When Growth Stalls — and It’s Not Your Crew’s Fault

If you run a $1M+ excavation or septic company, you’ve probably felt that pit in your stomach when the phones go quiet. The same crew. The same quality work. The same effort every day — but suddenly, leads slow down. The calendar that was full last month now has empty spaces, and you’re asking yourself, “Did people just stop needing excavation work?”

They didn’t.

Homeowners are still searching. Developers are still building. The problem isn’t demand — it’s visibility. Somewhere between the algorithm updates, increased competition, and shifting homeowner behavior, your business stopped being the first one they found or remembered.

At Excavation Marketing Pros, we’ve seen this story play out hundreds of times. It’s not your pricing. It’s not your reputation. It’s your speed to attention. And that’s where the battle between Facebook and Google Ads comes in.

2. The Hidden Truth About Paid Ads in Construction

Most contractors we meet started with a simple belief: “If I boost a few posts or run some Google Ads, I’ll get more calls.”

But here’s the truth — that’s like buying one bucket for your excavator and calling it an equipment fleet. Paid ads are powerful, but only when you understand how each platform fits into the bigger system.

• Facebook Ads build awareness. They get your name in front of people who didn’t even know they needed you yet.
  
  

• Google Ads capture intent. They reach people actively searching for “driveway excavation near me” or “septic system installation.”
  
  

The real power comes when both work together. Facebook introduces your brand early. Google converts them later. The contractors winning right now aren’t choosing one — they’re mastering both.

3. Facebook Ads for Excavation Contractors: Building Demand Before the Call

Think about it — how often does a homeowner randomly wake up and Google “septic install”? Not often. But what happens when they see a short video showing how a cracked tank ruined a yard and how your company fixed it in two days?

They might not call right away, but now your name is planted.

That’s what Facebook does best — plant seeds before the problem hits.

When we run Facebook campaigns for excavation and septic clients, we use visuals that stop the scroll: excavators moving dirt, a new driveway being graded, or a customer shaking your hand at the end of a job. These aren’t random posts — they’re strategic awareness plays.

Why it matters:

• 75% of homeowners choose the first company they recognize or remember.
  
  

• Facebook Ads help your company be that name when they start Googling later.
  
  

• It’s cheaper to stay top-of-mind than to fight for attention when they’re already shopping.
  
  

Facebook builds demand. Google captures intent.

4. Google Ads: Capturing Demand When the Buyer Is Ready

Now let’s talk about where the real conversion happens — Google Ads.

When someone types “driveway excavation near me” or “replace drain field,” that’s not curiosity. That’s intent. They’re ready to spend money.

But here’s where many contractors waste thousands — they send those clicks to a homepage instead of a proper landing page. It’s like driving a lead straight into a mud pit instead of a clear path.

The best-performing Google Ads campaigns for excavation companies have three things in common:

1. Clear Offer: (“Free site estimate — spots fill fast this month”)
   
   

2. Local Proof: (“Serving Gallatin County for 15+ years”)
   
   

3. Speed-to-Lead System: an instant call, text, or AI webchat reply within 1 minute.
   
   

When we track data for our clients, companies with a response time under 60 seconds convert 78% more leads than those that wait even 5 minutes.

So, when you combine Google’s intent with lightning-fast automation, you get a system that wins jobs while other contractors are still “checking their voicemail.”

5. Facebook vs Google Ads — Which One Wins for Excavation?

Let’s get real: both work, but for different reasons.

Here’s a simple breakdown we use when coaching excavation companies:

The best excavation companies aren’t asking, “Which one should I use?” They’re asking, “How can I make them work together?”

6. What Happened When a 7-Figure Contractor Stopped Marketing for 30 Days

One of our clients — a seven-figure excavation and septic business in the Midwest — was running both Facebook and Google Ads with strong results. Their calendar was full, and work was steady.

Then one month, they decided to pause marketing to “save money.”

Here’s what happened:

• Week 1: Phones still ringing. All good.
  
  

• Week 2: Slower. Crews still busy from earlier leads.
  
  

• Week 3: Silence.
  
  

• Week 4: Panic.
  
  

Their Google Ads had stopped generating fresh calls, Facebook retargeting stopped reminding homeowners who had visited their site, and competitors started showing up where they used to dominate.

When they came back, it took six full weeks just to rebuild that momentum.

That’s the danger most contractors don’t see — marketing is like a dozer rolling uphill. The second you stop, gravity takes over.

7. The Smartest Excavation Companies Are Doing This Right Now

This fall, the best excavation and septic companies we work with are doing one thing differently: they’re blending Facebook and Google Ads strategically.

Here’s how:

• Step 1: Facebook Ads run awareness videos targeting homeowners in local counties.
  
  

• Step 2: Those same people start seeing your Google Ads later when they search for services.
  
  

• Step 3: Facebook retargets them again with testimonial videos or special fall offers.
  
  

This “circle of visibility” keeps your name everywhere — from the moment they scroll at night to the moment they’re ready to dig.

That’s what’s driving the biggest revenue jumps this season. It’s not just better ads. It’s better sequencing.

8. The Biggest Mistake Contractors Make with Ads (And How to Avoid It)

If there’s one thing we’ve learned helping excavation companies grow past $1M, it’s this: most failed ad campaigns don’t fail because of bad ads. They fail because of what happens after the click.

Here’s what we mean:

• No one answers the phone fast enough.
  
  

• Leads don’t get followed up.
  
  

• The CRM doesn’t track who booked, who ghosted, or who converted.
  
  

And when that happens, contractors blame the ads — not the process.

Our data across dozens of excavation companies shows:

• 50% of leads never get a follow-up call.
  
  

• 60% of booked calls never get reminders or confirmations.
  
  

• 30% of contractors have zero visibility into which ad drove the sale.
  
  

The fix? Automation. Whether it’s AI webchat, automatic follow-up texts, or a call concierge — your speed to lead determines your return on investment more than your ad itself.

9. How Excavation Marketing Pros Builds Custom Ad Systems That Actually Work

At Excavation Marketing Pros, we’re not a massive corporate agency. We’re a small, specialized team that builds custom marketing systems for excavation and septic companies — not cookie-cutter ad templates.

Here’s what we focus on:

• Full-Funnel Tracking: from click to closed job.
  
  

• Speed-to-Lead Automation: instant replies, booked calls, and reminders.
  
  

• Local Data Optimization: using ZIP-code-level insights to find your most profitable service areas.
  
  

• Seasonal Campaign Shifts: adjusting creative and offers before slow seasons hit.
  
  

We’ve learned that success doesn’t come from spending more — it comes from spending smarter.
That means running Google Ads where homeowners are searching, and Facebook Ads where they’re scrolling. When the two talk to each other, your brand becomes the only name they remember.

10. Final Thoughts: Fall is the Best Time to Take the Lead

Fall is when smart excavation companies double down — not pull back. It’s the season where your next 6 months are made or lost.

Every year, we see two types of contractors:

1. The ones who “wait until spring.”
   
   

2. The ones who use fall to grab attention while everyone else goes quiet.
   
   

Guess who owns the search rankings and ad space come January?

Marketing isn’t luck. It’s consistent.

Whether you choose Facebook, Google, or both — the key is to stay visible, stay fast, and stay strategic. Because once your leads slow down, getting back to the top takes time and money.

Your next big project could be one click away — the question is, will it go to you or your competitor?