A staggering 87% of consumers use Google to evaluate local businesses, which explains why businesses are pouring their efforts into Local Service Ads.

Familiarizing yourself with common issues stops you from becoming the guinea pig and potentially risking your business. Although navigating a new tool is overwhelming, once you understand the basics, you’re good to go.

If you’re struggling with Google Local Service Ads, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some common mistakes to avoid.

Not Understanding How Google Ranks Services

Like with any new feature, it’s important to understand how it promotes and punishes businesses. Look at similar businesses in your area and ask yourself why the heavy hitters are at the top. Once you see a pattern, it’ll be easier to see where you should focus your efforts, whether it’s creating a detailed profile or including relevant keywords.

Choosing the Wrong Ad Account

To avoid mistakes in local ads, start by choosing the right account. For instance, if you have a single location, you’d benefit most from using an Individual Google Ads account. On the flip side, those with multiple locations can streamline their business by opening a manager account.

Targeting Too Many Markets

Successful businesses hone into their target audience, and the same goes for Local ads. You don’t want to take a cookie-cutter approach, because you likely won’t attract your ideal customer and grow your business. To optimize Local Service Ads, focus between one to three major markets, as it will boost your performance.

Each Local Services Ads profile should be viewed as a campaign. Just like you wouldn’t ask a campaign to service more than one major market, it’s unrealistic to ask Local Services Ads to target more than three major markets. Targeting a county or DMA counts as one target. You can exclude zip codes or towns to narrow your focus and bypass competitive auctions.

So as just mentioned, in an ideal structure, you’d have each LSA profile focusing on one major market (corresponding to one Google Business Profile).

Not Getting Certified

One of the top Google Ads’ common issues is not getting certified. The search engine requires all small businesses to complete a background check and will ask for your basic details. If you fail to get the Google Guarantee badge, your profile won’t be accepted and you can’t reap the benefits of the marketing tool.

Posting the Wrong Business Hours

Adding the wrong business hours has become one of the most common errors in Service ads.

Google wants to connect consumers with the right service quickly, especially if it’s urgent, like an HVAC issue. Because of this, the platform will only push businesses that include accurate opening hours. If you can, consider being available early morning or late evening, because these slots are less competitive, which boosts your local ad.

Further, fill out every field in your profile. Include the ZIP code, and if you offer different services in another area, specify this, as you will attract a new type of client. You should also upload photos in your profile to boost your business’s visibility and show clients you’re a credible company.

Forgetting to Collect Google Reviews

Out of all the Google Ads pitfalls, this is the easiest to avoid. You should always ask customers to leave a positive review on your social media and Google My Business page.

Unlike these pages, you can use the “ask for review” button next to the completed job in your HVAC, plumbing, or lawn mowing business. This will send a link to the client, making it easier for them to respond.

Although we don’t know everything about Google’s algorithm, we know positive reviews play a huge role in where you rank. Instead of focusing on quantity, check that you regularly receive positive reviews to boost your profile.

Unfortunately, bad reviews are inevitable for every business, so how you manage them is crucial.

If you receive a steady stream of negative complaints or a major one, this will impact your ranking on the platform. The best way to fix a negative review is by contacting the customer and fixing the issue so that they can remove it. For instance, give them a full refund or a discount on their purchase.

Overpromising on Your Profile

Sure, you want a detailed profile, but avoid over-promising. You don’t want to sound too good to be true, as customers will view it as a red flag. For instance, avoid saying you’re available 24/7 if you do not have a live answering service or that you offer every service in your industry, because it may work against you as your missed calls increase and then you cannot dispute missed calls with Google.

Compromising Your Budget

Don’t make the mistake of overlooking your Service Ads budget. Once you create the ad, you can create a weekly and monthly maximum limit that Google won’t let you pass across. Exceeding the weekly budget isn’t a big deal as it gives you flexibility over the number of leads you get without breaking the bank.

However, the monthly limit will impact how many ad impressions you receive. Because of this, stick with your budget and only make tweaks if you can afford it.

Not Archiving Leads

Get in the habit of archiving leads as it shows the algorithm which clients to target. This ensures that your budget is honing in on leads that will likely convert. If you’re unfamiliar with leads, know that valid ones include text messages, e-mails, and phone calls.

Always respond to leads quickly. Even if you can’t do the job straight away, connecting with the client shows that you value them and want to help. To streamline the process, block out times during the day when you can respond or follow up on inquiries.

The best method is to check in with your dashboard where you can engage with prospects and manage your leads to ensure you’re within the budget.

Avoid These Common Google Local Service Ads Mistakes

Now that you know the most common mistakes with Google Local Service Ads, it’s time to boost your profile.

Optimizing your profile can be overwhelming, and that’s why we’re here to help. At Optic Marketing Group, we have experience working with home service companies to ensure they reach their target audience and grow their business.

If you’re interested in our services, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us today to chat with a member of our team.