Recently, Google’s Home Services ads have been rebranded as Local Services Ads, as a reflection of the professional services occurring outside customers’ homes. While free advertising by Google can help any business boost its online visibility, it’s important to know how to use them. Read on to learn more about Local Services ads.

 

How They Appear in Search Results

 

The top question on advertisers’ minds is, “How do these ads appear in search results?” They work relatively simply: advertisers make selections from a list of industry-specific services. When classifieds match those criteria, the ad will show. Unlike Google’s regular ads, marketers can’t decide exactly when their ads will show.

 

How free advertising sites has certain factors that determine ad ranking, such as:

 

Closeness to the userThe company’s number of online reviews and its rating in My BusinessThe advertiser’s business hours

 

Google makes an effort to evenly distribute advertisers’ budgets throughout the week. In some cases, a company’s rank may be lowered so all the leads don’t come at once and its marketing budget isn’t exhausted early in the week. Multiple or major complaints against a company could lead to its suspension from the Local Services Ads program.

 

Paying for Local Services Ads

 

Unlike conventional Google ads, marketers don’t pay by the click. Rather, they pay by the lead, which is defined as:

 

Receiving an email or text message from a customerReceiving a voicemailSpeaking to a customer on the phone

 

Google tries to filter invalid leads, and advertisers can request credits for solicitation calls, wrong numbers, auto-dialed calls, inaccurate profiles, and calls where the customer left no contact information. The amount paid per lead depends on the company’s location and history.

 

Tips for Success

 

It’s important for advertisers to fill out their applications accurately. Google uses the company information provided in the ad, and as of now, there’s no way to edit it. If a seller wants to use a tracked number, they must submit it during the application process. Furthermore, sellers should ensure that their services and location are correct because they’re used to validate leads.

 

Getting Started

 

Marketers can manage their ads through Google’s app or website. From there, they can turn ads off and on, modify targeting settings, respond to and receive leads, and ask for reviews. The program is somewhat new and changes are still being made, and it may take some patience to get things going. To find out more about Google’s Local Services Ads, contact the experts today.