Guide to Improve Local Google Ads Campaign ROI

Local Google Ads, or Google Local Services Ads (LSAs)are a type of advertisement meant for businesses that are based on home-service. LSAs work on a pay per lead criteria and the ranking of ads is based on proximity, customer reviews, hours, etc. These ads appear right above the regular search ads and involve a thorough verification process for the advertiser before it is published. 

The Two Versions of LSAs

There are two different versions of LSAs – Google Guaranteed LSAs and Google Screened LSAs. The former is meant for the blue-collar industry and includes businesses like housekeeping, plumbing, locksmiths, etc. Google Guaranteed LSAs provide customers with a protection of up to $2000, for any problems that arise on the job. The latter is meant for white-collar industries and includes real estate services, accountants, lawyers, etc. There is no protection offered to the customers in this version of LSAs.

The Eligibility Criteria for LSA Programs

In order to qualify for either of the above Local Google Ads versions, businesses should meet the eligibility criteria listed below:

1. The business should have a Google Business Profile rating on at least 3. 
2. The business should have a Google Ads account, preferably an MCC account.
3. The business should clear the background checks run on the team members required. 

The information and credentials entered during the setting up of a LSA profile is used to determine the eligibility of the business. 

How to Improve the ROI on Local Ads Campaigns

Given below are some simple tips to improve the return on investment on local Google search ads campaigns.

Ensure you have an MCC account

A My Client Centre (MCC) account is an account which allows you to handle multiple Google Ads accounts without having to log in and out of every account you own multiple times. Not only will setting up your LSA account as an MCC allow you to easily navigate between multiple accounts, it will also make you eligible for benefits like MCC-level billing, shared assets, reports, etc. 

Avoid disapprovals for the best results

Disapprovals are the reason why most local Google search Ads stop serving. Two commonly observed disapprovals include expired certifications and flagged headshots. As you set up your LSA profile, you will be required to enter the date of expiration of the certifications you have. Be wary of these dates of expiration, and get them renewed before expiry, and set a date of expiration such that you wouldn’t have to keep renewing every year, or every few years. When it comes to headshots, keep in mind that your picture covers down to your elbows. There is no need to have a white background or a plain background, the key is to ensure that the arms are visible. Keep a watch out for these disapprovals so you can avoid them and enjoy the best results all the time. 

Make sure your bids and budgets are high

To make your Google Ads services achieve the best results, it is important to ensure that both your budget and your bids are set high. While it is understandable that businesses might be apprehensive about setting higher bids, setting lower rates will cause LSAs to under-serve. As a thumb rule, it is recommended that the budget should be set to up to 3 times more than the actual amount you’ve planned to spend. As far as bidding goes, $1000 per bid is the highest recommended amount. 

Don’t target over 3 markets

Each LSA profile should be considered to be one ad campaign. As with ad campaigns, it isn’t wise to target too many markets when it comes to LSAs. It is recommended that the targeted markets be capped at 3. In the event that you have just one business profile but serve multiple locations, you can target locations that are in close proximity to your primary hub. 

The tips given above are just a few of the many ways in which you can increase the ROI on your LSAs. Get the help of professionals who provide Google ads services to implement these tips right away and make the most of your LSAs.