6 Best Practice Strategies to Drive the Best Results on Google Local Services

Now in the 5th year since the pilot in California began, Google Local Services ads have never been more important for contractors and services professionals looking to maximize their online ROI. 

But how do you get the most out of it? How do you drive the best results from the program?

To drive the best results out of the Google Local Services program as a contractor in Ontario in 2024, use these 6 best practice strategies:

1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile: Success starts with a fully optimized Google My Business profile. To provide potential customers with the information they need when looking for a local services provider, ensure your profile is complete with accurate and detailed business information. This includes your business name, address, phone number, hours of operation, website URL, and services offered. Also include elements unique to your company, like photos, videos, and other information. Having a fully optimized profile helps you appear in the Google Map 3-Pack, which significantly impacts your local SEO and visibility.
2. Leverage Customer Reviews: The program’s success depends on your engagement in the platform, which means generating reviews from customers. Encourage satisfied customers to leave detailed, positive reviews. High ratings, regular review frequency, and positive enhance your reputation and can improve your ad ranking in Google Local Services, attracting more leads​.
3. Review Engagement: A hallmark of a successful company on Google My Business is engaging with its customers who have left reviews. We recommend businesses respond to the reviews they get on their Google My Business page, good, bad, or indifferent. This shows Google that you engage with users and the platform, which it likes.‍
4. Budget Optimization: In the platform, you can set and adjust your monthly budget. Often, clients who are not driving leads will maintain their budgets at the current level, which just maintains the status quo. One trick you can try is shocking the system. Home service companies can focus their service area on a few (one or two postal codes) with a large budget. Increasing your budget and focusing it on one or two small areas can help improve visibility in the area to drive more leads.‍
5. On/Off Toggle: Leads are not valuable or useful if you can not service them. In your Google Local Services dashboard, right at the top, is a toggle for you to turn your ads on and off, at will. Contractors should only have their ads on when they can take the lead and service the client. Usually, this means scheduling your ads around your business hours but can be more ad-hoc based on the business's needs.‍
6. Invest in SEO and PPC Together: If the Google Search Results page was a monopoly board then the business that owns the most and the most prominent “property” on that board is the most successful. With your Google Local Services listing ensuring your positioning on the Maps portion it is important to use a combination of SEO and PPC to maximize visibility. SEO enhances your organic search presence and is something that can be improved over time, while PPC can provide an immediate boost in traffic and leads. A balanced approach can yield the best results in a competitive market​.

By implementing these strategies effectively, you can maximize the potential of the Google Local Services program to grow your HVAC business in Ontario. For more optimization tips and recommendations, contact Manticore Marketing.

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