Fully Managed Google Local Services Ads (LSA)

If you own a business, you already know the value of potential customers who find you online. More than 95% of people looking for a service or product start there, which means a strong digital presence is an opportunity to get in front of the thousands of people searching for what you offer!
Building SEO is typically a strategy that incorporates website optimization, creating valuable content, link building, and more. And while most people are familiar with pay-per-click options, Google Local Services Ads is an additional resource available to businesses in specific categories. If you’re in one of those categories, Local Services Ads should be in your marketing toolkit – it is pay-per-lead advertising at its best!

What Are Google Local Services Ads (LSA)?

Unlike pay-per-click advertising, where you pay when anyone clicks on your ad, Google Local Services Ads are designed differently. The platform ensures you only pay for leads that contact you through the ad directly via call, booking, or message.

In addition, these unique ads are displayed at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) – even above pay-per-click and organic results. They’re specifically targeted to local users, which means they are relevant and highly visible to people in your area (a win-win for your advertising dollars)!

While pay-per-click advertising is available to most business owners, Google Local Services Ads are only obtainable to businesses in six categories. Those categories include home services, business services, dentists, education, care, and wellness. If your business is in one of these classifications, then Local Services Ads could be a great way to hear from more potential customers looking for what you provide!

Step-By-Step Guide To Google Local Services Ads (LSA)

If you’re new to Local Services Ads, we’re here to help. We’ll walk you through the process, from ensuring your business is eligible to posting your first ad. Keep reading for instructions on this unique marketing tool. 

Verify Your LSA Eligibility

One thing that makes Google Local Services Ads unique is its exclusivity. To qualify, your business must fall into one of the five eligible categories. Those categories are as follows:

Home Services – for example, a plumbing, home security, or contracting business. 

Business Services – for example, an attorney, real estate agent, tax specialist or financial planning professional. 

Educational Services – for example, a massage or beauty school, preschool, or tutoring business. 

Care Services – for example, child care, funeral homes, pet adoption, or veterinary care.

Wellness Services – for example, personal trainer, yoga studio, or acupuncturist. 

Congratulations, you may be eligible for Google Local Services Ads if you believe your business falls into one of these categories! Want to confirm? Visit Google’s LSA page to get started.

Create Your LSA Profile

Google makes it easy to set up your Local Services Ads profile. After reviewing the categories and selecting the one that best fits your business, answer the questions as prompted. The questions include standard business information such as name, owner’s name, address, website, years in business, hours of operation, and more. In addition, you’ll also be asked to confirm that you have the proper licensing for your business and industry. 

Once you’ve added the essential information and answered any relevant questions, you can add highlights to your business profile. According to Google, two to five highlights are optimal to help you stand out. Highlights might include the fact that you’re a minority-owned business or that you offer discounts to veterans, etc. Don’t skip this step that can help you attract more customers to your business!

Preview Your Local Services Ads

After you’ve entered all the relevant information for your profile, Google will generate a preview of your Local Services Ads. One of the great things about Google LSA is that the details are automatically pulled from your Google Business Profile and used to generate the ads. You can edit the final version, but most of the ads will be done for you seamlessly.

Set Your Budget

Curious about the cost of Local Services Ads? Google has an answer with its cost calculator. Enter your local area information and the number of leads you’d like to receive per month, then select your industry to get started. You’ll receive an instant budget estimate using this easy Google tool. 

Once you start running ads, you can adjust your budget (and other profile details) on the account dashboard. 

Wait For A Background Check

Before your ads go live, Google will run a background check to ensure you (and your employees) pass specific legal and insurance requirements to be eligible for LSA. The process is free, and you can track progress along the way. 

The great thing about the background check is that once you pass, your ads will be ready to go, AND they’ll have a green Google Screened or Google Guaranteed check. Both are a fantastic way to stand out from the crowd as it signals to potential customers that you have been vetted (and approved) by Google itself. 

Beyond a trust-building visual, the Google Guarantee instills confidence that encourages customers to book through Local Services Ads. Customers who are unsatisfied with the service can request a refund through Google (up to a certain amount). Businesses in the home services category are eligible for the Google Guarantee. Companies in the other four categories are eligible for the Google Screened designation.

Answer More Phone Calls

Once your ads are up, the next step is to answer those incoming inquiries! While this may seem obvious (most businesses want to talk to more incoming customers), it’s also strategic. Your success on Google Local Services Ads depends on your ability to respond quickly and effectively.

New potential customers can reach out via phone, text, and more, so answering any incoming inquiries is essential. Reviews are another critical factor to help boost your ads, so once you convert those leads into customers, don’t forget to ask them to rave about you online!

Optimize Your Listing

Like any effective marketing tool, your Local Services Ads require ongoing attention and management to get the best results. If you’re unsure how to optimize your profile, ads, and search terms for maximum exposure, look for a professional team like BullsEye Internet Marketing to help you rise to the top. We provide Google Local Services Ads (LSA) management and optimization that helps our clients hear from more potential customers faster and more consistently.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve unpacked the basics of Google Local Services Ads, but keep reading for commonly asked questions and answers.

Don’t see the questions or answers you need? Contact our team at BullsEye Internet Marketing to learn more about LSA and our Fully Managed Google Local Services Ads (LSA) options.

What is Google Local Service Ads?

Google Local Services Ads or LSA is a unique pay-per-lead service. With pay-per-click advertising, you pay for any ad clicks (whether or not they’re from interested customers). With Google Local Services Ads, you only pay for leads that contact you directly through your ads via booking, messaging, or a call. 

Additionally, Local Services Ads appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs), outranking pay-per-click and organic results. These ads are specifically targeted to local users, so they’re highly relevant and visible to people in your area that are looking for what you offer!

Unlike pay-per-click ads, Google Local Services Ads are only available to specific business categories, including home and business services, education, care, and wellness. If you own a business in one of these five classifications, Local Services Ads could be a great marketing tool to help increase your calls (and sales)!

What is the difference between Google Ads and Google Local Service Ads (LSA)?

There are a few key differences between Google Ads and Google Local Service Ads, including who can use them. Most businesses can utilize Google’s pay-per-click advertising by creating an account and setting a budget. Google Local Services Ads are exclusive to companies in five categories, including those that provide business, home, education, care, and wellness services. 

Another difference between Google Ads and LSA is how the business owner is charged. With pay-per-click, you’ll literally “pay for clicks,” regardless of whether they come from an interested customer who contacts you. With Local Services Ads, the business pays per lead, which means someone who contacts the company through the ad (via phone, message, or booking). 

Lastly, you can incorporate a Google Screened or Google Guaranteed designation with Google’s Local Services Ads. To do so, you’ll get verified by Google (which includes a check for required licenses and a background check for you and your team), then receive a green check for your ad. These green checks signal to potential customers that you’re trustworthy. Google Guaranteed means that unhappy customers can request reimbursement from Google for bad service in some cases. 

Are Google Local Service Ads worth it?

Absolutely. Google Local Services Ads give you prime visibility (above pay-per-click and organic search results) and better exposure to consumer matches in your local area. With LSA, you only pay for leads (not clicks), so your marketing dollars go further because you’re paying for potential customer inquiries only after they reach out. 

You can also benefit from being Google Screened or Google Guaranteed. Both options feature a prominent green check on your ads, which helps build consumer confidence. Google Guaranteed goes one step further and gives dissatisfied customers the opportunity to request reimbursement for services (up to a certain amount).  

How do I run Local Service Ads on Google?

Setting up Local Services Ads on Google is easy but only available to certain types of businesses. The first step to running ads is to verify your eligibility. The six categories for Local Services Ads are below: 

Home Services – for example, plumbing, home security, and contracting.
Business Services – for example, attorneys, real estate agents, tax specialists and financial planners.
Educational Services – for example, massage and beauty schools, preschools, and tutoring businesses.
Care Services – for example, child and pet or veterinary care businesses.
Wellness Services – for example, personal trainers, yoga studios, and acupuncturists.
Dentists

Once you’ve verified your eligibility, you can select your business category and begin completing your profile. Expect to answer questions about your business, such as contact information, hours of operation, years in business, owner details, etc. You’ll also need the required licensing for your particular business and/or industry.

After you’ve completed basic business details, you can add highlights (two to five are recommended), such as whether or not you offer discounts to veterans or are female or minority-owned. Highlights can help your business stand out, so don’t skip this step (Google also likes to have this information completed, which means it may help you connect to more relevant searches more frequently). 

After you’ve completed your listing, you can preview your Local Services Ads and set your budget. To determine your budget, Google has a simple calculator that asks for your zip code and the number of desired leads per month. Enter that information, and you’ll be instantly given a range to help you achieve your goal. 

For your ads, Google will use information from your profile, which means you don’t have to create anything yourself. You will have the opportunity to edit details if needed. 

One of the last things you’ll need to do before running ads is complete a background check. This step is done by Google and is completely free of charge. You can even check the progress while you wait. Once the background check is complete, you’ll become Google Screened or Google Guaranteed and have a bright green check on all ads. Both are trust-builders, but the Google Guarantee instills extra confidence for potential customers since Google stands behind the business service (up to a certain amount). 

Once ads are running, don’t forget to respond quickly to any incoming inquiries and ask for reviews. Both of those activities are essential items Google will track, and when done well, they can boost your ad exposure!

What do Google Local Service Ads cost?

Just like pay-per-click, you can determine your own budget for Local Services Ads campaigns. If you’d like to get an idea of a budget, you can use Google’s free LSA budget calculator. Once you enter your zip code, how many leads per month you’d like to receive, and your industry, Google will give you an estimated budget to reach your goal.

What is the difference between Google Screened & Google Guaranteed?

Google Screened means that businesses have passed license checks and, in some cases, background checks and proof of insurance. With Google Screening, companies are not required to have their location verified. Google Guaranteed includes the same steps as Google Screened but also validates the business location. 

In addition, Google Guaranteed provides financial protection to potential customers. When those customers choose a Google Guaranteed business, they can request reimbursement if they are dissatisfied with the service or work. 

Businesses in the home services category are eligible for a Google Guaranteed designation. Companies in the business, care, education and wellness categories are eligible for Google Screened checks.

What type of companies can participate in Google Local Service Ads?

Local Services Ads are only available to certain types of businesses. Before you can build a profile, you’ll need to verify that your business is eligible. Below are the five categories that can use Google Local Services Ads. 

Home Services – including plumbing, home security, and contracting.
Business Services – including attorneys, accountants, real estate agents, and financial planners.
Educational Services – including massage and beauty schools, preschools, and tutoring businesses.
Care Services – including child, pet, and veterinary care businesses.
Wellness Services – including personal trainers, yoga studios, and acupuncturists.
Dentists