HOW TO SET UP LOCAL SERVICE ADS FOR BUSINESSES
GET MORE LOCAL LEADS
ONLY PAY FOR RESULTS
EARN CUSTOMER TRUST & LOYALTY
GET AT THE TOP OF GOOGLE
“Getting Google Guaranteed with Send It Rising was easy and effective! My real estate office has already seen a big increase in call volume since we started!” Casey M. | The MOR Group
If you’re a business owner reading this article you’ve probably become aware that Google Local Service Ads have quickly gone from a new Google feature to one of the best ways to get relevant leads to your business in a matter of months. The takeover of Local Service Ads was quick and efficient, and if your business is eligible to sign up, now is the time to do so.
What are Google Local Service Ads?
As you browse Google Local Services Ads and type something like “personal injury lawyer las vegas”, you’ll see there is now a section with a green checkmark and the phrase “Google Screened” in their listing. These are verified businesses that have completed background and business checks through Google to ensure they are safe and reliable businesses.
To get your business’s own Google Guarantee checkmark, you’ll submit an application and undergo the free screening process. Google may perform background checks and review your insurance and licenses. If you have employees, Google may require separate checks for each individual. The process itself can be tedious, but Local Service Ads now drive some of the best leads from search. You can always hire an internet marketing company to set up and manage your Google Local Service ads. Meaning you only manage the leads coming in, while an agency handles all the backend optimization and setup!
It’s important to note that the screening process to set up local service ads is free – but showing up in the search results isn’t. Local service ads require a budget to show as “Google screened” under organic searches. However, unlike Google Ads, leads are ONLY charged when a phone call is made AND answered. This is providing many benefits to those who have previously paid per click with typical Google Ads.
Local Service Ads aren’t available for every business yet, but the list is quickly expanding. Just a few months the list was relatively short, consisting of lawyers, realtors, etc. However, as of June 2022, these are all the businesses that can now be verified with Google through Local Service Ads:
- Acupuncturist
- Animal rescue
- Appliance repair services
- Bankruptcy lawyer services
- Beauty school
- Business lawyer services
- Carpet cleaning services
- Carpenters
- Child care
- Contract lawyer services
- Criminal lawyer services
- Dance instructor
- Countertop services
- Disability lawyer services
- Driving instructor
- DUI lawyer services
- Electricians
- Estate lawyer services
- Family lawyer services
- Fencing services
- Financial planning services
- First aid training
- Flooring services
- Foundations services
- Funeral home
- Garage door services
- General contractor
- Handyman
- Home inspector
- Home security
- Home theater
- House cleaning services
- HVAC (heating or air conditioning)
- Immigration lawyer services
- IP lawyer services
- Junk removal services
- Labor lawyer services
- Landscaping services
- Language instructor
- Lawn care services
- Lawyers
- Litigation lawyer services
- Locksmiths
- Malpractice lawyer services
- Massage school
- Moving services
- Personal injury lawyer services
- Personal trainer
- Pest control services
- Pet adoption
- Pet boarding
- Pet grooming
- Pet training
- Plumbers
- Pool cleaner
- Pool contractor
- Preschool
- Real estate lawyer
- Real estate services
- Roofers
- Sewage system
- Siding services
- Snow removal
- Tax services
- Traffic lawyer services
- Tree services
- Tutor
- Veterinarian
- Water damage services
- Weight loss service
- Window cleaning services
- Window repair services
- Yoga studio
Do You Need a Google Local Service Ads?
While signing up for a reimbursement service might seem like it’s “jinxing” your company, it actually drives more customers to your business. Google Guarantee shows that you’re confident in your services. The green checkmark also shows customers that you stay on top of Google updates and screening programs, signifying a strong online presence.
Before you get started, make sure your business falls into one of the qualifying categories. You must run an in-person business that offers services to your region, such as an electrician, groomer, attorney, real estate agent or dance teacher. Additionally, make sure you have a Google My Business profile–if not, talk to an advanced SEO company about setting one up.
How to Set Up Google Local Service Ads 
If you haven’t already, sign up for Local Services Ads. These ads appear on the top of Google search results when a customer looks for businesses in their area. Afterward, you can start the process to get the Google Guarantee added to your listing.
Background Checks
As you learn how to get Google Guarantee, you’ll have to take background checks into account. Google may conduct a background check on every employee according to local regulations. Before you get started, you’ll sign disclosure documents. Afterward, Google works with a local partner to complete the background check.
If you pass, you’ll move onto the next step. Otherwise, your business is ineligible for Google Guarantee for the next 30 days. You’ll have to wait a year before you can apply again if you fail the second background check.
Insurance Checks
For businesses that are required to hold liability insurance, Google performs an insurance check to ensure that you’re operating legally. They may require you to upload a certificate of insurance that covers everything that the state requires you to cover.
License Checks
On a similar note, Google may perform license checks for businesses that need licenses to operate. Google checks state and federal laws to ensure that you meet the requirements. Before they give you the Guarantee, they need to verify that you’re running a trustworthy business–after all, Google’s reputation is on the line.
Business-Specific Checks
In addition to these checks, specific businesses have their own reviews. For example, if you’re an attorney, Google may require a state bar license check before you earn the Guarantee. Other businesses don’t need insurance checks or a separate background check because they already need them to legally operate. Look up your specific category to see what you’ll need.
Google Local Service Ads for Lawyers
“We tracked 111 conversions last month with Michelle’s help! Getting Google Guaranteed was one of the best things I did for my law firm. We have doubled in size over the last year! “ William J. Webster | Webster & Garino LLC
One of the most important professions that can benefit from Google Local Service Ads is lawyers. Here at Send it Rising Internet Marketing we’ve spent the past year studying and understanding why local service ads are so beneficial for this specific realm. Not only are law firms ultra-competitive online when it comes to SEO and Ads, but reviews and screening are considered HIGHLY important when potential clients are deciding which law firm to contact for their needs and cases.
In a recent study with one of our law clients, we found a steady growth of leads over a five-month period when adjusting and managing their Google Local Service Ads. As you see in the screenshot below, it is not uncommon for lawyers to receive 100+ leads from Local Service Ads alone after maturing the campaign:
This specific data came from the law firm Webster & Garino LLC, which can also be seen listed in the number 1 spot on the Local Service Ad section.
And this works for every type of lawyer. A recent Google Local Service Ads launch for a personal injury lawyer in Las Vegas has proved highly effective, as well. The key to a successful Google Local Ads campaign with lawyer comes in three key sections
- Listing monitoring and optimization
- Budget
- Reviews
Moss Berg Injury Law, a personal injury lawyer in Las Vegas, was also showing #1 for personal injury keywords within weeks of launching their Google Local Service Ads campaign:
Hiring Someone to Set Up & Track Google Local Service Ads
Studies show that Google Local Service Ads that are monitored and managed by a company that specializes in specific businesses, such as lawyers, drastically increase the number of calls and quality leads that come from those listings. In order to get the most ROI from your listing, it must be managed by a team who understands Google algorithms, Google ad ranking factors, and more.
And because Local Service Ads are still relatively new, it can sometimes be difficult to find an internet marketing company that knows how to run them. In fact, as a company that has evolved with the Local Service Ads, we’ve heard from oncoming clients that their past Google Ads company refused to learn and run Google Local Service Ads. It’s great for our business, but other companies who do not run them for their clients are missing a major gap in the market to drive them more leads.
If you’ve read this article and have additional questions on Google Local Service Ads, feel free to contact us here or email our Local Service Ad director directly at [email protected].
