Take a deep breath and Google your business, as a customer would. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes, then search for yourself. Then ask yourself these questions:
Do you show up? Do you like what you see?
Does your message make sense compared to your competitors?
Would you click on yourself?
How does your online reputation look?
The good news, no matter what you see, is that you could improve your results by advertising with Local Services Ads on Google.
» WEBINAR: Learn more about Google Local Services Ads — July 7 (9 am PT) Sign up now!
Focusing a portion of your company’s marketing budget on Local Services Ads—combined with the ability to earn 5-star Google reviews—increases brand awareness and helps you build and showcase an excellent online reputation. And the ads can appear on the first page of search results, putting your company front and center when potential customers search for services like yours.
» Want to grow your business? Click here to get a demo.
Travis Ringe, who co-owns ProSkill Services, a full-service air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, water heater, and water treatment home services company in Arizona, is succinct when talking about how important Google is to his $14-million-per-year operation.
“Google really rules the roost,” he says.
And through a partnership between Google and ServiceTitan, high-quality, booked jobs—not just leads—come in directly through the Call Booking Screen on the all-in-one residential and commercial services software.
Because those bookings are based on overflow capacity through the activation of ServiceTitan’s Adjustable Capacity Planning functionality, the integration reduces downtime and maximizes capacity by leveraging ACP through the partnership. You can even pause the ads if you are too busy to accept new leads.
Want to get your company started on Local Services Ads on Google, to supercharge your business and your online reputation? Here are the questions we’ll answer:
Why are Local Services Ads important to marketing success?
How do Google’s Local Services Ads work?
How do the ads rank, and show up in search results?
What are the steps for qualifying for the Google Guarantee?
How much do the ads cost?
In which market are the ads available?
How do Google’s Local Services Ads work?
Companies pay per lead based on the services they perform and want to advertise. Leads are distributed based on services offered. And geography is a factor. Companies select zip codes where they do—and don’t—want to advertise, narrowing the competition.
Once services and geography are determined, companies set what they want to spend, weekly and monthly. Google attempts to evenly distribute a company’s marketing budget throughout the day and week, adjusting rank to keep all the leads from coming at once.
Customers never visit the company website, only interacting with advertisers on the Google platform.
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How are Local Services Ads ranked?
You can visit this page to see some of the factors that determine how your ads rank.
The ads offer only a phone number as contact information, but also the company’s location, Google star rating, BBB rating and hours of operation.
One important factor is the Google review rating, even more so than position on the page, so having great reviews to tell your company’s story is important, too. And a big part of that customer experience is your company’s responsiveness. The more responsive you are to leads, the more likely you are to improve your ranking on Local Services Ads.
With 82 percent of customers saying they read online reviews for local companies and more than half saying they won’t consider hiring a company with less than 4 stars, managing online reviews has become a vital part of doing business in today’s digital world.
How do businesses qualify for the Google Guarantee?
Qualified participants in Local Services Ads also get the Google Guarantee badge.
The Google Guarantee badge signifies to consumers that your company has been verified and vetted by Google, and it’s a great way to make a great first impression.
The verification process is an extensive, detailed review, resulting in your Google Guarantee badge and ultimately giving customers peace of mind.
To qualify for Google Guarantee:
Company has to meet insurance and licensing requirements
As an added layer of protection, certain technicians require a background check. Learn more here
New hires must be checked after they come on board
Complaints, if they are serious or numerous, could lead to suspension
Other things to know about the Google Guarantee badge:
When a company’s budget is used up, the badge will not show
Companies can’t use the Google Guarantee badge on websites or in marketing materials, or mention it in any context outside the platform
Periodically, companies must re-certify
If anyone fails the initial background check, the company goes onto a waiting list
How much do Local Services Ads cost?
You only pay when a customer contacts your business through your ads. This cuts down on useless job leads from customers simply price-shopping for services online.
You can find information here.
And if you are charged for a lead that you believe is invalid, you can dispute it for the chance to receive a credit applied to your account balance.
Are the ads available everywhere?
You can check for the availability of Local Services Ads on Google on the signup page.
ServiceTitan is a comprehensive home and commercial services business software solution built specifically to help companies streamline their operations, boost revenue, and achieve growth. Our award-winning, cloud-based platform is trusted by more than 100,000+ contractors across the country.
Ready to learn more about what ServiceTitan can do for your business? Contact our team to schedule a demo today.
ServiceTitan Software
ServiceTitan is a comprehensive software solution built specifically to help service companies streamline their operations, boost revenue, and substantially elevate the trajectory of their business. Our comprehensive, cloud-based platform is used by thousands of electrical, HVAC, plumbing, garage door, and chimney sweep shops across the country—and has increased their revenue by an average of 25% in just their first year with us.
