Google Local Services Ads
Why Should You Care About Google Local Services Ads?
Google is used worldwide, but some internet searches simply require something a bit more trusted and localized. When it comes to needing a professional within a certain geographical location, something more personalized is needed.
Google recently announced their Local Service Ads. This program will take specific industries to the next level with their advertising. Whether it be a plumber, electrician, garage door repair company or HVAC professional, a searcher will be able to quickly find trusted professionals in their area with ease. These ads will clearly display the phone number of the business, hours of business, customer reviews and ratings.
To make this an even more beneficial service, searchers will be connected to specific advertisers that can help from a local perspective. If a company is a good fit for a job and they exist within a certain area, that local service ad will be displayed. Google Local Services Ads will be available through desktop computer, tablet computers and smart phone searches.
Industries Being Represented
To date, Google is supporting Local Service ads for industries such as:
- Appliance Repair
- Carpenter
- Carpet Cleaner
- Countertop Pro
- Electrician
- Event Planner
- Fencing Pro
- Flooring Pro
- Foundations Pro
- House Cleaner
- HVAC Pro
- Junk Removal Provider
- Landscaper
- Lawn Care Provider
- Mover
- Pest Control Technician
- Pet Care Provider
- Pet Groomer
- Photographer
- Plumber
- Roofer
- Siding Pro
- Tree Service Provider
- Water Damage Service Provider
- Window Cleaner
- Window Service Provider
And much more. It is important to note that not all of these professionals will be supported within every region. Most of largest cities and areas in the U.S. will have access to Local Service Ads. Expanding coverage in the U.S. will happen throughout the years.
The Benefits of Local Service Ads
The advertisers that are using this service will find that it’s very affordable. This is largely due to the pay per lead price structure that Google is using. Only valid leads will require payment. The price can be anywhere from $6 to $30 per lead.
You have the ability to dispute a charge if you feel it wasn’t actually a good match or it was fraudulent. The Google Guarantee is something that also adds valuable protection. There is a lifetime maximum of $2,000 for coverage.
Ratings and Reviews
Customer ratings and reviews are included in each Local Service Ad. This helps consumers make an educated decision. A review is a great way to find out all the positives of a company.
Negative information doesn’t necessarily mean that someone will discount your company. In fact, there are times when people would agree with what happened. They’ll find a company reliable based on someone else’s negative opinion.
Ongoing Maintenance
Local Service Ads are triggered automatically when a search is performed from a common term. Even voice searches are supported using this program. The ad format is something that occurs automatically based on a term like ‘furnace repair’ or ‘leaking pipe’.
Getting Started With Local Service Ads
It is important to confirm your eligibility when you are getting started. Find your business type in the Local Service Ads platform. You should also look for your location. If you don’t find your location or profession, you may find that Google expands to your location very soon. You can create an account if you find that you’re eligible for the platform. This is a very easy program to learn and use.
Creating a business profile will help Google determine if a job is going to match the work that you provide. If you’re honest about what services you provide, this will ensure that you’re paying for legitimate leads. You can achieve the Google Guarantee and run your local ad by submitting proof that you are a licensed and insured professional. A background check will be provided by Pinkerton.
Managing Leads in the Future
Once you have launched your Local Services Ads, you can immediately receive leads.
You can manage all of these leads using the Home Services section of the program. There is an app available that is called the Local Services App. This makes it very easy to manage, view and control everything that you have going on.
Once you receive a lead, it is up to you to contact your potential client. You have the choice to reply through an email or text message. You can also call the customer if they have provided you with a phone number. If you don’t feel the job will be a good fit, you have the option to decline the job.
Rankings
Your ad will be ranked based on a number of different factors. This can include things like:
- Your location in proximity to the client
- The scores that you have received from your client reviews
- Your business hours
- How fast you have responded to other customers and requests
You can encourage your clients to leave you a review when you have finished working with them. Hopefully, they are happy. This will result in a much larger abundance of leads and positive feedback. You can use the contact information that you generated from Google Local Services Ads in order to follow up with the client that you recently worked for.
After a little bit of time has gone by, they can determine if they were happy with the work that you provided to them. They may have even forgotten about doing a review. A friendly reminder is a very welcomed thing to do.
Questions?
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