Where Does Your Marketing Money Actually Go? A Contractor’s Guide to Smarter Spend

You wouldn’t throw money in a fire. But if you’re paying for marketing without tracking what works—you kind of are.

If you’re a contractor or tradesperson, you’ve probably been told you “need marketing” more times than you can count. But if you're like most local business owners, you've either been burned by a bad experience—or you simply don’t know where your money went, or what you got in return.

This article breaks down the common places marketing dollars go, which ones are worth it, and how to make sure you’re only spending on what actually grows your business.

The Usual Suspects: Where Marketing Budgets Disappear

Let’s start with a few ways contractors often spend money without seeing results:

• Lead generation platforms (like HomeAdvisor or Angi): You pay for leads, but they’re shared with five other contractors.

• SEO retainers: Monthly fees for vague promises of “ranking higher,” without clear tracking or lead attribution.

• One-time website builds: You get a website... but no one visits it, and there's no follow-up support.

• DIY ads: Running Google or Facebook ads without tracking tools can burn through your budget with little to show for it.

• Print ads: Expensive local mailers or flyers often get tossed or ignored—especially if they can’t be measured.

The Real Problem: No Tracking, No Accountability

Most marketing spend problems boil down to one issue: lack of visibility.

If you don’t know how people found you, what they clicked, or which calls came from your website or listing—then you can’t tell what’s working. That’s how budgets get wasted.

Even worse, you’re not building long-term value. Paying for third-party leads gives you no control. Running ads without a good landing page or Google profile wastes good traffic. And buying a website with no strategy is just a digital brochure.

Smarter Marketing: Spend Less, Track More

A smarter approach doesn’t require a huge budget. It just requires better structure. Contractors who see results from marketing usually do three things differently:

1. They track every call, email, and form

2. They own their platforms (website, domain, Google listing)

3. They only spend where they see ROI

You don’t need an agency to do this. You need a clean, mobile-friendly website, a fully optimized Google Business Profile, a phone line that tracks calls, and a system to measure results. That’s it.

With those tools in place, your marketing spend can actually become an investment—not a black hole.

A Better Way: Low Fixed Costs + Results-Based Commissions

At Artisan Webworks, we’ve talked to dozens of contractors who were tired of guessing where their money went. That’s why we structure everything differently.

For one low monthly fee, you get all the digital essentials: a great website, a business phone number, professional email, and a fully optimized Google profile.

Then—and only then—do we earn a commission. But only on leads or business you can track back to us.

It’s a partnership model. We win when you win. And that means we work harder to make sure your phone rings, your inbox fills, and your business grows.

Final Thoughts: Stop Guessing, Start Measuring

Marketing doesn’t have to be a gamble. When done right—with the right tools and the right tracking—it becomes one of your best investments.

If you’re not sure where your current spend is going, or how to measure it, we’d be happy to take a look.

👉 Schedule your free visibility check and let’s find out what’s working—and what’s costing you more than it’s worth.