Google Local Services Ads Guide for Contractors
A practical guide to Google LSAs for contractors — eligibility, ranking factors, pricing, and how to dispute bad leads.
Editorial
Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) appear at the very top of search results — above the paid search ads, above the map pack. For most home service contractors, they are the highest-intent paid leads available.
Eligibility and setup
To run LSAs you need:
- A Google Business Profile in good standing.
- Google Guarantee verification — background check on the owner, business license, and proof of insurance.
- A service area and a list of trades.
- A budget (you set a weekly cap, Google charges per lead).
Setup typically takes 1–2 weeks for background checks to clear.
What you actually pay for
LSAs are pay-per-lead, not pay-per-click. A "lead" is a phone call or message of meaningful length (Google's algorithm decides, not you). Bad leads can be disputed — and you should dispute them aggressively. Common valid disputes:
- Wrong service requested
- Outside service area
- Spam or solicitation
- Customer never answered follow-up
Realistic dispute approval rate: 25–40%. That money goes back into your ad credits.
Ranking factors
Google's exact algorithm is secret, but in practice you rank higher when you have:
- More verified Google reviews (4.5+ stars).
- Faster response time on previous leads.
- Higher booking rate (track in the LSA dashboard).
- Broader hours of availability.
- A larger budget (yes, this matters).
The single biggest mistake
Not answering the phone. LSA leads call you directly. If you miss the call, the lead is "dead" and Google's algorithm notices — your ranking drops within days.
Use BusyBuddy's communications tools for missed-call auto-text and AI voicemail summaries so you can rescue the leads you cannot answer live. Start free.