Local Success: Setting up Your Local Google Ads
Last Updated on: 12th September 2025, 11:18 am
Whether you’re a family lawyer, plumber, electrician, HVAC technician, roofer, cleaner, tutor, cosmetic surgeon, or operate your small-to-medium business within a specific area, you’re familiar with the power of referrals.
And while word-of-mouth is one of the strongest ways to attract more customers for your business, you can’t ignore proactive advertising for those days and months when referrals just aren’t coming in.
That’s where Google Local Services Ads come into play, connecting you directly with people who are searching on Google for services like yours.
What Are Local Google Ads?
Google Local Services Ads match you with future customers who are on their phones or browsing on their computers, thinking, “I need a pet groomer ASAP. I wonder if I can find a reliable shop around here?”
The results are dynamic, provide the information your local leads are looking for, and have the potential to place you in front of people who won’t just consider your services, but purchase them quickly.
Why You Need to Set Up Google Service Ads for Local Success
If there ever was a “secret” to thriving in business, that secret lies in the amount of high-quality leads you can amass and convert into loyal customers.
I’m talking about stacking our calendars high with dozens, even hundreds of them.
To do that, we’ve got to get our business in front of the right eyes, more often.
With Local Services Ads, achieving that can be as simple as a click for potential customers to connect with you over the phone. Plus, once a job is complete, they’re prompted to leave a review, building your credibility right on your profile.
You’re also in control every step of the way. Unlike the standard pay-per-click ads, Local Services Ads operate on a pay-per-lead basis, ensuring you only pay when a new lead reaches out to you.
How to Set Up Your Local Ads
The setup process for Local Ads is pretty straightforward.
Tell Google about Your Business
Simply share your location and the services you offer.
For example, if you offer landscaping services in London, Google will help ensure your ads reach locals in need of landscaping assistance.
Become Google Guaranteed
Once you’ve shared your business details, Google will verify that you meet a few requirements, such as licensing and insurance.
For example, if you want to run Google Ads for criminal defence attorneys, it may confirm your licence status with relevant authorities and verify your insurance coverage. This process typically takes a few days, but it can vary depending on your business’s complexity and local regulations.
(If you manage multiple Local Services Ads Accounts and locations, each location should have its own address and be verified separately!)
After your business is verified, you’ll receive the Google Guaranteed badge. This badge shows up on your online ads, letting potential customers know that Google has checked and endorsed your business.
Notice how much more appealing a Guaranteed badge looks?
On top of the badge, Google Guarantee offers some extra benefits. If a customer isn’t satisfied with the quality of your work, Google might refund them up to the amount they paid for jobs booked through your Services Ads.
There’s a lifetime cap for coverage, but it’s a reassuring perk for both you and your customers.
Get a Full View of Your Ads
The next crucial step is understanding how many leads you’re getting from your ad and how many of those leads are converting into successful bookings.
With the Local Services Ads app, you can easily track leads throughout the day or pause ads directly from your phone, making it convenient to manage your campaigns on the go.
Get Booked
Once you’ve set up your first ad, Google will start showing it to the people who are looking for your services. If someone sees your ad, they can book an appointment on your calendar straight away. Plus, you have full control over the jobs you choose to take up (or drop).
“Wait? That’s It?”
In theory, yes. But Google Ads isn’t a fairytale, and neither is your industry. As you’re aware, competition and regulations abound, so let’s keep a few things in mind.
Be Mindful of Ad Rankings with Local Google Ads
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’re familiar with Google’s ultimate mission: to serve the best possible results to every searcher. That’s where Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) comes in with a beneficial hierarchy so that the top results are, ideally, the most helpful for searchers.
Of course, with ads, you can get results much faster than you would get if you only relied on SEO. However, there are a few things that are considered for each search where you’re paying to advertise:
- Your proximity to potential customers’ locations
- Your review score and the number of reviews you receive
- Your responsiveness to customer inquiries and requests
- Your business hours
- The budget you set (especially if you’re just getting started)
- Whether or not Google received serious or repeated complaints about your business
All of these factors help Google determine whether to serve your ad for a specific search and in which position to serve it.
Most Industries, But Not All Industries
Certain industries have particular regulations or licensing requirements that might impact their ability to advertise through Google Local Services Ads.
For example, businesses in healthcare (from GPs to weight loss practices), legal services, financial services like accounting and financial advisory, and real estate may need to meet additional eligibility criteria.
Also, if your business offers adult entertainment or other services that don’t meet the content restriction and advertising policy regulations, you would not be eligible for Local Google Ads.
Maximising Your Local Google Ads Results
Craft Compelling Copy for Successful Local Google Ads
As with any Google Ad, it’s up to you to craft the ad content.
Make sure your ad copy is compelling, highlighting your unique selling points and encouraging people to reach out to you.
These days, everyone wants to be “#1,” but for that claim to work as expected, you’ll need proof signals.
Monitor Your Performance
Make sure you’re making the most of your Google Ads budget by regularly monitoring your ad performance metrics.
Keep an eye on metrics like click-through rate, conversion rate, and cost per lead. Then, use this data to refine your bidding strategy, adjust your ad content, and optimise your targeting for a higher ROI.
With certain 2025 updates to Google Local Services Ads, you’ll also be able to directly share lead quality feedback with the platform.
A Word on Budgeting (and Is Google’s Estimated Budget Trustworthy?)
Google Local Services’ page offers a handy budget estimation tool based on your location, industry, and desired leads per month. But I understand if you’re sceptical.
As a small service-based business, you work hard for your money and have every right to be cautious, especially if you’re new to Google Ads.
While the budget calculator provides a useful starting point, budgets are highly personal to your business. Yes, costs vary by industry – for example, advertising a restaurant may cost around $1.77 per click, while generating landscaping leads might cost less, depending on local competition.
But industry isn’t the only factor affecting costs. You also need to consider:
- Your customer lifecycle: Are you in B2B or B2C? What’s the decision-making process of your prospects like? Are they quick to convert or do they take months to do it? If you run B2B Google Ads, it’s natural for the costs to be higher due to longer sales cycles.
- Current trends: Customer behaviour can change over time, influencing the effectiveness and cost of your ads.
- Your experience with Google Ads: If you’ve run ads before, you likely have insights into profitable keywords and ad performance, so you can adjust your budget according to your knowledge.
If you’re new to Google Ads, don’t worry if you don’t have historical data or conversion tracking yet. It’s common to face higher costs initially without this information. But as you gain experience and Google learns more about your campaigns, you’ll be able to make improvements and reduce costs.
For example, you might find that certain keywords aren’t bringing in profitable results, so you can adjust your bids accordingly.
You’ll also have the chance to try out more advanced bidding strategies like Cost Per Acquisition and Maximise Conversions. These strategies rely on historical data and conversion tracking to work well, but you’ll get there with time and experience!
Local Success Ahead!
Once you sign up for Google Local Services Ads, it’ll walk you through the process of creating your first ad without a problem.
But if you’re still feeling a bit unsure and want to make sure your first ad is a success, let me lend a hand. Sometimes, all you need is some good Google Ads coaching to help you set up a winning campaign.
Or, if you need expert assistance with your Google Ads, download my best-selling Google Ads book or reach out for personalised advice.
