In previous years, when someone needed a service – whether it be an electrician, plumber or window cleaner – their first port of call may well have been a resource like the Yellow Pages. Today, however, they’re far more likely to head to Google, with a search that ends with the phrase “near me”, or a query that includes the name of their hometown.
However, this change in approach can make it harder for local firms to stand out from the crowd and get noticed. Most of these businesses are small and staffed by trade professionals, not SEO experts, and often they have neither the time nor expertise to build a high-quality website. If this sounds like you, how do you ensure you’re being seen by potential customers? The answer could be Google Local Service Ads.
This is a dedicated option within the Google Ads platform for local, service-oriented businesses that may otherwise find it difficult to be noticed in search results. It allows them to increase their visibility by appearing at the top of relevant searches. So how does this work, what businesses are eligible and what are the benefits of using this?
If you’re ever searched for a local service using a phrase such as ‘plumbers near me’ or ‘moving services in [town]’, the chances are you’ll have seen a Google Local Services Ad – even if you may not realise it. These appear at the very top of results for this type of search, above other paid ads, and typically consist of the business name, its Google rating and some basic information such as opening times.
They’re listed as Sponsored results and can help put a searcher directly in touch with you, for example by placing a phone call immediately when clicked.
As is the case with regular Google Ads, you do have to pay to be featured in Google Local Search Ads. However, there are a few key differences to be aware of. First and foremost, whereas most standard ads operate on a pay-per-click model, with businesses charged every time a user clicks through to their website via an ad, Google Local Service Ads work on a pay-per-lead basis.
What does this mean in practice? Because you pay for every direct lead generated, this means you’re less likely to waste budget on clicks from irrelevant users who may have no intention of making a purchase. Instead, the cost of your Google ads may be calculated on the number of phone calls your business receives via the ad.
Other differences include bidding strategy. Unlike regular PPC ads, you don’t bid directly for certain keywords. Instead, you simply set an overall budget and let Google do the work for you, matching your business with the most relevant search queries.
There are a wide range of business types that are able to take advantage of Google Local Services Ads. Exactly what services qualify varies depending on territory – the platform is available in 11 countries, including the UK, and each has their own list of eligible businesses, which can be found on Google’s website.
In the UK, for example, the following businesses are able to use Google Local Services Ads:
In addition, there are a range of legal services that are currently only available to businesses operating in the Greater London area. These are:
Once you’ve checked that you’re eligible for Google Local Service Ads, you can get started on the platform by going to the Google Local Services Ads page and signing in with your existing Google Ads account, if you have one, or you can sign up directly if you don’t.
You can then create a profile by filling out the following details:
Not every field is mandatory, but the more information you provide, the better your chances of getting approved.
Once set up, you can manage your budget on the dashboard. Google will suggest an amount based on the number of leads you’re hoping to bring in, but you can set your own maximum monthly limit to be as large or small as you want – it just means that once reached, Google won’t show your ad any more until the next billing period.
The final step is to provide the necessary documentation to be verified as Google Guaranteed. This helps build trust with customers by indicating that Google has vetted your business and confirmed it is genuine and trustworthy. This includes checking that your company has all necessary licences and insurance and has passed Google’s background checks. Once approved, this adds a green badge next to your ads.
This also provides peace of mind to customers, as Google will actually reimburse consumers if they aren’t satisfied with your services. In the UK, each customer can claim a lifetime limit of £1,500 for work booked via Google Local Services Ads.
With so many businesses fighting to get noticed, Google Local Services Ads are a cost-effective way to stand out from the crowd and drive leads for a wide range of small businesses. They are particularly useful for those firms that don’t have significant resources to dedicate to their website, as it lets them appear at the top of Google results without significant investment in search engine optimisation, web development or PPC advertising.
However, it shouldn’t be considered as a replacement for any of these activities. Rather, it ought to be viewed as a complementary approach that can enhance a firm’s reach.
Local Services Ads is a great tool if you offer local services because it is very competitive and especially since it is a local service offering you want to make sure you get as much of the market share as possible because it is unlikely that you will be able to expand your location offering by much.
Ronil – Strategy Team Lead
If you want to know more about how Google Local Services Ads can work as part of a full small business digital marketing strategy, get in touch with Axonn today for expert advice and support.
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