Local service ads (LSAs) are a powerful tool for businesses that rely on local customers to drive sales. Whether you own a small service-based company like a plumbing business, a home cleaning service, or a law firm, local service ads can connect you directly to nearby customers who are looking for your services.
Local service ads are designed to target customers in specific geographic areas. Unlike traditional ads, which are often more general, LSAs focus on helping people in your community find your business when they need your services the most. Two of the most prominent platforms offering local service ads are Google Ads and Facebook Ads.
In this guide, we’ll dive into the basics of local service ads, with a detailed focus on Google and Facebook Ads. We’ll discuss how these platforms work, the benefits they offer to local businesses, and how to maximize their potential to drive growth in your local area.
Why Local Service Ads Matter for Your Business
Before we jump into Google and Facebook Ads, let’s address why local service ads are crucial for businesses that operate within a specific geographical area.
- Targeted Audience: LSAs focus on people who are actively searching for services in your area. For example, if someone in your town searches for “plumbers near me” or “best local electrician,” local service ads ensure that your business appears in front of them at the right time.
- Higher Intent to Convert: When a user searches for local services, they are often closer to making a decision. These potential customers are not just browsing—they’re looking to hire someone. LSAs help you connect with high-intent leads who are ready to book your services.
- Improved Credibility: LSAs, especially on Google, come with trust badges or guarantees, which increases the credibility of your business. This makes customers more likely to trust your services.
- Cost-Effective: Local service ads can be more cost-effective than traditional digital ads because they target specific customers in your area, reducing the chances of wasted ad spend on irrelevant clicks.
Google Ads for Local Services
Google Ads is one of the most widely used platforms for local service ads. When users search for services related to your business, Google’s local service ads appear at the very top of the search results. This makes it easy for people to find your business without scrolling through the results.
How Google Local Service Ads Work
Google’s local service ads connect you with potential customers by displaying your business directly in search results for relevant local queries. These ads appear as a box at the top of the Google search page, showing basic information about your business, including your name, rating, and contact information.
Unlike standard Google Ads, local service ads are pay-per-lead instead of pay-per-click. This means you only pay when a customer contacts you through the ad, rather than when someone simply clicks on it.
Key Features of Google Local Service Ads
- Verified Listings: Google provides a verification badge for businesses that meet their qualification requirements. This badge helps to build trust with customers and assures them that your business is legitimate.
- Pay-Per-Lead: With Google’s local service ads, you pay for each qualified lead, such as a phone call, email, or text message, rather than paying for clicks that may not convert.
- Customer Reviews: Google’s local service ads prominently feature customer reviews. Positive reviews can make your business stand out and improve your click-through rate.
- Booking Options: Google’s local service ads make it easy for potential customers to contact you. They can book a service, call you directly, or send a message without needing to visit your website.
How to Set Up Google Local Service Ads
Setting up Google local service ads is relatively straightforward:
- Sign Up and Create a Profile: First, you need to sign up for Google Local Services Ads and create a business profile. This profile will include your service area, business hours, and the types of services you offer.
- Get Verified: Google requires businesses to undergo a verification process to ensure they meet the platform’s standards. This may involve background checks, verifying licenses, and meeting insurance requirements.
- Set Your Budget: Google allows you to control your ad spend by setting a weekly budget. You can also adjust this budget over time depending on your results.
- Receive and Manage Leads: Once your ad is live, you will start receiving leads. Google allows you to track your leads through a dashboard, making it easy to manage and respond to potential customers.
Benefits of Google Local Service Ads
- Top of Search Results: Local service ads appear at the top of the search engine results page (SERP), increasing visibility and the likelihood of being noticed by potential customers.
- Increased Credibility with Google Guarantee: With the Google Guarantee badge, businesses can build trust with potential customers, assuring them that the business has been vetted by Google.
- Only Pay for Qualified Leads: Google’s pay-per-lead model ensures you only pay for actual leads, making it a cost-effective solution for generating new business.
Facebook Ads for Local Services
While Google focuses on search, Facebook Ads takes advantage of its powerful social media platform to promote local services. With more than 2.8 billion monthly active users, Facebook allows businesses to reach a wide audience while targeting specific demographics based on interests, behaviors, and location.
How Facebook Local Service Ads Work
Facebook’s local service ads work by using advanced targeting to show your business’s ads to local customers based on their location and interests. Facebook Ads can appear in users’ newsfeeds, Instagram feeds, Messenger, or even on Facebook Marketplace, depending on how you set up your campaign.
Facebook uses its vast data to allow businesses to show their ads to a highly targeted audience, ensuring that local customers are more likely to see your ad and interact with it.
Key Features of Facebook Local Service Ads
- Highly Targeted Advertising: One of the most powerful features of Facebook Ads is the ability to target people based on a wide range of criteria, including age, gender, location, interests, and behaviors.
- Custom Audiences: You can create custom audiences based on data you already have, such as email lists or website visitors, and show your ads to these specific groups.
- Ad Formats: Facebook offers a variety of ad formats, including single images, videos, slideshows, and carousel ads, allowing businesses to showcase their services creatively.
- Engagement and Lead Forms: Facebook allows users to engage with ads directly by liking, commenting, or sharing, and businesses can use Facebook’s lead forms to capture customer information without requiring users to leave the platform.
How to Set Up Facebook Local Service Ads
- Create a Business Page: Before you can run ads, you need a Facebook Business Page. This page will serve as the foundation of your local advertising efforts.
- Go to Facebook Ads Manager: In the Ads Manager, you can set up and manage all your campaigns. Choose the “Reach” or “Lead Generation” campaign objective if your goal is to attract local service customers.
- Define Your Audience: Facebook’s audience targeting options are powerful. You can narrow your audience by location, specifying regions, cities, or even specific neighborhoods.
- Choose Your Ad Format: Select the format that best suits your services. For local service ads, carousel ads or video ads tend to work well since they allow you to showcase multiple aspects of your business.
- Set Your Budget and Duration: Facebook Ads gives you flexibility with your ad spend. Set a daily or lifetime budget, and choose how long you want the ad to run.
- Track Your Results: Facebook’s Ads Manager provides detailed analytics on ad performance. Monitor your engagement, clicks, and leads to see which campaigns are driving the best results.
Benefits of Facebook Local Service Ads
- Highly Customizable Targeting: Facebook Ads allow you to zero in on your target audience based on specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. This ensures your ads are shown to the right people.
- Wide Range of Ad Formats: Facebook’s variety of ad formats enables you to present your services in different ways, whether through engaging videos, eye-catching images, or interactive carousels.
- Social Engagement: Facebook Ads can generate engagement in the form of likes, comments, and shares, giving your business greater visibility and reach.
Google Ads vs. Facebook Ads: Which Platform is Right for Your Local Business?
Both Google Ads and Facebook Ads offer significant advantages for local service businesses, but the right choice depends on your goals, budget, and audience.
- Google Ads for Intent-Driven Searches: Google Local Service Ads are best suited for businesses that want to capture leads when potential customers are actively searching for services. If you own a plumbing company and someone searches for “emergency plumber near me,” Google Ads will ensure your business shows up right at the top of the results. This is ideal for capturing customers with high purchase intent.
- Facebook Ads for Brand Awareness and Engagement: Facebook Ads, on the other hand, are great for reaching people who may not yet know they need your services but are within your target demographic. Facebook’s advanced targeting capabilities allow you to build awareness, engage with potential customers, and nurture leads over time. If your goal is to build a community, drive engagement, or introduce your business to new customers, Facebook Ads might be the better option.
Combining Google Ads and Facebook Ads for Maximum Impact
Many businesses find success by combining both platforms in their digital marketing strategy. By using Google Local Service Ads to capture high-intent leads and Facebook Ads to build awareness and engagement, you can create a well-rounded marketing approach that covers the full customer journey.
Maximizing the Potential of Local Service Ads
Local service ads on Google and Facebook offer powerful tools for businesses looking to grow their local customer base. By leveraging the targeting capabilities of Google Local Service Ads and Facebook Ads, businesses can attract high-quality leads, increase conversions, and build trust in their local community.
While Google’s platform is perfect for capturing customers at the moment they need your services, Facebook excels at raising awareness and nurturing customer relationships over time. Combining these two platforms can help you develop a comprehensive strategy that drives results and grows your business in a sustainable way.
Whether you’re just starting with local service ads or looking to optimize your existing campaigns, investing in the right tools and strategies is essential for success in today’s competitive digital landscape. Hire the best people to help you reach your target customers in the area and grow your business.