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Are you interested in showing ads for your local business at the top of the page, above all other paid ads and the Google Map? Then Local Services Ads is the way to go!
With Local Services Ads, you can advertise your business on Google and receive leads directly from potential local customers. Instead of driving website visits, the Local Search Ads will drive phone calls and messages. This enables you to answer phone calls, reply to messages, track bookings, and even managing all of your leads anytime both online and through the app, which is available for both Android and iOS.
How Does It Work?
Local Services Ads is its own product and operates independent of Google Ads and Google My Business. It has its own platform and dashboard, so you won’t be able to manage it from the Google Ads platform. You are able to run a Local Services Ads campaign as a complimentary strategy for your Google Ads account, as the Local Services Ads can co-trigger with your paid text ads.
These ads are eligible to show on both desktop and mobile devices. The ad allows you to display your company name, review rating, city, phone number, and hours of operation. Now, there is no need to spend time on creative ad copy writing! However, that also means that in order to succeed and benefit from these ads, it is recommended that your company has a high relative review rating and strong local brand awareness.
Reviews shown on the Local Services Ad can consist of a mix between Google My Business and Local Services Ad sourced reviews. A Local Services Ad could be associated with the Google My Business listing to show reviews sourced from the Google My Business listing in addition to the reviews obtained through the Local Services Ad platform. If the Google My Business listing isn’t associated with the Local Services Ad platform, reviews can be obtained through the platform itself.
Not only is there no need to think about ad copy, also keyword research is not a thing anymore with these ads. Local Services Ads will be triggered based upon the job type, location, and search queries that include city names or zip codes.
At this point in time, the Local Services Ads are only available for specific industries and regions. Examples of eligible industries are: appliance repair, auto glass, car repair, electricians, event planners, garage door, house and carpet cleaning, HVAC, junk removal, lawn care, locksmith, moving, pest control, pet boarding and grooming, photographers, plumbing, roofing, tree services, water damage restoration, and window cleaning and repair.
The current available locations are mainly the bigger US cities, such as Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chattanooga, TN; Chicago, IL; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Colorado Springs, CO; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; Dayton, OH; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Fresno, CA; Ft. Myers-Naples, FL; Greensboro, NC; Greenville-Spartanburg, SC; Harford-New Haven, CT; Harrisburg, PA; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Jacksonville, FL; Kansas City, MO; Knoxville, TN; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; Louisville, KY; Madison, WI; Memphis, TN; Miami, FL; Milwaukee, WI; Minneapolis, MN; Nashville, TN; New York City, NY; Norfolk, VA; Oklahoma City, OK; Orlando, FL; Palm Springs, CA; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland, OR; Raleigh-Durham, NC; Richmond, VA; Riverside, CA; Rochester, NY; Sacramento, CA; Salt Lake City, UT; San Antonio, TX; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Savannah, GA; Seattle, WA; Spokane, WA; Springfield, MO; St. Louis, MO; Stockton, CA; Syracuse, NY; Tampa, FL; Toledo, OH; Tucson, AZ; Tulsa, OK; Washington DC, and Wichita, KS.
Take into account that not all services will be available in eligible regions and they vary per business type. If you would like to know if your industry and region is eligible, you can find the updated information on Google’s local services page. Google is constantly expanding these available industries and regions, so don’t be disappointed if you are currently not eligible;you might be in the near future.
Top 3 Benefits
If you find that Local Services Ads is a good fit for your business and decide to move forward with this option, a member of the Google Local Services team will contact you either by email or phone call regardless of whether you or an agency is managing your LSA account. Once you complete the onboarding process, you will receive the following benefits:
#1 Show at the Top – Be Visible Without Scrolling
The Local Services unit is shown at the top of the Google Search Results when people search for the services you offer in your area. They even show on top of all the other paid search ads and the Google maps. It will show a carousel of three businesses that rotate based on location, job type, reviews, and provider responsiveness.
Potential customers can continue their research, by clicking on the → More option. This will take them to a separate results page, where they will be able to see a list of all participating local services businesses. The number of local services ads that will show may vary per industry and market and there is no limit to it.
If you are not Google Guaranteed, you will still be able to show up for these local searches, but on the bottom of the page. In case you had Local Services Ads running in the past and you decide to pause them, you will still be eligible to show up organically, but below the paid listings and without the Google Guaranteed badge and label. Also note that when you run out of budget, you’re still eligible to show organically without the Google Guarantee badge.
#2 Pay per Lead
Instead of paying-per-click, with the Local Services Ads, you will pay-per-lead. Isn’t that all we’ve been asking for? You can set a weekly budget and will be charged per lead. The lead cost will vary depending on your industry, the market, and the competition.
There are two types of leads:
- Message Leads
When a customer sends you a message request you will be notified through a mobile app notification on your phone and receive an email. You can respond to message leads in one of three ways:
- Reply to the customer by entering your message in the conversation box and tapping Send. This will deliver your message as an email or text message.
- Call the customer by tapping on the phone icon in the app, or calling the number listed on the lead page.
- Decline the request by tapping the Decline button.
These leads are charged as soon as the message from the customer is sent. Message leads are currently available only in select areas and verticals in the US.
- Phone Leads
When a customer chooses to call you. These leas are only charged when:
- The call is connected between the customer and the business.
- The potential customer left a voicemail.
The number that will be displayed on your Local Services Ad, will be a Google forwarding number. When potential customers call this number, the call will be forwarded to your actual business number.
All communication through the Local Services Ads may be monitored or recorded by Google to detect spam or fraudulent behavior and to improve quality and support policies and research, subject to Google’s privacy policy.
Local Services Ads work with automatic payments and you will be charged after you’ve accrued costs from your ad. You’ll be billed in one of two instances, either 30 days after your last payment, or whenever your account reaches your payment threshold, which is a predetermined amount.
You will receive a monthly invoice on the first day of each month and receive an email that describes the charges that have incurred over the course of the month. In case you received unqualified leads, you will be able to dispute them upon receiving.
Since Local Services Ads are focused on leads, not clicks, there is currently no performance data available in terms of clicks, impressions nor keywords.
#3 Google Guarantee – Build Credibility
The Google Guarantee is a badge of trust, which is given to all paid advertisers on the Local Search Ads platform that have passed the Local Services onboarding. Business that would like to advertise in the Local Services Ads platform and show the Google Guarantee badge need to apply and go through a verification process, which includes meeting certain insurance and licensing requirements, background checks, etc. These requirements depend on your location and business type. Once your business is screened and approved, you will receive the Google guarantee badge
It allows you to build a great reputation online and build credibility with your potential customers. If customers aren’t satisfied with your work quality, Google may even refund up to the amount paid for jobs booked through Local Services ads.
This is such an amazing opportunity for the businesses that fall within the industries and locations offered at this time. You don’t want to miss out! And thankfully, it is incredibly easy to get started. All you need to do is follow these three easy steps and you’ll be well on your way to taking advantage of LSA for yourself:
- Sign up as a Service Provider
- Set your budget
- Start your ads on Google
Don’t wait for your competition to find out about Local Services Ads. Be the first in your area and industry to have potential customers contacting you directly, while you only pay for qualified leads!
