As a home service provider, your company thrives on doing local business. It’s important to execute marketing strategies aimed at customers in your geographic area. Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) for home services can connect you to the customers in your region when they’re looking for a solution you can provide. Learning how to use these ads correctly will improve your online visibility and help you book more jobs. 

Uncover the ins and outs of Google home service ads and learn how to make them work for your business. 

Understanding Local Services Ads

Google Local Services Ads target customers in your geographic location. 

You create ads highlighting your services, service area, address, hours, contact information, and reviews. Once your ad is approved, you’ll appear at the top of the search results for people in your area. 

You pay only when someone books a service, messages you, or calls you from the ad. As a home service provider, LSAs are a cost-effective way to generate leads in your area. 

Benefits of LSAs for Home Services

Leads are crucial for your home service business. LSAs help you generate high-quality leads to book more business. With the pay-per-lead model, you pay only when a customer contacts you through the link, unlike traditional Google Ads with a pay-per-click model. 

Your cost per lead varies based on your industry and location, but you can set a not-to-exceed budget. Once you’ve reached your max, your ads will no longer appear in anyone's searches. Since your ads appear in local searches for your specific service, you get higher-quality leads than you might get with a traditional pay-per-click ad. 

You can also use tools such as the Google Guarantee and Google Screened badges to inspire trust among potential customers. When you sign up for Google Screened, someone from the program will verify your license, background, and insurance coverage. Once you’ve been screened, Google offers the guarantee, in which customers are reimbursed if they’re not happy with your service. 

These badges show potential customers that you’re qualified and that you stand behind your work, so they can trust you with their home service needs.

Differences Between LSAs and Traditional Google Ads

LSAs are specifically for service-based businesses, including home services, professional services, and personal services. Although traditional Google Ads offer more flexibility for targeting, LSAs appear for local customers searching for your specific service. 

For example, if someone is looking for “roofers near me,” LSAs put your business in front of them with relevant information that makes you more attractive than the competition. LSAs will list your average star rating and a selection of positive reviews, along with the Guarantee and Screened badges. 

Setting Up Local Ads for Home Services

To start generating more qualified leads through LSAs, check to see if your industry is eligible. Then follow these steps to launch your campaign. 

Create a Google Business Profile

The benefits of a Google Business Profile extend beyond the ability to launch LSA campaigns. A Google Business Profile enables your past customers to review your business, and it improves your organic visibility in local searches. It also features your business on Google Maps when people are looking for companies in your region. 

Create your profile by logging into your Google account and searching for your business. If you see it listed, claim it. If not, you can add it. Enter your business information, choose your business type, and verify your business. 

Create a Local Services Ads Account

When your Google Business Profile is active, sign up for a Local Services Ads account. Then create a profile detailing your name, address, contact information, and service types. Next, set your service area and upload any documentation Google can use to verify your business.

Set Your Budget

Research the average price per lead for your industry and set your maximum budget. Setting your budget too low will shorten the length of time it runs. Consider your average cost per lead for other digital marketing channels to aim for a realistic number. Once you’ve run your ads for a while, you'll have a better idea of how many leads your ads are generating and can set your budget accordingly. 

Optimizing Your Home Services LSAs

Like traditional Google Ads, LSAs are more effective when you optimize them. Keep your service area small. Trying to target too many locations is a less effective use of your budget. You also risk losing the proximity ranking factor Google uses to determine which businesses to display for a search. If you have multiple locations, create more than one Google LSA account. 

Also, make sure you keep your certifications up to date to retain your Google Screened and Guarantee badges.

To qualify for an LSA account, you need a Google Business Profile rating of at least three stars. Positive customer reviews are crucial to maintaining your rating and building trust with new potential customers. Encourage customers to leave a review with social media posts, reminder emails, and notes at the bottom of your invoices. 

Measuring Your LSA Performance

Consistently monitoring your LSA metrics helps you refine your account and budget to maximize your return on investment. Keep tabs on your actual ad spend at the end of each month along with the number of charged leads, the number of bookings, the number of reviews, and your overall review score. 

These metrics will show you whether or not you need to refine your profile. For example, if your number of charged leads drops, you might want to update your business categories or add some photos to your profile. Adjusting your ads based on key performance indicators will help you maximize your ROI and generate better leads. 

Best Practices for Maximizing Lead Generation

The way you set up your LSA account will go a long way toward generating more leads. Use local keyword research to see which keywords and phrases are driving users to businesses in your industry. Incorporate them into your profile and ad copy to make your LSAs more visible. 

Write catchy, benefits-oriented headlines that clearly communicate why customers should choose you. Understand what differentiates you from the competition and highlight it in your profile. 

High-quality photos are encouraged for traditional Google Ads for businesses. In the service industry, photos aren’t as critical. You provide home services, and many of your customers may not be comfortable with you posting their home on the internet. However, high-quality photos can make your ads more appealing, so try to at least post some pics of your home office or your team. 

Remember that your LSAs are just part of your overall digital marketing strategy. You should also use additional tools to build your brand's reputation, including social media and content marketing. 

Boost Your Business Even Further With Professional Ad Management

Google LSAs are an effective method to reach more local customers. Partner with an expert to make the most of your LSA account. Our blend of expertise includes online reputation management and digital advertising, including LSAs.

We can help you create a compelling profile while strategically incorporating LSAs into your overall digital marketing strategy. We can also help optimize your website for new leads coming in from your LSAs to enhance your ROI on this valuable marketing tool. 

Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you.