Where Do Your Tree Care Leads Actually Come From? Real Data from 2,000 Tracked Phone Calls
The Question Every Business Owner Asks
"Where should I spend my marketing dollars?"
Most tree care companies guess. They think they know where their leads come from, but they're usually wrong.
We analyzed 2,000 raw phone call leads from four tree care companies in 2025, tracking every single source with advanced analytics.
Here's what we discovered.
The Data: 2,000 Phone Calls Tracked
- Period: January 1 - December 31, 2025
- Companies: 4 tree care businesses
- Total Raw Leads: 2,000 phone calls
- Tracking Method: First Touch Attribution
The Results: Where Leads Actually Come From
| Source | Raw Leads | % of Total | What This Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google My Business | 1,003 | 50.2% | Half of all calls come from your Google Business Profile |
| Google Ads | 634 | 31.7% | Paid search drives nearly 1/3 of all calls |
| Google Organic | 187 | 9.4% | SEO/organic search results |
| Direct | 99 | 5.0% | Typed website directly or had it bookmarked |
| Facebook Organic | 25 | 1.3% | Facebook posts/page (not ads) |
| Bing Organic | 20 | 1.0% | Bing search results |
| DuckDuckGo Organic | 6 | 0.3% | Privacy-focused search |
| Yahoo Organic | 6 | 0.3% | Yahoo search |
| Yelp Organic | 6 | 0.3% | Yelp listings |
| SearchGPT | 3 | 0.2% | AI search engine |
| ChatGPT | 1 | 0.05% | AI chatbot referral |
| Other Sources | 10 | 0.5% | Various minor sources |
The Big Three: 91.3% of All Calls
1. Google My Business
1,003 calls - literally HALF of every phone call
This isn't just important. This is the most critical marketing asset you have.
What this means:
- Your Google Business Profile drives more calls than everything else combined
- Photos, reviews, business hours, and accurate info directly impact half your leads
- If your GBP isn't optimized, you're losing money every single day
- This is FREE - you're not paying per click like Google Ads
Key takeaway: If you're not obsessively managing your Google Business Profile, you're leaving half your potential on the table.
2. Google Ads
634 calls - nearly 1 in 3 calls
Paid search works. The data is clear.
What this means:
- Homeowners searching for tree services click ads
- You can scale this up or down based on capacity
- It's predictable and controllable
- Combined with GBP, Google owns 81.9% of your lead flow
Key takeaway: Google Ads isn't optional if you want consistent lead flow. It's essential.
3. Google Organic (SEO)
187 calls
Organic search rankings still matter, but they're your bronze medal, not gold.
What this means:
- SEO takes time but delivers consistent results
- It's the most cost-effective per lead over time
- Combined with GBP and Ads, Google owns 91.3% of all calls
- This is a long-term investment that compounds
Key takeaway: SEO is important for long-term sustainability but won't save you if GBP and Ads aren't working.
The Brutal Truth: Google Owns Your Lead Flow
1,824 calls
176 calls
If you're not visible on Google, you don't exist to 9 out of 10 potential customers.
Let that sink in.
Breaking Down the Google Dominance
This means:
- 9 out of 10 calls come from Google
- Facebook, Yelp, Bing, and everything else combined = less than 9%
- Your website matters primarily because it supports your Google presence
- Social media is nice to have, not need to have
What About Everything Else?
Direct Traffic (5.0% - 99 calls)
These are people who:
- Typed your website URL directly
- Had you bookmarked
- Heard about you offline and looked you up
Reality check: This is mostly people who already knew about you from... wait for it... Google.
Facebook Organic (1.3% - 25 calls)
Yes, you read that right. Just 1.3%.
Social media marketing feels important because:
- It's visible and fun
- You can see likes and comments
- Your competitors are doing it
But the data says: For every 100 calls, 1-2 come from Facebook.
Should you ignore Facebook? No - it's good for brand awareness and community. But if you're choosing between optimizing your Google Business Profile and posting on Facebook? Choose Google. Every. Single. Time.
The Long Tail (2.4% - 48 calls)
Bing, Yelp, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, SearchGPT, ChatGPT, and other sources combined for just 48 calls out of 2,000.
Are they worth tracking? Yes, for completeness.
Are they worth investing marketing dollars in? Probably not.
Emerging Trends: AI Search
AI Search in 2025:
SearchGPT: 3 calls
ChatGPT: 1 call
Combined: 4 calls (0.2% of total leads)
Should you care?
Yes... watch this space. As AI search grows, having accurate business information in these platforms will matter.
The Three-Tier Strategy That Works
Tier 1: Foundation (Google My Business + Website)
This is non-negotiable. This is 50% of your business.
Google My Business Optimization:
- Claim and verify your listing
- Add professional photos (before/after shots perform best)
- Post weekly updates
- Respond to every review within 24 hours
- Keep hours and services updated
- Answer questions in the Q&A section
- Add attributes and special hours
Website Optimization (Critical for GBP Success):
- Fast loading speed - Google rewards this
- Mobile-responsive design - most searches are mobile
- Clear call-to-action buttons and phone numbers
- Before/after photo galleries
- Service area pages for local SEO
- Customer testimonials and reviews
- Easy-to-find contact information
Why website matters for GBP: Your Google Business Profile links to your website. A poor website experience kills conversions even when GBP brings the traffic. They work together.
Time investment: 2-3 hours per week for GBP maintenance
Cost: GBP is free; Website is best nurtured over time.
Return: 50% of all your leads
Tier 2: Scale (Google Ads, also Local Service Ads)
This is how you control your lead flow.
- Start with search campaigns
- Use call extensions and location extensions
- Target local service keywords
- Track everything with call tracking
- Optimize based on actual conversion data
- Scale up during busy season, down during slow season
Time investment: 5-10 hours per month (or hire an expert)
Cost: Variable, scales with budget ($2,000-5,000/month typical)
Return: 31.7% of all your leads
Tier 3: Long Game (SEO)
This is your compound interest.
- Optimize website for local search terms
- Create helpful content (blog posts, service pages)
- Build local citations (directories, business listings)
- Earn quality backlinks from local organizations
- Technical SEO improvements (site speed, mobile optimization)
- Regular content updates and fresh information
Time investment: Ongoing, 10+ hours per month
Cost: DIY or $1,500-3,000/month with agency
Return: 9.4% of all your leads (but compounds over 6-12 months)
Common Mistakes Based on This Data
Mistake #1: Ignoring Google My Business
"I have a listing, that's enough."
No. GBP is 50% of your business. Treat it like it.
Mistake #2: Having a Terrible Website
"Our GBP looks great but we're not getting conversions."
Your website is where GBP traffic goes. If it's slow, ugly, or confusing, you're losing 50% of your leads at the finish line.
Mistake #3: Over-Investing in Social Media
"But everyone's on Facebook!"
Sure. But only 1.3% of your calls come from there.
Mistake #4: Expecting SEO to Save You Quickly
"We did SEO for 3 months and nothing happened."
SEO is a 6-12 month play. GBP and Ads are your short-term engines.
Mistake #5: Not Tracking Lead Sources
"I think most calls come from our website."
You think wrong. This is why we track everything.
Mistake #6: Spreading Budget Too Thin
"We're trying everything - Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Yelp, Nextdoor..."
You're on everything and winning at nothing. Focus on the 91%.
The Bottom Line
2,000 tracked phone calls don't lie.