Google Local Services Ads are a relatively new concept that Google is currently offering in select markets. It gives local businesses the opportunity to claim a top-priority spot on a dramatically-redesigned search results page.

Local Services Ads appear above all other listings: organic search results, map results, and Google Adwords (i.e. pay-per-click) ads. Businesses pay for Local Services Ads on a per-lead basis.

For now, Local Services Ads are available only to businesses that provide at home services to clients. The goal of the program is to verify the reliability of the businesses in advance, ensuring that customers looking for the sort of services they provide receive a better experience.

Businesses that want to advertise through the Local Services program first need to go through a background check with Google. Google will inspect licenses, business registration paperwork, insurance certificates, and more.

Businesses that pass the background check receive a guarantee badge from Google. This badge is a potent tool for online marketing, as its presence makes any business more trustworthy in the eyes of potential customers.

Customers who end up hiring a guaranteed business through a Google Local Services Ad are protected by Google’s Claim program. If they are unsatisfied with the business’s performance, they can receive up to $2000 in compensation. The Claim program covers both US and Canadian customers. Customers who file a protection claim need to do so within 30 days of the completion of the job.

Local Services Ads on Desktop

Local Services Ads on Mobile

Why does your business need google local services ads

The new verification process that forms the core of the Local Services Ads program is the way of the future when it comes to search engine marketing. It is likely to expand to other search engines; other search providers admire the level of control Google can exercise over the level of service that Local businesses provide. It is also very likely that similar verification processes will be introduced for businesses in other industries beyond home services.

The benefits of advertising on local services ads are:

⦁ Your business receives the absolute highest priority on Google’s search results page. Local Services Ads appear before organic listings, map listings, and pay-per-click ads.

⦁ The guarantee badge your business earns makes it significantly more attractive to potential customers looking to hire you.

⦁ You only need to pay for your Local Services Ads if they generate a genuine lead. Contrast this with pay-per-click ads, where you have to pay for every visitor brought to your website whether or not they end up hiring you. A Local Services Ad can, in the long-term, offer you significant savings.

⦁ Even if you stop paying for Local Services Ads, the verification work Google has done on your business improves its standing in organic search results.

⦁ Positive customer reviews (verified by Google) in the Local Services program have a greater positive impact on your business than Google Map reviews do.

The Difference between Google Local services Ads and Google Pay-Per-Click Ads

Google’s familiar pay-per-click ad program is designed simply to allow a business to increase its exposure by directing more traffic to its website. In contrast, Local Services Ads are focused on generating quality leads. Google monitors a large amount of the lead acquisition process in the Local Services Ad program. The search engine tracks user behavior on your website and listens in on any phone traffic generated by the ad. The result is a highly accurate judgment of whether or not a lead has been generated.

You can dispute lead charges with Google if you believe you’re being charged for invalid leads.

Industries that could advertise with google local services ads

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

Google Local services Ads Regions

Not all locations have access to the google local service ad program, google is expanding the locations in which the ads could be viewed on a daily basis.

Here are the current locations that google local services ads are being served:

⦁ 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

Conclusion

If you need more quality leads for your home service business, Google Local Services Ads are well worth your consideration. The way Google is integrating the Local Services program with its other offerings – particularly Google Home products and Google Assistant – also holds out promise for reaching potential customers through brand-new channels.