Saltwater Marketing

Frequently Asked Questions

Who We Work With

Who do you actually work with?
Charter fishing captains, fishing guides, dive operators, and boat tour companies — sunset cruises, dolphin and whale watching, sailing charters, and similar. If your business puts paying customers on the water for an experience, there's a good chance we've already worked with someone just like you.
I'm not a fishing captain — I run a dive shop, a sunset cruise, or a tour company. Is this still for me?
Yes. We started with charter fishing, but the same problems — OTA dependence, missed calls, an outdated website — show up across every kind of on-the-water business. We work with all of the above.
Do you only work with big, established operations?
No. We work with businesses at every stage — from captains just getting their first real website up, to multi-boat operations running a full team. Where you're starting from changes what we recommend, not whether we can help.
Do you work with operators outside the U.S.?
Yes — charter and tour operations around the world.

Pricing, Commission & Contracts

Do you charge a commission, or a flat rate?
Flat rate, always. We don't take a cut of your trips the way booking sites & OTAs do. With us, you know exactly what you're paying every month, and it doesn't scale up as your bookings grow. We'll walk through the real math on your call.
What service levels do you offer?
We have a few different levels depending on where your business is right now — from getting the fundamentals dialed in, to a fully managed, all-in system. Rather than guess from a menu, we'll figure out the right fit for you on your call.
Do I have to sign a contract?
No. Everything is month to month. If it's not working for you, you tell us and we pause it — no penalty, no breakup fee.
Is there a setup fee?
No blanket setup fee on our marketing packages. If your website or Google Business Profile needs work before it's ready for paid traffic, we'll tell you exactly what that involves on your call — never a surprise, and only if it actually applies to your situation.
Do you build websites?
Yes — we've built hundreds of top-quality, professional-grade websites for all types of water-based businesses. We offer this as a one-time build, separate from your monthly marketing fee or possibly included on some packages. Ask us about it on your call.
If I stop working with you, do I keep my website?
Yes, 100%. You own everything from day one — we never hold your site hostage.
What if my business is seasonal?
No problem. Since there's no contract, you can scale your spend up, down, or pause it entirely based on your season.

Website & Booking

Does my website need to work well on mobile?
Yes. Most charter customers are booking from their phone, not a desktop — if your site isn't built for that, you're losing bookings you never even see happen.
Do you offer an online booking system?
Yes — built to actually convert, not just look nice. Happy to walk you through exactly how it works on a call.
If you rebuild my site, do I lose my Google standing or reviews?
No — we handle that transition carefully so you're not starting over from zero. We'll explain exactly how on your call.

Reviews & Marketing Channels

How important are my Google or Facebook reviews?
Hugely — reviews are one of the biggest levers in how well your marketing actually performs. If you're light on reviews, that's one of the first things we help fix. We'll show you exactly where you stand and what to do about it.
Do I need Google Ads, or can I just do this organically (SEO)?
Organic (SEO) works, but it's slow, especially in a competitive market. Ads get you in front of people searching right now. Most captains need some mix of both — we'll figure out the right one for you.
Do you handle Facebook or social media too?
Yes, on our higher-tier plans. Facebook and Google tend to win different kinds of bookings — we'll explain the difference and which matters more for your business on your call.
Do I need to provide anything for social media or content?
Yes — real photos, video, or even a quick voice memo from you. We don't use stock content; every fishery is different, and that's part of what makes it work.
How long before I start seeing results?
It varies, but most clients start seeing real activity within the first couple of weeks once things are dialed in — this isn't a six-month wait-and-hope situation.
What if I spend money on ads and don't get anything back?
That's rare once a campaign is properly set up. If a month goes by without real results, we get on a call and fix it together — we look at what's actually booked, not just whether ads are running.

Trust & Support

What if I'm not happy with the service?
You're never stuck — everything's month to month. We'd honestly rather part ways early than force a bad fit.
Who is Saltwater Marketing, and why should I trust you with this?
We work exclusively with charter captains, fishing lodges, marinas, and boat tour operators — nothing else. We've been doing this for over a decade, with clients from Key West to Alaska. We're a boutique shop, not a massive platform, and we're careful about how many operators we take on in any one market.
I have years of customer info just saved in my phone — can you help with that?
Yes — turning that into something you can actually use to bring past customers back is one of the first things we help with. We'll show you how on your call.
Can you help with pricing my trips or setting deposit policies?
Marketing is Andre's focus. For trip pricing and deposit questions, our bookings lead Scott — a captain himself — is the right person to talk to.

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We Can Make It Happen

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