SEO or Facebook ads first?

This comes down to one question: are people already searching for what you offer? If yes, SEO and your Google Business Profile are usually the stronger foundation. If you have a specific offer, event, launch, or seasonal push, ads can create faster attention right now.

When SEO comes first

If you're a service business people search for by need ('plumber near me', 'roseburg dentist'), SEO and local search signals compound over time and keep working long after you stop actively investing in them.

When ads come first

If you have a time-sensitive offer, a new product launch, or an event, ads get in front of people faster than SEO can build up. Ads are also useful when you're new and have zero existing search visibility to build from.

Most local businesses need both, in order

Foundation first (a website that converts, a strong Google profile), then campaigns on top of that foundation. Running ads to a site that isn't ready to convert traffic just means paying for clicks that don't turn into customers.