What are Google Local Services Ads and Why Should You Care?

For small businesses, local map listings play an important role in strengthening their business' web presence. In order to help online consumers find certified pros near them and expedite their searches, Google has rolled out local service ads for various industries and locations that will benefit small businesses worldwide.

To help you understand what Google local service ads are and how they fit into your digital advertising strategy, let's take a scenario from a consumer's viewpoint.

A Walkthrough Google Local Services Ads

For instance, the searcher is looking for a sidewalk repair contractor nearby and the trusted company that appears in first search results is too far away for this state of emergency.  One of the biggest challenges with digital advertising is getting your business to appear at the top of local searches. This is where reliable remarketing services will help you, especially if you work with a reliable digital advertising agency who has a team of experienced marketers who will develop the best strategy to generate leads. Though there are many free alternatives to choose for digital advertising, paid search ads will ensure users are clicking your ad listing and are properly redirected to a simple landing page that will convert.

Moreover, the Google local ads services can be a great supplement to your local SEO strategy that will open a huge pool of potential customers  before pursuing remarketing ads. In order to enjoy the benefits of local services ads, our experts offer full service ad copywriting, campaign management, ad optimization and much more. 

Before they set up an ad, your business must pass a screening process that involves background checks, license, and insurance checks. Note that this can vary depending on the business type.

The ultimate goal for any type of advertising strategy is occupy the top three search results on Google.. For Google local service ads, they feature three businesses and if  those top three options don't fulfil a user's needs, they can expand the list to view more results and ads under the same category and local area. 

Moreover, when they expand the list for more options to explore services, they can be prompted to specify exactly what services they require with the location. The number of ads shown can vary depending on the competitiveness within that specific industry; you might come across a few or a dozen. It depends on how many businesses are utilizing Google local ad services. 

How do Local Services Ads Rank?

The first two things you see when you search for any location-specific service will be featured Google Local Ads and Adwords. So why not take the help of remarketing services to target a large local audience and generate a higher ROI within your budget range. Essentially, all the results we see on the top, regardless if it's on desktop or mobile, are Local Services Ads and partially Adwords. That means, your business can appear above:

● The Google's Map Pack

● Paid search ads

● And organic search results 

There would be 2-3 top results depending on what consumer searches. So how does the ranking process work? Based on our knowledge, here are some factors that determine how your ad ranks:

1. Proximity to user - the closer your location or service area is to the area of user, the more it will positively affect your ranking.

2. Responsiveness plays an important role -high response rate to the people who contact you through these ads will increase your ad ranking.

3. Google My Business ratings and reviews -  5-star reviews with descriptive language will help you outrank competitors in your serviceable area.

4. Business hours-  the ad is more likely to show during your set business hours.

5. Number of compliant - the volume and severity of complaints have a direct impact on the rankings. 

Benefits of Local Services Ads

Though there is no sign-up fees that create an obligation to use the service, account setup and onboarding can be cumbersome for a business owner. That's why it's important to work with a full service digital advertising agency who can connect all of your accounts and set them up correctly the first time.  You should consider including local services ads in your advertising strategy for these benefits:

1. As mentioned above, your ads will appear at the top and gives you the upper hand to establish your business as qualified professionals in the area. 

2. Once your business is set up, you can easily connect with potential customers who are looking for similar services you are offering, ultimately converting them into leads.

3. Once your business is verified, you received a Google guarantee badge which helps to establish trust among searchers.

Any service provided by Google should be incorporated in your digital advertising strategy. . Although this can be a lot of information for someone new to Google ads, simply put, it's another badge of trust businesses can showcase online to attract more customers. Once the trust and web presence are established, additional remarketing services can help out any brand seeking to enhance customer experience and establish a large target audience.