With Google Local Services Ads, business owners can advertise their business and receive leads directly from potential customers. These leads come in as phone calls to your business telephone number.
Unfortunately, not all business owners can take advantage of this service.
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Example of Google Local Services Ads
The example below shows 3 local roofing companies advertising with Google Local Services Ads. They are Google Guaranteed, meaning that Google performed a background check on these companies and their owners.
When you click on one of the ads, Google allows you to call or message the company. That phone call is then tracked and recorded, and you are billed for this lead.
If the lead is bad, you can dispute the charge within 30 days of receiving the lead. Google will then review the dispute and credit your account. In our experience, Google has credited back bad leads fairly.
Businesses that are eligible to use Google Local Services Ads
Businesses must fall into one or more of the following categories to use Google Local Services Ads. There is no other way around it unless you want to pay for leads unrelated to the categories below. Google will be expanding these categories over time.
Acupuncture
Animal rescue services
Appliance repair
Beauty school
Carpentry
Carpet cleaning
Child care services
Countertop services
Dance instruction
Driving instruction
Electrical
Fencing
Financial planning
First aid training
Flooring
Foundations
Funeral services
Garage door
General contracting
Handyman
Home inspection
Home security services
Home theater services
House cleaning
HVAC
Junk removal
Landscaping
Language instruction
Law
Lawn care
Locksmith
Massage school
Moving
Personal training
Pest control
Pet adoption services
Pet boarding
Pet grooming
Pet training
Plumbing
Pool cleaning
Pool contractor
Preschool
Real estate
Roofing
Sewage system services
Siding
Snow removal services
Tax services
Tree services
Tutoring
Veterinary services
Water damage services
Weight loss services
Window cleaning
Window services
Yoga
What a Google Guarantee means
If you’re backed by the Google Guarantee, and your customers (that came to your business through Local Services Ads) aren’t satisfied with the quality of your work, Google may reimburse the customer up to the amount paid for the initial service, subject to a lifetime limit of $2,000 in the United States. Google won’t reimburse for add-ons or future projects, damages to property, dissatisfaction with price, provider responsiveness, or cancellations.
What you’ll need to verify your business
Once you decide to start with Google Local Service Ads, you will need to go through a verification process by Google to get the Google Guarantee green checkmark badge (see image above).
You will need to submit or complete the following to Google:
- Certificate of Insurance document – for your general liability insurance policy.
- Background check – for owners and consumer-facing employees.
- Have at least 1 review – you can connect your Google Business Profile account.
- Set your weekly budget for leads.
- Billing information – you can use a credit card, debit card, PayPal, or bank account.
Have Amplico get you started
If you want to advertise with Google Local Services, contact us to discuss how we can help you get started. We love small businesses and want you to grow and succeed with this very effective way to advertise at the top of Google search results.