How to Measure Your Septic Marketing ROI

"I know half my marketing is working, I just don't know which half." This quote, often attributed to marketing pioneer John Wanamaker, captures how many septic company owners feel about their marketing spend.

You're spending money on Google Ads, maybe SEO, perhaps some local directories—but do you actually know what's working? Without proper tracking, you're guessing. And guessing costs money.

This guide covers how to measure marketing performance so you can invest more in what works and cut what doesn't.

Why Measurement Matters

Without tracking, you're likely making decisions based on:

• Gut feeling ("It seems like we're getting more calls")
• Agency claims ("We got you 500 impressions!")
• Vanity metrics that don't correlate with revenue

With proper measurement, you can:

• Know exactly which channels produce leads
• Calculate the true cost to acquire a customer
• Compare channel performance objectively
• Make data-driven decisions about where to invest
• Hold agencies accountable to real results

The Metrics That Matter

Focus on metrics that connect to revenue, not vanity metrics.

Vanity Metrics (Less Useful)

• Impressions: How many people saw your ad. Doesn't mean they clicked or called.
• Likes and followers: Social engagement rarely correlates with septic leads.
• Website visitors: Traffic alone doesn't pay bills.
• Keyword rankings: Being #1 for a low-volume term doesn't matter.

Meaningful Metrics

• Leads: Phone calls, form submissions, texts from potential customers.
• Cost per lead (CPL): How much you spend to generate each lead.
• Cost per acquisition (CPA): How much you spend to acquire each paying customer.
• Return on ad spend (ROAS): Revenue generated for every dollar spent on ads.
• Customer lifetime value (LTV): Total revenue from a customer over time.

Setting Up Lead Tracking

You can't measure what you don't track. Here's how to capture lead source data.

Call Tracking

Most septic leads come by phone. Without call tracking, you can't know which marketing drove the call.

How it works: You use different phone numbers for different marketing channels. When someone calls, you know which number they called—and therefore which channel drove the call.

Options:

• Google Ads call tracking: Free with Google Ads, tracks calls from ads and website (after ad click).
• Third-party call tracking: Services like CallRail, CallTrackingMetrics, or WhatConverts provide more features—call recording, keyword-level tracking, CRM integration.

Minimum setup: At least use unique numbers for:

• Google Ads
• Organic website traffic
• Google Business Profile

Form Tracking

Track form submissions as conversions in Google Analytics and Google Ads.

Setup: Create a "thank you" page that displays after form submission. Track visits to this page as conversions.

Alternative: If your form doesn't redirect to a thank you page, use event tracking to fire when the form is submitted.

Ask Every Caller

Technology doesn't capture everything. Train your team to ask "How did you hear about us?" on every call.

Create a simple list of options:

• Google search
• Google Maps
• Referral from friend/neighbor
• Saw our truck
• Previous customer
• Other (specify)

Record this in your CRM or a simple spreadsheet. It's not as precise as call tracking but provides valuable directional data.

Calculating Key Metrics

Cost Per Lead (CPL)

Formula: Total marketing spend / Number of leads

Example: $3,000 Google Ads spend / 12 leads = $250 CPL

Calculate CPL by channel to compare effectiveness:

• Google Ads CPL: $250
• Google LSAs CPL: $60
• SEO CPL: $150 (based on monthly SEO cost / organic leads)

This shows which channels are most efficient at generating leads.

Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)

Formula: Total marketing spend / Number of new customers

Example: $3,000 spend / 4 customers = $750 CPA

CPA is more meaningful than CPL because not all leads become customers. A channel with expensive leads that convert well might have lower CPA than a channel with cheap leads that don't convert.

Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)

Formula: Revenue from ad-driven customers / Ad spend

Example: $6,000 revenue from 4 customers / $3,000 ad spend = 2:1 ROAS

A 2:1 ROAS means you made $2 for every $1 spent on ads. Whether this is "good" depends on your margins, but most businesses aim for 3:1 or higher.

Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)

Formula: Average revenue per customer x Average number of purchases x Average customer lifespan

Example: $400 average job x 4 purchases over 10 years = $1,600 LTV

LTV is crucial because it shows the full value of acquiring a customer—not just the first transaction.

LTV to CPA Ratio

Formula: Customer Lifetime Value / Cost Per Acquisition

Example: $1,600 LTV / $750 CPA = 2.1:1 ratio

A 3:1 ratio or higher is generally considered healthy. Below 1:1 means you're paying more to acquire customers than they're worth.

Building a Simple Tracking Dashboard

You don't need expensive software to track performance. A simple spreadsheet works.

Monthly Tracking Template

Track these by month and by channel:

• Marketing spend
• Number of leads
• Number of new customers
• Revenue from new customers
• CPL
• CPA
• ROAS

Example Dashboard

This data immediately shows that LSAs are outperforming other channels and might deserve more budget.

Common Measurement Mistakes

Measuring too soon: Marketing takes time to produce results, especially SEO. Give campaigns 60-90 days before judging.

Ignoring offline attribution: Someone might see your ad, not click, but search your company name later. This isn't captured in direct tracking.

Not tracking existing customers: Marketing to existing customers (pumping reminders) has different ROI than new customer acquisition. Track them separately.

Obsessing over small samples: 3 leads this week vs. 5 last week isn't statistically meaningful. Look at trends over months, not days.

Forgetting lifetime value: A first job might not be profitable after acquisition costs, but lifetime value usually makes it worthwhile.

What "Good" Looks Like

Benchmarks vary by market and service mix, but general targets for septic companies:

• Cost per lead: $75-300 depending on channel and service type
• Lead to customer conversion: 25-40%
• Cost per acquisition: $200-800
• ROAS: 3:1 or higher
• LTV:CPA ratio: 3:1 or higher

If your numbers are worse than these, there's room for optimization. If they're better, you might have room to scale.

Using Data to Make Decisions

Data is only valuable if it drives action. Here's how to use your metrics:

Double Down on Winners

If LSAs have 7:1 ROAS while Google Ads has 2:1, consider shifting budget from Ads to LSAs.

Fix or Cut Losers

If a channel consistently underperforms, either optimize it or reallocate that budget. Don't keep spending on hope.

Test New Channels

When your core channels are working, test new ones with small budgets. Track them separately to evaluate objectively.

Challenge Your Agency

If you're working with an agency, share these metrics with them. Ask them to explain underperforming channels and propose improvements. Hold them accountable to results, not activities. If you're unsure whether to hire an agency or do marketing yourself, these metrics help you evaluate performance either way.

Getting Started

Don't try to implement everything at once. Start with the basics:

Week 1: Set up call tracking for your main number and Google Ads

Week 2: Configure form submission tracking

Week 3: Create a simple spreadsheet to track monthly metrics

Week 4: Train your team to ask "how did you hear about us?" on every call

Ongoing: Update your tracking monthly and review trends quarterly

The Payoff

Measuring marketing ROI takes effort to set up, but the payoff is substantial. Instead of wondering whether marketing is working, you'll know. Instead of hoping you're investing in the right channels, you'll have proof.

Companies that measure and optimize consistently outperform those that don't. They spend their marketing budgets more efficiently and make better decisions about where to invest for growth.

Start simple, be consistent, and let the data guide your decisions. You'll be ahead of most competitors who are still guessing. Don't forget that seasonal patterns affect your metrics, and building strong online reviews contributes to better conversion rates across all channels.

Frequently Asked Questions