Contractor Marketing Guide: Get More Leads Without Wasting Money
Most contractor marketing advice is written by people who've never swung a hammer. This guide is different: it's practical, prioritized, and focused on what actually moves the needle.
Build Your Foundation First
Before you spend a dollar on ads, make sure the basics are in place. Here's the order that matters:
Google Business Profile
Very High ROIThe single most important thing you can do for local visibility. Completely free.
Review Generation
Very High ROIMore reviews = more trust = more calls. Automate this or you won't do it consistently.
SEO Website
High ROIYour 24/7 salesperson. Takes time to rank but pays dividends for years.
Lead Response Automation
Very High ROIStop losing leads to slow response. First to respond usually wins.
Google Ads (LSA)
Medium-High ROIPay-per-lead. Fast results but can get expensive without proper management.
Social Media
Low-Medium ROIGood for brand building but rarely generates direct leads. Do this last.
Google Business Profile
This is the #1 thing every contractor should optimize. It's free, it appears above all website results, and it's where most local leads come from. Here's your checklist:
Pro tip: Set a weekly 15-minute reminder to post something on your GBP like a job photo, a special offer, or a quick update. Businesses that post weekly get 2x more engagement.
Your Contractor Website
Your website is your 24/7 salesperson. A good one converts visitors into leads. A bad one loses them to competitors. Here's what your site must have:
Mobile-friendly design
60%+ of searches happen on mobile. If your site doesn't work on phones, you're losing leads.
Click-to-call button
Make it easy to call you. One tap should dial your number.
Contact form above the fold
Don't make visitors scroll to contact you. Capture info immediately.
Service area pages
Separate pages for each city you serve helps you rank in those areas.
Service-specific pages
A page for 'drain cleaning' will rank for 'drain cleaning near me' searches.
Reviews/testimonials displayed
Social proof converts visitors into leads. Show your best reviews.
Fast load time (under 3 seconds)
Slow sites lose 40% of visitors. Speed matters for SEO too.
SSL certificate (https)
Security matters. Google won't rank non-secure sites well.
How many pages should a contractor website have?
A 5-page website won't cut it for SEO. Here's what we recommend:
- • Homepage - Overview of your business
- • Service pages - One page per service (drain cleaning, water heater repair, etc.)
- • Location pages - One page per city/area you serve
- • About page - Your story, team, credentials
- • Contact page - Clear ways to reach you
That adds up to 30-40+ pages for most contractors, and that's what it takes to rank for local searches.
Reviews & Reputation
Reviews are the modern word-of-mouth. 93% of consumers read reviews before hiring a contractor. Here's how to build a review machine:
The Numbers That Matter
Minimum reviews to appear trustworthy
Target star rating (4.7-4.9 is ideal)
Reviews older than this matter less
How to Get More Reviews
Ask immediately - Send the review request while you're still on their mind (within 1-2 hours of finishing the job).
Make it easy - Send a direct link to your Google review page. No searching required.
Automate it - Use software to send review requests automatically. You'll get 5x more reviews.
Respond to all reviews - Thank positive reviewers. Address negative reviews professionally.
Local SEO Basics
SEO doesn't have to be complicated. For contractors, it comes down to a few key things:
NAP Consistency
Your Name, Address, and Phone number must be identical everywhere online:
- • Google Business Profile
- • Your website
- • Yelp, Facebook, BBB
- • Industry directories
Even small differences hurt you. "St." vs "Street" matters.
Local Keywords
Target searches like:
- • "[service] + [city]" (drain cleaning Austin)
- • "[service] near me" (plumber near me)
- • "emergency [service]" (emergency plumber)
- • "[service] + [neighborhood]" (hvac repair downtown)
Create separate pages for each service + location combination.
Citations & Directories
Get listed on these (with consistent NAP):
- • Yelp (claim your page)
- • Facebook Business
- • Better Business Bureau
- • Angi / HomeAdvisor
- • Industry-specific directories
Content That Ranks
Your website content should:
- • Include your target keywords naturally
- • Answer common customer questions
- • Be unique (not copied from competitors)
- • Include images with alt text
- • Be updated periodically
Lead Response: The Hidden Multiplier
You can do everything else right and still lose if you're slow to respond. This is the most underrated factor in contractor marketing.
of customers hire the first contractor to respond
after that, your chances drop by 80%
more likely to qualify leads with 5-min response
How to Respond Fast (Even When You're Busy)
Missed call text-back: Auto-text when you can't answer
Form auto-responders: Instant email/text when someone fills out your form
Mobile notifications: Get alerted immediately for new leads
Unified inbox: All messages in one place so nothing falls through
Paid Advertising
Paid ads can accelerate your growth, but only after your foundation is solid. Here's the honest breakdown:
Google Local Services Ads (LSA)
RecommendedPay-per-lead (not per click). You only pay when someone actually contacts you. Best for contractors.
- Appears at very top of Google
- "Google Guaranteed" badge builds trust
- Only pay for real leads
Typical costs:
- • $25-75 per lead (varies by trade)
- • $500-2,000/month budget typical
- • Background check required
Google Search Ads (PPC)
Pay-per-click. More control but also more risk. Requires management expertise.
- Target specific keywords
- Full control over messaging
- Easy to waste money without expertise
Typical costs:
- • $5-50 per click (varies wildly)
- • $1,000-5,000/month budget typical
- • Often need an agency to manage
Facebook/Instagram Ads
Better for brand awareness than direct leads. Works best for visual trades (remodeling, landscaping).
- Cheaper clicks than Google
- Great for before/after showcases
- Lower intent: people aren't searching
Typical costs:
- • $1-5 per click
- • $500-2,000/month budget typical
- • Needs good creative (photos/video)
Marketing Budget by Revenue
Here's what contractors at different stages should expect to spend on marketing.
Under $100K/year
$200-400/month marketing budget
Budget Breakdown
- Google Business Profile Free
- Basic website/all-in-one $200-300/mo
- Review tool Included or $50/mo
Focus
Focus on GBP optimization and collecting reviews. Don't pay for ads yet.
$100K-250K/year
$400-800/month marketing budget
Budget Breakdown
- All-in-one system $300/mo
- Google LSA budget $200-500/mo
- Photo/video content $100/mo avg
Focus
Now you can add some paid advertising. Start with Google Local Services Ads.
$250K-500K/year
$800-1,500/month marketing budget
Budget Breakdown
- All-in-one + premium features $400/mo
- Google Ads budget $500-1,000/mo
- Content/photos/video $200/mo avg
Focus
Scale what's working. Consider hiring help for content creation.
Over $500K/year
$1,500-3,000+/month marketing budget
Budget Breakdown
- Full marketing system $500/mo
- Ads (Google, Facebook) $1,000-2,000/mo
- Content creation $300-500/mo
- Optional: marketing agency Variable
Focus
Diversify channels. Test Facebook ads. Consider hiring a marketing manager.
6 Costly Mistakes to Avoid
We see these over and over. Don't be that contractor.
Spending on ads before fixing your website
Paying to send traffic to a bad website is burning money. Fix the foundation first.
Fix: Get your website and GBP right, then add paid advertising.
Ignoring your Google Business Profile
GBP appears above all websites in local searches. It's free and it's where most leads come from.
Fix: Spend 30 minutes optimizing it today. Post weekly. Respond to reviews.
Not asking for reviews
Happy customers don't leave reviews unless you ask. Your competitors are asking.
Fix: Automate review requests after every job. Make it easy with a direct link.
Slow lead response
The contractor who responds first wins the job 78% of the time. Waiting an hour is too late.
Fix: Set up instant auto-responses. Respond personally within 5 minutes when possible.
Trying to do everything at once
Marketing overwhelm leads to doing nothing well. Better to master basics than dabble in everything.
Fix: Follow the priority order: GBP → Reviews → Website → Speed-to-lead → Ads → Social
No tracking or attribution
If you don't know where leads come from, you can't optimize your spending.
Fix: Use call tracking numbers. Ask leads 'How did you find us?' Track everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should a contractor spend on marketing?
What's the fastest way to get more leads?
Should I hire a marketing agency?
Is social media worth it for contractors?
How long does SEO take to work?
Ready to Put This Into Action?
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Social Media (Be Realistic)
Let's be honest: social media rarely generates direct leads for contractors. It's a "nice to have," not a necessity. Here's the realistic approach:
What Actually Works
What's a Waste of Time
The 15-minute rule: If you're going to do social media, spend no more than 15 minutes per day. Snap a quick photo on the job, post it with a short caption, done. Anything more is taking time away from higher-ROI activities.