Everything You Need To Know About Google Local Service Ads

This slide deck will get you started on the basics of using Google Local Service Ads, the successor program to Google Home Service Ads.

1. Google local service ads (LSA) The Will Marlow Agency

2. Formerly Home Service Ads Google’s Local Service Ads will display on desktop, tablet, and mobile searches, and they’ll also have reach beyond traditional search ads. Local Service Ads will be featured in the Google Assistant’s response to relevant voice search queries! The Google Assistant will even inquire about the searcher’s job type and location to ensure a quality match for the advertiser.   LSA are shown on top of the page, above paid ads and organic results LSA are connecting searchers with advertisers that are serving their areas and are good fit for the job.

3. Advertisers pay per lead, not click Ads will appear with green check mark that says Google Guarantee No keywords research or ad creation LSA’s include customers’ ratings & reviews   They are completely separate from AdWords  

4. Locksmiths Plumbers Garage Door Electricians HVAC Air Duct Cleaner* Appliance Repair Service* Auto Glass Service* Auto Service Technician* Carpet Cleaner* Event Planner* Handyman* Home Improvement Pro* House Cleaner* Junk Removal Provider* Lawn Care Provider* Mover* Painter* Pest Control Technician* Pet Care Provider* Pet Groomer* Photographer* Roadside Assistance Service* Roofer* Tree Service Provider* Tutor* Upholstery Cleaner* Water Damage Service Provider* Window Cleaner* Window Service Provider* Local Service Ad Industries *Not all services are supported in all markets.

5. Local Service Ad Regions Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ Pittsburgh, PA Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX San Diego-Carlsbad, CA San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA St. Louis, MO-IL Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

6. Getting Started   First you need to create an account https://ads.google.com/local-services-ads/ Setup process is self guided

7. From your business profile, you can edit: Your weekly budget Your business hours Your service areas Your job types

8. You also have the option to add highlights to your business profile. Use these to highlight attributes and special offers to distinguish yourself from others in your industry. Although these highlights are optional, Google recommends including 2-5 highlights in your business profile.

9. To earn the Google Guarantee and run Local Service Ads, you’ll need to submit proof that you’re a licensed and insured professional. Google requires businesses and their fieldworkers to pass a background check which is free. You can initiate it here: https://pinkerton.screenmenow.com/Default.aspx?c=ALLI_04073

10. Budget And Leads Businesses set a weekly budget and are charged on a per lead basis. The lead cost is a set rate that varies depending on the category and market (between $10-$30 per lead). Google may spend slightly less or more than your assigned weekly budget in any given week, but it will never exceed your monthly maximum budget.  If you’re just starting off with Local Service Ads, it’s recommended that you budget for at least 20 leads per week to get the most out of your new ads.

11. You can dispute charged leads upon receiving them. Google will process all lead disputes within one week and will send you an email notifying you of the outcome of your dispute. Credits for any leads will be applied to your account balance by the end of the following calendar month. Note that the original lead charge will still appear on your invoice.  Google also regularly reviews leads, and credits any identified invalid leads. If you can’t find a lead that you want to dispute, it’s possible that it has already been credited.

12. Some Google My Business listings are also included in the Local Services unit for free. These listings show up beneath paid listings, do not have the Google Guarantee badge, and are only available for certain service categories and areas at this time. Free Local Services Listings Leads obtained by listings that aren’t “Google Guaranteed”, either because they’re advertisers that have their ad paused, or they’re free listings, will not be charged for leads.

13. Ad Rankings Up to 3 Local Service Ads will appear on Desktop, 2 on Mobile, and only 1 via the Google Assistant. To ensure your listing shows you’ll need to have a high ad rank. Google calculates your Local Service Ads’ Ad Rank by considering factors including: Your proximity to potential customers' locations Your review score and the number of reviews you receive Your responsiveness to customer inquiries and requests Your business hours Whether or not we’ve received serious or repeated complaints about your business

14. Getting Reviews You’ll receive a personalized Google review link when you sign up for Local Services. Share your link with customers directly to ask for a review. When you mark a lead as booked, you can choose to ask for a review through Google. By selecting this option, you authorize Google to send an email to your customer with a link to leave you a review.  You can ask for a review through Google in the "Reviews" tab of the app, or lead inbox on desktop. Next to each job, select Ask for review. You can also get reviews from customers who didn’t book your service through Local Services. They can go to the “Reviews” section on your business profile, then click Add a Review to write a review and give you a star rating. Your reviews on Google My Business will also show up on your Local Services ad.

15. Reporting The Local Services ad reports show you: The number of charged leads that you received in the period from potential customers who saw your ad on Google search results pages. The total amount you were charged during this period The amount of disputed lead credits you received during this period The number of bookings and your booking rate (percent of leads marked as booked out of charged leads received during the period) A list of all leads you received, which you can filter Data is only available for Oct. 1, 2017 and beyond