What Is the Google Local Service Ads Platform?

Google Local Service Ads, or LSA for short, is the newest paid advertising platform by Google. This means you can pay Google money to be instantly placed at the top of the search engines when someone in your area is looking for your services.

Google initially launched the platform in 2015 with a focus on the home services industry. However, it remained in a testing phase for select cities and services over the next 4-5 years. It wasn't until about 2020 that they started rolling it out to most major cities and expanded the various home services it is available for.

You Become a "Google Guaranteed" Provider

Many people refer to the LSA program as "Google Guaranteed". That's because when you enter the program, you'll go through a few different steps for Google to vet your business. We'll talk more about the vetting process in a minute, but once approved, Google gives you the "Guaranteed" badge. This gives homeowners confidence that you're a legitimate business. Further, Google will stand behind your work, offering their users up to $2,000 of protection and reimbursement for bad experiences with a Google Guaranteed provider.

You'll Receive Top Placements, Above Standard Google Ads

One of the best parts of the LSA program is that you'll be placed at the very top of the Google search engine, even above standard Google Search Ads. These ads appear in a horizontal format and are triggered when the searcher has a high intention of purchasing a local service. The traditional Google Ads fall below the LSA ads in a vertical format.

By Far, the Best ROI From Any Advertising Platform

One reason that Google LSA is a favorite in the lawn and landscape industry is because of the return on investment, or ROI. Depending on your location and specific services, we see the cost per lead often ranging from $15 to $40. These leads convert at a high-rate because they're ready to buy.

How Google LSA Works

Check Your Area & Services for Eligibility

To get started using Google LSA, you'll check if it is available in your area and for the services that you offer. This is easily done by starting the enrollment process. The first step is to visit the Local Service Ads sign-up page and click "Get Started" to enter your location and choose service categories. If your area and services are eligible, you'll be able to begin enrollment. Some of the most popular categories in our industry include lawn care, landscaping, irrigation, tree services, and pest control.

Submitting Your Documentation for Vetting

Once you've verified that your location and services are eligible for Google LSA, you'll need to go through the vetting process. This vetting process includes license verification, insurance verification, and a background check. The exact process and license requirements will vary based on the category of service and your location.

  • License Verification: The category and location will determine which license(s) you may need to hold. For example, if you've selected the lawn care category, you'll almost always be required to have a state applicator license, even if you only provide mowing services. If you've selected landscaping, Google may require you to hold a contractor license in some states. Once you've selected your state and category, Google will let you know what you need. In some cases, this may prevent you from enrolling in the program and there is no negotiating with Google.
  • Insurance Verification: Google will require you to carry specific types of insurance and minimum coverage amounts. Typically, this includes General Liability and Workers' Compensation. You'll be required to obtain a Certificate of Insurance (COI) and provide that to Google before you'll be able to run ads.
  • Background Checks: You'll also be required to go through a personal and business background check administered by a 3rd party provider. Only a single owner of the business will be required to complete this process. Contrary to the instructions given, you will not have to go through a background check for each individual employee who visits a customer's property. This process typically takes the longest and slows down the enrollment process. Once completed, we usually see the results come back within 1-2 weeks.

Once you've completed the three verification steps above, you'll be approved or denied to start running LSA ads. While verification is pending, you'll have access to the account to start completing your profile with company information, individual services offered, service areas, photos, hours of operation, and more.

Only Pay for Phone Calls & Message Leads

One of the best parts about Google LSA is that you only spend money when you have an actual lead for your business. A lead is considered anyone within your service area who is looking for one of the services that you have turned on.

  • Phone Calls: Searchers can choose to call you directly. This is the best option because it has the highest rate of closing. Google will provide a tracking number and record all calls. You should answer at least 80% of these phone calls.
  • Messages: Searchers can also choose to send you a message instead of calling. When a message is received, you'll need to respond through the Google LSA portal. This an option that you can turn off and opt only for phone calls. We'll discuss in later training if you should keep messages on or not.

Getting Started with Google LSA

This advertising program is a fantastic do-it-yourself (DIY) approach because it's simple to get set up and running. There are a variety of ways that you can optimize the campaigns for better results that may be useful to have a marketing professional help you with. In future training articles, we'll dive into how you can optimize and maximize your results. Google LSA is a platform available in all of Lawnline Marketing's programs and they are available to help set up, optimize, and manage your campaigns for you!