Google Local Services Ads: A Comprehensive Guide
Although Google’s reach expands across the world, it is often difficult for Local Service Advertisers to convert searches into clicks. To make life easy for both, Local Advertisers as well as Local Searchers, Google has rolled out its newest search offering – Local Services Ads. They are different from Google Ads (formerly known as Google AdWords), however, they do look very similar. Google Local Services Ads are devoted to only select industries such as Cleaning, Roofing, HVAC, Contractors, Electricians, and other Home Service Businesses.
Table of Contents
Local Service Ads are pay-per-lead Ads that appear at the very top of the search results to assist local searchers. Google’s newest search offering is an extension to the local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy for Home Service Businesses such as Plumbers, Electricians, and HVAC services. Local searchers will be able to see several trusted professionals in their area positioned right above the organic results and traditional Google Ads. This article will take you through various aspects of Google Local Services Ads.
Table of Contents
- What Are Google Local Services Ads?
- Eligible Business Types for Local Service Ads
- Eligible Countries for Local Service Ads
- Benefits of Google Local Services Ads
- Getting Started with Google Local Services Ads
- Conclusion
What Are Google Local Services Ads?
Local Search Ads (also known as Google Local Services Ads) are pay-per-lead Advertisements that connect searchers to the right advertiser. These Ads pop up whenever a searcher enters a local search query. The local search query returns several trusted professionals in their area positioned right at the top. They appear at the top of a search result, above organic results and traditional Google Ads. These Ads are positioned front and center, they’re the first thing a searcher sees. These Ads look like organic recommendations only, and are going to catch your attention and most likely get the click.
Google Local Services Ads are featured on Desktop, Tablet, Mobile, and even Google Assistant’s Voice search, above the traditional search Ads and Results. They are displayed with a Google Guaranteed Badge, essentially meaning that Google is guaranteeing that the business is trustworthy and legitimate. These Ads display detailed information about the service/product including Helpline, Business Hours, Reviews, etc.
However, to qualify under Local Service Ads, a business must pass through a series of checks by Google. Google will subject you through Background Checks, License Checks, and Insurance Checks depending on the type of industry your business fits in and the location your business operates in. Upon successful screening, you’ll be matched to relevant and appropriate searches.
Simplify Google Ads ETL and Data Integration using Hevo’s No-code Data Pipeline
Hevo Data is a No-code Data Pipeline that offers a fully managed solution to set up data integration from Google Ads and 100+ Data Sources (including 30+ Free Data Sources) and will let you directly load data to a Data Warehouse or the destination of your choice. It will automate your data flow in minutes without writing any line of code. Its fault-tolerant architecture makes sure that your data is secure and consistent. Hevo provides you with a truly efficient and fully automated solution to manage data in real-time and always have analysis-ready data.
Get started with hevo for freeLet’s look at some of the salient features of Hevo:
- Fully Managed: It requires no management and maintenance as Hevo is a fully automated platform.
- Data Transformation: It provides a simple interface to perfect, modify, and enrich the data you want to transfer.
- Real-Time: Hevo offers real-time data migration. So, your data is always ready for analysis.
- Schema Management: Hevo can automatically detect the schema of the incoming data and map it to the destination schema.
- Scalable Infrastructure: Hevo has in-built integrations for 100’s of sources that can help you scale your data infrastructure as required.
- Live Monitoring: Advanced monitoring gives you a one-stop view to watch all the activities that occur within Data Pipelines.
- Live Support: Hevo team is available round the clock to extend exceptional support to its customers through chat, email, and support calls.
Eligible Business Types for Local Service Ads
Google Local Services Ads started rolling out not too long ago, and are devoted to only select industries in the US and Canada. In the initial days, these Ads were available to only a few Home Service Businesses such as HVAC, Plumbers, Electricians, Locksmiths, etc.
Over the last year, Google has expanded to several other industries such as Roofers, Cleaners, Pest Control, Window Contractors, and more. Even more recently, Google has also added Legal and Financial Services industries to the list. Today, Google supports most of the services of the below-mentioned industries.
- Air Duct Cleaner
- Appliance Repair
- Auto Glass Service
- Auto Service Technician
- Carpentry
- Carpet Cleaner
- Electricians
- Event Planner
- Financial Planning
- Flooring
- Garage Door
- House Cleaner
- HVAC
- Junk Removal Provider
- Law
- Lawn Care Provider
- Locksmiths
- Mover
- Pest Control
- Pet Care Provider
- Photographer
- Plumbers
- Real Estate
- Roofing
- Tax Services
- Tutor
- Water Damage Service Provider
- Window Cleaner
- Window Service Provider
Eligible Countries for Local Service Ads
Google Local Services Ads initially rolled out in test markets of the US back in 2015. Over the next few years, Google started expanding into the USA, Canada, and some parts of Europe as well. Although Google Local Services Ads have penetrated into most of the large metropolitan areas of the US, not all regions have access to the same. Google has been slowly adding new countries and cities to its list, and as of today, the below-mentioned countries are serving LSAs.
- Austria
- Belgium
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Spain
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
Benefits of Google Local Services Ads
Google Local Services Ads connect Local Searchers with the most relevant, appropriate, and trusted professionals in their area. Local Advertisers have the opportunity to be shown at the top of the search page and get quality leads/clicks. Desktop users will see 3 LSAs at the top of the page and Mobile users are likely to see 2 LSAs at the top with their Google Guaranteed Badge. You can clearly figure out that these Ads take up almost all of the real estate on a screen.
Below is an example of Google Local Service Ads.
Along with increased visibility, there is much more that you can reap with Google LSAs.
- Quality Leads: Just getting seen at the top of Google doesn’t ensure that you get quality clicks or leads. So, Google connects you with potential customers who are searching for your services in the areas you serve, and there is a high probability that they will convert into leads. Google Local Services Ads connect the right job to the right Local Advertiser and prevent job mismatch.
- Pay-Per-Lead: Pay-Per-Click Advertisers know the pain of paying for a mismatched click that doesn’t convert. However, Google charges Local Advertisers only for valid leads related to your business and the services you offer. It can cost you anything from $6 to $30 per lead depending on the job and market. Google also secures you from fraud or spam leads.
- Google Guarantee: Your Ads appear with a green checkmark alongside the Google Guarantee Badge. This essentially means that Google is guaranteeing that your business is legitimate and trustworthy. This is bound to catch a user’s attention and trust. Simply put, your business can easily benefit from Google’s powerful endorsement.
- Highlight Positives: LSAs provide detailed information about your business including past customers’ ratings & reviews. Highlighting your positive reviews and feedback is a great way to earn searchers’ trust.
- Accessible on all Platforms: Google Local Services Ads are compatible with all devices including Desktops, Mobiles, Tablets, etc. As a matter of fact, your Ads will also appear on devices supporting Google Assistant’s Voice search queries.
- Automatically Triggered: Google LSAs don’t require you to spend time on Keyword Research and Ad Testing. The Ad format is automatically created using information from your business page, saving you a lot of time. On top of that, Local Service Ads get automatically triggered when a customer searches for relevant search terms.
Getting Started with Google Local Services Ads
Advertising with Google has never been easier. To get started with Google Local Services Ads, follow the below-mentioned steps.
- Step 1: Confirm your Eligibility
- Step 2: Create your Business Profile
- Step 3: License and Insurance Checks
- Step 4: Background Check
Step 1: Confirm your Eligibility
As discussed earlier, Google Local Services Ads are devoted to only certain industries in select markets. However, Google is expanding this service quickly in more regions and for more job types. To find out if your business fits in the supported industry type and location, confirm your eligibility on the Sign-Up Page.
If you’re eligible, you can proceed further to create your Local Services Account to manage your Ads.
Step 2: Create your Business Profile
Your Local Service Ads Profile will help Google to identify and match jobs to your Local Service Ads. Fill in basic information about the product or service that you provide, and about the areas you serve. From your business profile, you can easily control what Job Types you want to match with, your Business Hours, your Service Areas, and your Weekly Budget. You can also highlight attributes and special offers on your Business Profile to stand out among your competitors.
Step 3: License and Insurance Checks
Before you start running your Local Service Ads, you need to pass the License and Insurance checks. To earn the Google Guarantee Badge, you’ll need to submit up-to-date Professional Licenses and Insurance details to prove that you’re a licensed, and insured professional.
Step 4: Background Check
Once you pass the License and Insurance checks, Google will do a final Background Check to ensure that they’re sending trusted professionals to perform jobs for their users. You see, it’s not that easy to earn Google’s endorsement. Pinkerton, in association with Google, performs the background checks and there is no cost added to it.
Upon successful screening, your Business Profile is created. You’re now all set to launch your Local Service Ads to garner quality leads for your business.
Conclusion
Google Local Services Ads aren’t meant to replace traditional Search Ads or even organic results. However, they are positioned at the top above all the results. They act as Google’s recommendations to assist local searchers. Google is here to handle all your Digital Marketing needs so that you can focus more on your products and services to create an amazing experience for your customers.
However, as your business scales, managing leads and extracting complex data from Google Ads can be a challenging task and this is where Hevo saves the day! Hevo Data is the one-stop-shop solution to integrate data from Google Ads to carry out an insightful analysis of your Marketing Campaign and Strategies.
visit our website to explore hevoHevo Data with its strong integration with 100+ Sources & BI tools such as Google Ads, allows you to not only export data from sources & load data in the destinations, but also transform & enrich your data, & make it analysis-ready so that you can focus only on your key business needs and perform insightful analysis using BI tools.
Give Hevo Data a try and sign up for a 14-day free trial today. Hevo offers plans & pricing for different use cases and business needs, check them out!
Share your experience of working and earning with Google Local Services Ads in the comments section below.
