What are Google Local Services Ads?
Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) are a pay-per-lead advertising format from Google, built specifically for local trade and home service businesses, think plumbers, electricians, cleaners, and roofers. Unlike standard Google Ads, where you bid on keywords and pay per click regardless of outcome, LSAs only charge you when a genuine customer actually contacts you through the ad. That makes them one of the most cost-efficient ways to generate local leads, since you’re not paying for browsers, only real enquiries.
LSAs appear right at the top of Google’s search results, above even standard paid ads, and carry the Google Guarantee badge once a business passes Google’s screening process, a combination of background checks, licence and insurance verification, and review analysis. That badge matters: it tells potential customers Google has vetted the business, and it comes with a reimbursement guarantee of up to £1,500 if the customer isn’t satisfied with the work. For homeowners searching for a trusted local provider “right now,” that visible trust signal can be the deciding factor between clicking your listing or a competitor’s.
The trade-off is that getting set up isn’t simple, the screening process is notoriously fiddly, only a limited number of sectors are currently eligible in the UK, and once live, there’s ongoing profile and review management needed to keep leads flowing. That’s exactly where Heavyweight Digital comes in: we handle the entire setup process, manage your Google Guarantee status, and continually optimise your listing so you’re capturing the maximum number of qualified leads for your trade.
Google’s Screening Process
Sadly, not every business within a local services ads industry will pass the complex Google screening process. The initial setup involves a series of background, license and insurance checks.
In addition to the evaluation of any reviews & ratings, so that your business can be Google Guaranteed. The local services ads screening process can be confusing and convoluted, it can easily become a time consuming challenge for you to tackle – we can help your through the process and keep your profile optimised and ensure you get the best from Google Local Services Ads.
Is my Business Eligible?
Currently, Google Local Services Ads supports the following sectors. This is due to expand in the UK so watch this space!
Appliance Repair
House Cleaning
Pest Control
Roofing
Window Cleaning
Carpet Cleaning
Heating / Air Con
Plumbing
Tree Care
Window Repair
Electrical Work
Lawn Care
Removal Services
Waste Removal
What is Google Guaranteed?
When you have been awarded a Google Guarantee badge, your customers that came to you via Google Local Services Ads are protected up to the value of £1500 in the UK – should they not be satisfied with your work. This creates an unprecedented level of trust that the customer will receive a good service from the provider, whilst giving them a fall back guarantee that Google will reimburse the customer. The Google Guarantee badge is great for all business advertisers because it ensures the client that they’ll get a good job.
The initial process of screening the advertisers’ business and going through a qualification process means that only legitimate businesses will be able to advertise. Furthermore, by the very way that Google charge on a pay per lead basis, it will undoubtedly be as successful here in the UK as it has been in the United States. For more information about Google Local Services Ads click here. Heavyweight Digital can not only help overcome the challenge of becoming Google Guaranteed, but can optimise your listing to ensure you get the optimal amount of leads.
Google Ads or Google Local Services Ads?
Local Service Ads are not a direct substitute for Google Ads so it’s advisable to try both advertising methods concurrently. At this time there are limited categories and signing up to Google Local Services Ads is not the most straightforward process. There are some barriers to entry and some complexities in terms of Google screening and qualification.
Fortunately we’re here to help and have a series of clients already benefiting from Local Service Ads. If you’re thinking about the switch from Google Ads to Local Service Ads, then consider that Google Ads does offer greater control of actually choosing keywords, negative keywords, audience types etc whereas Local Service Ads is great for eligible businesses as these ads will often appear for ‘near me’ searches and when someone is looking for a certain trade or service at the time when they need it most!
There are key differences between Google’s two advertising platforms and it’s recommended to consider both depending on how many leads you wish to generate and your marketing goals.
We’re Google Premier Partners!
What does it take to become a Google Premier Partner?
Being recognised as a Google Premier Partner means that Heavyweight Digital are in the top 3% of Google Ads marketing agencies in the UK. To attain this coveted status we have to meet stringent performance targets, keeping our clients Google Ads accounts performance consistently higher than Google minimum scores.
Furthermore, there are also certification requirements that we always strive to exceed. Every one of our Google Ads account managers have certified in various specialisms from search, shopping and display, and everything in-between!
Ensuring our Google Ads managers are always at the top of their game, every member of the team ring-fence time out to ensure they’re always learning and striving for the next certification. This is often through formal training but also time to keep knowledge current with the general digital marketing landscape.
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