

$96.39 per $1 on Google Ads — six months in

$77.71 per $1 on SEO — six months in

Increased leads and sales visible within the first six weeks

Specialized content strategy for the government contracting compliance market

Work With Us

Tried digital marketing before and weren’t happy with the results?

That’s exactly the situation we thrive in. Let’s talk about what went wrong and what we’d do differently.