Guaranteed Leads with The Google Guarantee

Ok – so they don’t call it Google Guarantee because the leads are guaranteed…but they could! If you haven’t heard about Google’s Local Services platform then you are truly missing out.

Keep reading to find out what it’s all about.

If you’re in any of the home services industries such as HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or general contracting, you have most likely heard of the Google Guarantee program, sometimes referred to as Google Local Services.

Here’s the thing – these are 2 completely different services that just happen to work together, and when used correctly, can drive a lot of qualified leads directly to your business.

Let’s dig a little deeper to find out how exactly this works.

Google Local Services – the secret weapon for most service-based small businesses

Google Local Services is an ad platform that Google offers to the lucky selection of businesses that fall into their “home services” categories.

Check out which businesses can use Google Local Services below;

• Appliance repair services
• Carpet cleaning services
• Cleaning services
• Electricians
• Estate lawyer services
• Financial planning services
• Garage door services
• HVAC (heating or air conditioning)
• Immigration lawyer services
• Lawn care services
• Locksmiths
• Movers
• Pest control services
• Plumbers
• Real estate services
• Roofers
• Water damage services
• Window cleaning services

Here’s the thing;
Not all Local Services are created equal. Google is not currently offering the ad platform to all of these industries in every market. If you are a Realtor in Houston for example…you’re screwed – at least for the time being. There are plans to expand every industry into every market but for now, we wait with bated breath.

Google will only allow a certain number of “pros” in a particular category in a particular location and while this is a relatively new platform, the spots are filling up quickly because of the success that businesses are experiencing.

It works by creating an account with Local Services and registering your business. You must have a professional license and general liability insurance to even qualify for the ads program. Google will automatically begin the screening process for the Google Guarantee once you register on Local Services – more on that later.

Defining Your Local Services Campaign

Once registered, you will have an opportunity to define the specifics of the services you offer in your respective industry.

You will also be able to choose what service area you want your ads to display in. This is especially useful for let’s say an HVAC company that only runs calls in a 10-mile radius from their shop. You won’t be spending money on ads to be seen by people who aren’t in your service area.

In typical Google fashion, you will be given the chance to add company photos of your office, the work-trucks, your staff, your logo, etc. DON’T SKIP THIS! This step adds legitimacy to your listing and sometimes can be the difference between you and the company with an ad right above yours getting the lead!

The last, and possibly most important element is reviews. Nobody with any sense about them is going to do business with a service company nowadays if they don’t have a handful of reviews backing them up.  Google requires you to send a link that they provide to your customers to get reviews on the local services platform.

[idea]

Pro Tip: If you already have reviews on your Google My Business listing, you can ask your Google Representative to pull your reviews from there! [/idea]

That’s it – you’re done!

Just set up your billing and tell Google how much you want to spend each week on leads and you should be good to go.

So, how much do Local Service leads cost?

We have found that on average – each lead costs roughly $25 so long as they make contact with your company.

You have the ability to dispute leads and request your money back but this is only successful if the bunk lead meets any of the following criteria;

• Requested job isn’t listed on your profile.
• Customer’s location isn’t listed on your profile.
• Not a customer (for example: wrong number, sales call or other solicitation).
• Not a human (spam or bot).
• You were charged twice for the same customer lead within 15 days.
• You didn’t have a conversation with a customer and you had no way to contact them. For example, you receive a message lead where the customer’s email is invalid or a phone lead with no caller ID.

Your mileage may vary.

Operating Your Local Services Account

Once you get set up and Google authorizes your account to run ads, you can access your dashboard from a computer web browser or from the Local Services App on your smartphone.

Both are effectively the same.

From your dashboard, you can review any leads that have come in. The phone calls are recorded and can be played back, any correspondence is noted whether it be text messages or emails.

You can notate every lead and mark it as won or lost. This feature comes in handy when you are tracking your ROI. In the famous words of some old dude – Let us not spend money on endeavors that leave us broke.

You can also track and adjust your budget from the dashboard which is a great feature to have on the fly when your leads start pouring in.

Are you ready to find out what separates the men from the boys? The winners from the losers? The haves from the have-nots? The HVAC companies with all the leads from the HVAC companies without all the leads…🤔?

The Google Guarantee Program – your badge of honor

As I mentioned earlier, just by signing up for Local Services, your company will automatically be enrolled in the screening process for the Google Guarantee Program.

Google looks at a few different factors such as your professional license, your company insurance, and the employer/employees of the company.

That’s right – you can’t be employing some sketchy dude you hired off the street with felonies and expect to pass this portion of the process.

Google requires you to submit the following, at no charge to you;

• Company Background Check
• Owner Background Check
• Field Technician(s) Background Check

They want to know who will be servicing the leads that they are driving to you because they are going to be guaranteeing your business.

The process is relatively easy – they provide a website that you can submit all of the information to and they review the results. It generally takes a few days for them to return a decision.

Assuming you have passed their screening process, you become GOOGLE GUARANTEED *LIGHTNING AND THUNDER*

So why does that matter?

What Does Google Guarantee Actually Guarantee?

Well, Google will guarantee the work of your company up to $2,000. This means that if for any reason a customer is dissatisfied with your work, they can submit a claim to Google and there will be an investigation. If they find in favor of the customer – they will cover up to $2,000 of the cost to make it right.

There is some more fine print about this that you can read directly from the source, here.

What does this mean for you and your customers?

Peace of mind. A potential customer will feel much more confident doing business with a company backed by a powerhouse like Google. It even comes with a cute little green badge that gets displayed next to your company listing – more importantly, that DOESN’T get displayed next to those who have not passed the screening.

See where I am going with this?

All of the little factors that I have covered in this article work together to help shine a light of professionalism on your business over others that may not have paid attention to the details of setting up their Local Services account correctly.

Is Local Services the Best Choice for my Company’s Marketing Budget?

There is no universal answer to a question like this.

Every company is unique in its needs and goals. It is important to factor in your expectations, budget, service offerings and any other aspect that plays a role in the success of any advertising campaign.

Situations like this are where it comes in handy to have a professional digital marketing company that specializes in Home Services in your corner.

Contact Visibly Connected if you need help from a team experienced in setting up and managing Google Local Services for companies like yours.