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Local Services Ads

Setup and management of Google Local Services Ads: verification, profile, budget, hours, lead review and feedback, so you pay for leads that fit your work.

Local Services Ads are the pay-per-lead ads that appear at the top of some Google searches for home services and other local trades. A customer taps your profile to call, message or request a booking, and you pay for valid leads rather than clicks. 1REALTOUR handles the verification paperwork, builds a strong profile, manages budget and hours, and reviews leads on a regular schedule.

Google Verified, the current badge

Google now uses a single Google Verified badge for Local Services Ads. It replaced the earlier badges, and Google has discontinued the money-back program tied to them. Existing advertisers who had completed verification received the new badge automatically.

To earn the badge, a business passes Google's screening and verification. Depending on category and location, that can include business registration, license and insurance checks, background checks for owners and field workers, a linked and verified Google Business Profile, and minimum review requirements. Some categories can run pre-badge ads while the remaining checks finish, ranked below fully verified providers.

How Local Services Ads differ from Google Ads

  • You pay per lead, such as a call or message, not per click
  • There are no keywords; you choose service categories, job types and service areas
  • Ads show your rating, reviews and verification in a standard Google layout
  • Ranking weighs your bid, responsiveness, reviews, profile quality and the context of the search
  • Billing runs through Google Ads, but pausing and editing happen in the Local Services Ads account

Many contractors run both. Local Services Ads cover the top of the page for core services, while Google Ads reach searches and job types that Local Services Ads do not offer.

Budget, hours and responsiveness

You set an average weekly budget, and Google can spend more in some weeks but will not pass the monthly maximum. Once that maximum is reached, the ad stops showing for the rest of the month unless the budget changes.

Google ranks responsive businesses higher. Missed calls and slow message replies can lower your position. We set business hours to match when someone can actually answer, turn on message and booking leads where they fit, and set up notifications so new leads reach the right person.

Lead review, feedback and credits

Google screens leads automatically. Leads it judges invalid or low quality are not charged, and charged leads are reassessed over time and may be credited. Google no longer credits leads for a job type or area you do not serve, so the fix for those is in your settings, not a dispute.

On a regular schedule we listen to call recordings, read messages, mark booked jobs, and rate poor leads through the lead feedback survey. When the same unwanted job types keep appearing, we tighten categories, job types and service areas.

What's included

  • Eligibility check and account setup
  • Verification document preparation
  • Profile, photos and business bio
  • Job types and service area configuration
  • Budget and bidding management
  • Business hours and lead notifications
  • Regular lead review and feedback
  • Monthly report of leads, bookings and cost

How we work

  1. Step 1

    Check eligibility

    We confirm your category is offered in your area and list the checks Google will ask for.

  2. Step 2

    Verify

    We prepare license, insurance and registration documents and walk your team through background checks.

  3. Step 3

    Launch

    We complete the profile, set job types, service areas, hours and budget, and turn on the right lead types.

  4. Step 4

    Review leads

    We review leads, rate poor ones, mark booked jobs and adjust settings based on what comes in.

Technologies we use

Industries we serve

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Google Screened and Google Guaranteed?
Google replaced its earlier badges, including Google Screened and Google Guaranteed, with one Google Verified badge for Local Services Ads. Advertisers who had already completed verification received the new badge automatically. Google also discontinued the Money Back Guarantee that was tied to Google Guaranteed.
Do I pay for every lead from Local Services Ads?
Local Services Ads charge for valid leads, such as answered calls, voicemails, messages and booking requests. Google filters out spam and duplicates and may credit leads it later judges low quality. Leads for a job type or area you do not serve are no longer credited, so service settings must be accurate.
Can I dispute a bad Local Services Ads lead?
Google now handles most lead credits automatically after reassessing charged leads. Advertisers can rate individual leads through the lead feedback survey in the Leads page. 1REALTOUR reviews and rates leads on a regular schedule and adjusts job types and service areas to cut down on unwanted leads.
Should a contractor run Local Services Ads or Google Ads?
Many contractors run both. Local Services Ads are pay-per-lead and show verification and reviews, but they cover only set categories and job types. Google Ads cost per click and allow keyword targeting, landing pages and services that Local Services Ads do not include.
Why am I getting fewer Local Services Ads leads?
Lead volume in Local Services Ads depends on budget, bid, responsiveness, reviews and profile quality. Missed calls and slow replies can lower ranking. 1REALTOUR checks each of these, along with hours and service areas, and fixes the ones holding the profile back.

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