How to Optimize Google Local Services Ads

With an average daily user count north of 3.5 billion, Google is comfortably perched atop the internet search engine throne. Though challengers – particularly Bing, now backed by Microsoft – have chipped away a few percentage points in recent years, Google still captures between 83- 86% of the total search engine market in 2023.

That number represents a lot of potential opportunities for your shop. A huge percentage of Google users are looking for a local business or information – about 46%, according to HubSpot. To help facilitate its own business goals, Google makes it easy to set up a profile and get started running local ads.

But that’s where many of the HVAC contractors and plumbers we talk to run into trouble. If you’re inexperienced with Google Ads, the tough part isn’t necessarily getting them up and running – it’s figuring out how to actually move the needle with the dollars you’re investing in them.

Google’s Local Services Ads (LSAs) are an excellent option for your shop – mainly because you only pay each time you get a lead, not just when someone views or clicks on your ad. You also get to use Google’s built-in brand trust, thanks to its helpful Google Guarantee badge that offers new customers peace of mind. Whether you’re brand new to running LSAs or have been doing them a while, the tips below will help you get the most out of them:

Optimize your Google Business Profile and earn the “Guarantee” Badge

We covered many of the most important profile optimization tips in our recent post on improving your ranking on Google Maps. A well-optimized Google Business Profile is the starting point for success with LSAs, but it never hurts to review the essentials. From there, you’ll need to pass a screening process that will qualify you for the Google Guarantee badge and allow your ads to get served to a local audience. The exact steps of the process vary – certain industries may require a background check – but there’s no cost to you. During this step, you may be asked to provide insurance records and business licenses, so be sure to have them and similar admin information handy. You may need to dust off the filing cabinet or dig through your inbox, so give yourself plenty of time.

Tips to optimize Google LSAs

Now that your shop is approved to run ads (or you’re already running them), your biggest concern is actually getting results with them. Some degree of trial and error is normal with paid ads, but if you don’t have an overarching plan or strategy, you’ll quickly run up your Google bill with little to show for it. Try these tactics to improve your LSA campaigns and increase the efficiency of your ad spend:

Consolidate target markets as much as you can

We get it – even shops that rely on local customers don’t always target one city. Maybe you own or operate multiple locations of a franchise, or you have another service area in a different part of the state.

But if you really want to get the most out of the money you spend on Google ads, you should try to minimize the number of geographic markets you target ads towards. Focusing on just one market is great, two is fine, and three is the maximum number of different locations you’ll want to target with your ads. Any more and you’ll simply be spreading your resources (and ad budget) too thin.

Remember that you can also set geographic targets outside the location of your physical office. Google lets you pinpoint specific zip codes where you’re most likely to find a receptive audience. On the other hand, distance from your profile’s address is a factor in how frequently your LSA will show up in search results. Keep that in mind as you experiment with different locations.

Respond to Google LSA inquiries ASAP

The amount of time that passes between a prospect submitting an inquiry about your services and receiving a call or message from your team is a metric called response time. There are a number of reasons you should aim to make response time as short as possible.

Let’s start with the obvious: if someone searching for your services has an emergency request, they aren’t going to want to wait very long to receive a response. If a request is very time- sensitive, you may even lose an opportunity for the business after just an hour or two.

Beyond the urgency of immediate service requests, you should also strive for a short response time because Google uses it as a ranking factor when determining which ads to display for users. In the specific case of message inquiries, if you’ve received two or more in the last 90

days, Google displays a response time estimate with your ad that can range from a few minutes to one day.

You might be stressing about having to answer incoming inquiries around the clock. Luckily, you can set your LSAs to only run during your normal business hours (set by your profile) or temporarily pause campaigns if you are going to be on vacation or out of the office for a few days. Google suggests that you don’t run LSAs during time periods when you can’t answer inquiries quickly.

Mark leads to help educate Google’s algorithms

When an LSA lead converts into a customer, make sure you mark that record as “booked” from the reporting dashboard. You’ll also be prompted to add more details about the deal. Marking leads that convert successfully is important for two reasons: first, it helps you understand your success rate so that you can determine whether your ads are bringing in a positive return on investment (ROI). Second, marking a lead as booked gives

Google’s algorithm insights into the kinds of prospects who make the best fit for your ads, giving you a better chance to close more leads in the future.

More benefit for multiple GBP accounts

Fun fact: you are allowed one LSA account per trade per GBP location. So if your a plumber with two Google Business Profiles, you can have TWO LSA accounts. If you're a plumbing/HVAC shop with two GBP profiles, you can have FOUR LSA accounts. Take advantage of this like the pros do.

Final word on Google Local Services Ads for local contractors

Google’s LSA advertising program is a win-win for advertisers and customers: people looking for services in their area get peace of mind that a local contractor or plumbing shop is legit and trustworthy, while advertisers don’t have to waste money when a user only clicks on the ad without any further action.

The downside is that LSAs can be a bit more complicated than regular paid ads, and come with their own set of best practices and tactics to maximize success. Sometimes, it can be helpful to get an experienced outside advisor to help with your Google Ads. At Levergy, we’ve been helping HVAC shops, plumbers, and many other kinds of contractors cut through the noise to find real success with digital marketing. Click here to book a consultation call to learn more about us and how we can do the same for you.