When searchers turn to Google to find professional service providers (plumbers, lawyers, locksmiths, etc.), they don’t have time to browse. These users need services now.

If you’re a local business providing these or other services, it’s time to recognize this and get with the program by giving customers a nearly-effortless way to find and contact your business.

Local Service Ads (LSA) are here and — for those who are familiar with the latest Google Ads element — about to bring local digital marketing to a whole new level. Google’s LSA program stands to elevate local businesses who strive to make a name for themselves online and in their local community.

Upgrade your local digital marketing strategy

If you’re behind on Google’s latest advertising offering, or you have yet to see them popping up in your area, it might be easiest to imagine LSAs as if Google My Business listings and traditional SERP ads had a baby.

While appearing at the top of SERPs and paid advertisements, LSAs have elements of GMB listings that make it easier for customers to engage with businesses.

LSAs are part of the Google Guaranteed Program. And local service providers should be excited about them for a number of reasons;

LSAs stand out in a sea of text advertisements

They appear at the top of SERPs, making it easy to connect with users

The Google Guarantee checkmark helps build trust in your business

You only pay for leads you receive.

Yeah, that’s right. We saw your eyes widen at that last point.

What Local Services Ads bring to the table

Cost aside, it’s important to consider adding LSAs to your digital marketing strategy ASAP for more reasons than one.

LSAs give local service providers an opportunity to connect directly with users who are ready to book, leading to higher conversion rates and more business.

Blue Corona reports that when LSAs were available on SERPs, they received 13.8 percent of local SERP clicks. Not to mention, the presence of an LSA at the top of SERPs affects the total number of clicks for all other SERP types.

When LSAs are present in search results, paid ad clicks account for a total of 25.3 percent of all user clicks (BrightLocal).

If you need more convincing, keep in mind that searches through smart speakers such as Google Assistant are becoming more popular. (And LSAs are one of the few ways businesses can appear in the nearly 20 percent of searches made in this way, according to Google.)

How to Integrate Google Local Services Ads into your digital marketing strategy

If you’re hooked on the idea of engaging with customers on a local level through reinvented digital marketing strategies (and honestly, what business owner wouldn’t be?), you’ve now come to the hard part: Getting started with LSAs.

Luckily, it’s not actually that complicated.

First, you’ll want to check to see if LSAs are available in your area by doing an eligibility check.

If you’re eligible for LSAs in your area, you will also need to enter into the Google Guaranteed program by passing Google’s screening process. Being a part of the Google Guaranteed program means that Google has verified you as a trustworthy and reliable business.

This is good for both your business and your customers. Learn more about why, here.

From there, it’s smooth sailing and you can begin capturing leads that are ready to book, today.

David Hunter is the CEO of Epic Web Studios, a web development and digital marketing firm with over a decade of experience, and the Chief Strategy Officer of dbaPlatform, the #1 tool for Google My Business optimization. He also founded ASAPmaps, a local SEO tool for automatic weekly updates… View full profile ›

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