What are Google Local Service Ads?
Google Local Service Ads (LSAs) are a game-changer for small and medium-sized businesses looking to connect directly with local customers. Unlike traditional pay-per-click (PPC) ads, LSAs display your business at the very top of Google Search and include the Google Verified badge. These ads are specifically designed for service-based businesses such as locksmiths, plumbers, electricians, and pest control companies, offering a compelling benefit: you only pay for the leads they generate.
However, these ads have a well-deserved reputation for being pricey, leading many to wonder if they are worth their cost. Today, we’re going to look at Google LSAs, consider their benefits, and talk about good ways to incorporate them into an effective local SEO strategy.
What Makes a Google Verified Ad Stand Out?
Google’s local service ads are often simply referred to as “Google Verified” ads. The reason behind this name is the blue checkmark and Google Verified badge that become visible when users click on the ad, and your Google Business Profile opens.
This badge of trust is more than a bit of eye-candy, and all businesses that use Google LSAs must first qualify (more on that later!) and be approved to run this type of ad.
Business owners can “Rate this lead” to suggest to Google AI if a lead is actually valid or not. Reasons for a poor rating include Spam, a person not ready to book, a duplicate lead, or someone looking for employment.
Eligibility: Becoming a Google Screened Business
The Google Verified program is a bit different than your typical PPC ad campaign. First, Google LSA campaigns are only available to certain types of local businesses, typically home service businesses. As with many Google services, the precise list is something of a moving target, and the best way to know if your industry is covered is to use Google’s LSA eligibility tool to see if yours is covered.
After verifying that your business type is included in the Google LSA program, the next step is to go through the business screening process. This process can take upwards of 4 weeks to complete, and depending on your industry, may require proof of relevant certifications, insurance, background checks, and local or state business licenses.
One requirement that is standard across the board is that Google requires businesses running LSAs to have at least 5 Google reviews on their Google Business Profile. This effectively rules out LSAs for brand-new businesses and is yet another reason why having a review-generation pipeline in place is essential for small businesses.
Pay-per-Lead Payment Structure
In the world of digital marketing, business owners are probably most familiar with the pay-per-click advertising model. This is your traditional Google ad, and for each time a user clicks on the ad, you will be billed regardless of whether or not they end up contacting you.
Google Verified ads replace this billing structure with a pay-per-lead model. In this, you will only pay for clicks on your Google ads that result in a phone call, email, or form submission.
The upside of this is that you are only going to pay for actual leads, but this comes at a literal cost: Google Guaranteed ads can cost upwards of 10x that of PPC ads.
A Simpler Way to Run Ads
When compared to traditional PPC search ads, Google Verified ads offer very few customizations. By choosing Google LSA, you are leaving big decisions like which keywords to target up to the search giant’s algorithms. The only inputs you really have control over are what your weekly budget is, how close your prospects should be to see your ads, what times to run your ads, and which service verticals you’d like to target.
This simplicity can be seen as a good thing, as there is less to think about, but it gives you less control over where and how your ads are shown, and the types of jobs you generate leads for.
One feature that LSAs offer is that businesses can upload photos, which may be displayed alongside their ads. We highly recommend you choose these with care, as the right photo can result in more conversions.
How Google LSAs Fit Into A Good SEO Strategy
Google LSAs are a powerful tool, and if you own a local service business, there is a good chance that they can be worth your attention. At Cut Throat Marketing, we strongly believe that one of the best ways to maximize the number of leads you get from search engines is by maximizing the real estate your company takes up on any given search engine results page (SERP).
When Google Verified ads are displayed, they always show up at the top of Google search results, putting your brand right in front of the searcher’s eyes. Additionally, these ads are accompanied by a prominent blue check mark, which helps to boost consumer confidence.
These are tangible benefits, but by themselves are no guarantee of closing a lead, and we have found that the best results come when your business also appears on the Google Map pack, traditional (and more affordable) PPC ads, and ranks well organically.
A well-run digital marketing strategy can see your brand presented to potential customers in four different ways on a single local search. This element of multiple exposure is an essential component of brand psychology. The first time a prospect sees your company’s name, they might not even register it, but after several encounters, they will begin to recognize the name and naturally come to associate it with your service.
This effect can produce particularly impactful results with consumers who aren’t as inclined to click on ads. By the time a picky searcher has reached the organic results, they have seen your company’s name three times before and are now primed to visit your website.
Start Generating High-Quality Leads
Google LSAs are a great tool for home service providers looking to acquire new leads. The Google screened badge helps establish trust with new customers, and the pay-per-lead model means you are only paying when a customer contacts you.
While LSAs have lots of advantages, we feel they work best when used as a part of a holistic marketing approach that also includes SEO and PPC ad campaigns. This ultimately produces more leads at a lower cost per lead. Are you ready to start getting more leads out of your marketing budget? At Cut Throat Marketing, we take your business to the next level.