If you’re looking to generate more local leads, Google Local Services Ads are one of the most effective ways to do it
Last week, I had a power hour with a local handyman looking to increase his leads from those researching plumbers, carpenters and handymen in and around Newcastle.
Local Services Ads are the perfect ad format for this business, as they’re specifically designed for Limited company service providers who work within a specific radius.
Here’s 5 steps to ensure your ads are setup for success:
Step 1: Initiation and Job Category
- Setup: Navigate to the Google Local Services Ads website and click “Get Started”.
- Select Job Category: Choose the primary category for your business (e.g., “Handyman”). You can add more specific sub-categories later.
Step 2: Configure Service Areas and Hours
- Service Areas: Define the geographic regions you cover. You can select specific cities, towns, or even entire counties (e.g. Newcastle, Gateshead, or parts of Northumberland).
- Working Hours: Set your operational hours. Setting hours for weekends can be a strategic advantage if competitors are closed during those times.
Step 3: Business Verification and Licenses
- Upload Insurance: You must upload valid insurance documents, such as Public Liability Insurance, to prove the business is legitimate and qualified.
- Verification Period: Google usually takes a few days to verify these documents; ads will not run until this process is complete.
- License Checks: Confirm if your trade requires specific professional licenses. For general handyman work, certain electrical or gas tasks may be restricted without specific certifications.
Step 4: Linking and Profile Optimisation
- Link Google Business Profile: Connect your Local Services Ads account to your existing Google Business Profile. This allows the ad to automatically pull in your reviews, photos, and contact details.
- Leverage Reviews: Reviews are the primary differentiator in Local Services Ads. Ensure your profile has up-to-date, positive reviews, as Google shows highly-rated ads more frequently.
- Add Photos: Upload high-quality photos of your best finished work directly to the Local Services Ads profile to set yourself apart.
Step 5: Budgeting and Lead Management
- Set a Weekly Budget: Choose a weekly spending limit (e.g., £30–£40).
- Cost-Per-Lead (CPL): Unlike traditional ads that charge per click, Local Services Ads operate on a cost-per-lead basis. Google provides an estimated average CPL (e.g., approximately £10 for handyman services) to help you decide on your budget. Once you select your services, Google will display the estimated number of leads you’ll receive based on your weekly budget. This varies depending on the number of competitors operating within the same region.
- Select Lead Types: Choose how you want to receive inquiries; options include phone calls, emails, and SMS messages. All leads are then tracked within your Local Services Ads account.
Important Configuration Tips
- Brand Search Settings: It is recommended to turn off the “Local services highlight your business” setting for direct brand searches. This prevents you from paying for a lead when someone is already searching for your business by name.
- Website Landing Pages: While Local Services Ads use your Google Business Profile, if you also run traditional Google Ads, it’s best-practice to ensure your website has dedicated service pages (e.g., a specific page for “Plumbing”) rather than one generic “Services” page to improve specialist appeal.
- Lead alerts – Ideally, create your LSA account using the admin email address from your Google Business Profile. If you have a separate email for answering enquiries, you can add this address with the Account Access section to receive lead alerts and manage calls/messages from local services ads
If you’re running a service-based business in the UK, there are a whole host of other services that can run Local Services Ads. At time of publishing (February 2026) these are: Appliance repair services, Carpenters, Carpet cleaning services, Cleaning services, Countertop services, Electricians, Fencing services, Flooring services, Foundations services, Garage door services, General contractor services, Handyman, Home inspection services, HVAC (heating or air, conditioning), Junk removal services, Landscaping services, Lawn care services, Moving, services, Pest control services, Plumbers, Pool cleaning services, Pool contracting services, Roofers, Snow removal services, Tree services, Water damage services, Window cleaning, services and Window repair services.
But this ad format may be open to other services in the future – such as painting and decorating! So it’s worth rechecking Google resources often for new services as they launch.
For a power-hour to setup your Local Services Ads, drop me an email at: hannah.zoramarketing@gmail.com
