5 Reasons Home Services Companies Should Use LSAs
Local service ads are very powerful for home services companies like plumbers and electricians.
- They display at the top of Google search results above Google Ads and Google Map listings.
- They are very eye-catching as they have the ‘Google Guaranteed’ checkmark next to the listings giving customers extra confidence to use them.
- They are charged on a pay-per-lead basis and you can dispute/get a refund on unqualified leads.
- By acting now, you’ll get a permanent advantage for being one of the first to utilize this service.
- We are currently helping home services companies get set up with Google Local Service Ads (LSAs) in Canada. Reach out today for help kick-starting the process.
What are Local Service Ads and why are they important?
Local Service Ads (LSAs) have only been out a couple of years, and they’re not available everywhere.
As of January 2023, countries with LSAs are the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland.
Not all countries have the same services available for Local Service Ads, e.g. ‘lawn care services’ and ‘landscaping services’ are listed as options for the US but only ‘lawn care services’ are listed for Canada.
Local Service Ads are a brand new thing, and it’s completely separate from Google Ads. They are used to help customers select reliable vendors in the home services field.
This is the future of where Google is going.
The beauty of Local Service Ads is the first mover advantage. If you start right now, you’ll always be at the top of the listings provided you have an active, successful account.
It’s not like Google Ads which depends on spending money on ads every month.
It depends more on the quality of your interaction with the inquiry as to where your listing ranks.
You can start today and compete with businesses that have been doing Google ads successfully for years.
The sooner you get into it the better because you start developing more reviews that lead to more business.
An amazing benefit to using Google Local Service Ads is Google will send out a request for review to your lead after they have used your services. This is an amazing automation that will remove the burden of requesting reviews from customers on your Google Business Profile.
What’s different about Local Service Ads than traditional Google Ads?
The big difference with Local Service Ads is the ability to dispute a lead. If you get a lead that isn’t a fit, you don’t pay. That’s how confident Google is with its new Local Services Ads.
For Example: If you get a phone call from somebody asking about lawn care maintenance but you only do design and install, you can dispute the lead and not pay for it at the end of the month.
Google will refund you the money that you spent on the lead, but you’ll need to actively manage your account to let them know which leads didn’t work out. This is one of the biggest differences between traditional Google Ads and Local Service Ads for landscapers.
Local Service Ads also stand out more in search ads and are right at the top.
There are also Google-verified reviews. See image below:
If someone has booked through the LSA system and then leave a review, it will show as a ‘Google verified job’ review.
This is powerful because Google is saying to prospective customers that this is a legitimate review from someone who used your services.
Google does the review for you. They send the request for review. That way they know it’s legit.
See image below for the search term ‘electricians near me’ near North Vancouver:
Local Service Ads show the Google Guarantee Badge.
They contain a profile that is similar to Google Business Profile (previously named Google My Business)
It’s similar but different.
It requires configuration and setup and regular maintenance and updates monthly.
Below is an example that shows all the information that can be provided.
There’s an overview, services reviews, photos, and even special callout details like ‘locally owned and operated’.
You’ve got to constantly enhance the content and qualify leads as they come through the system to rise or stay at the top of the rankings.
Which home services are currently eligible for LSAs in Canada?
Canada is open for applications for LSAs for some home services but not all.
As of July 2024, here is a list of home services eligible for LSAs:
- Appliance repair services
- Carpet cleaning services
- Cleaning services
- Electricians
- HVAC (heating or air conditioning)
- Junk removal services
- Lawn care services
- Locksmiths
- Movers
- Pest control services
- Plumbers
- Roofers
- Tree services
- Water damage services
- Window cleaning services
- Window repair services
Get in on the ground floor. Apply now. We can help you do this.
The application process is finicky and it can take a couple of months.
We’re helping companies register right away, and get on the ground floor of Local Service Ads.
If you’re interested in being at the forefront of the new type of lead generation on Google, reach out.
What should I do about it if I own a home services business in Canada?
As a business owner or professional, you should reach out today and get this set up.
You have to do a background check through Pinkerton.
It’s something you want to get started on soon because it is a lengthy process.
We are working with Google to help them improve the process because they are still ironing out a few kinks.
Some things don’t make sense and we’re working with Google to fix this.
For example, in Ontario to register for ‘lawn care services’, you need a pesticide license but in BC you don’t.
Google doesn’t know that it’s not required in Ontario and so their requirements don’t sync up with the provincial regulations for getting Google verified.
Google is still learning from feedback and will need to change policies and requirements in the near future.
Not convinced yet?
Here are the 4 major benefits of Google Local Service Ads for landscaping companies
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Home services are typically location-specific, e.g. plumbers, electricians, roofers, lawn care… LSAs can help companies target areas they service where they might not have strong local SEO and don’t rank. They are effective to reach potential customers in your target service areas, even if you’re not that established there yet.
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Since you have to go through a background check and application process, not all companies are ‘Google verified’ and receive the coveted Google Guarantee Badge. This means companies running Local Service Ads become more trustworthy and have a better reputation than their competitors. LSAs provide a quick and easy way to make an informed decision about a business based on reviews, service information, and photos.
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For seasonal campaigns, being at the top of Google Search in your most important business-generating months is critical. LSAs (much like traditional Google Ads) provide a way to get to the very top of Google Search results for the main keywords that people use to search for your services. You can add or decrease the budget based on your sales goals each month.
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LSAs operate on a pay-per-lead pricing model. This means you can more accurately estimate the cost of leads you need to generate to add the required business revenue each month. Since the leads have to be qualified to pay for them, the system is less risky once you’ve invested the time to set things up properly and give Google feedback on the quality of leads.
Give Local Service Ads a Try Today
Local Service Ads are Google’s latest feature to help small businesses get into the game of lead generation and online advertising. It is an exciting new opportunity for companies in Canada, but you have to act fast to take advantage of it while they continue to refine their policies and processes. Reach out today and let us help you get started!
Start Growing Your Company Now!
Reach out today for a no strings attached consultation with Chris, our very tall and friendly Director of Client Relationships, and learn how we help home services companies grow.
Learn how we helped a landscaping company grow to 1 million in revenue per month from online sources alone.
See how we helped a permeable hardscapes company become an online juggernaut.
Or check out how we helped a landscape company reach the coveted 10M a year mark.
Whatever you do, don’t forget to leverage the power of Google Business Profile when developing your landscaping company’s online presence.
With it, you can boost organic visibility and local search rankings with relative ease. So make sure to include this powerful tool in your overall digital marketing strategy. Good luck!
