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Google Local Services Ads Showing Below AdWords

If you have been following Google Local Services over the last year, then you’re accustomed to a very specific placement for these ads.  They show at the top of the page, above all the other search results.   For most businesses it would look something like what you see below, where  Local Services shows at the top, followed by AdWords Ads, the Local Pack, and then organic results (on desktop).

Local Services ads on desktop, showing above all other results on the SERP.

Google has consistently been giving their Google Guaranteed service providers prime real estate at the top of the SERP across all devices.  These providers then pay a flat rate fee for every lead they receive in the form of a phone call.  We have seen several cases where this flat rate fee is actually less than the cost of an AdWords click for the same search term.

As of last week, we started to see a shift in placement of Local Services ads.  They were seen showing BELOW the Google AdWords ads, and above the Local Pack, when using the the Google AdWords Ad Preview Tool.   This morning for the first time we are seeing Local Services showing below the the Google AdWords ads in live results, on desktop.

Local Services ads showing below AdWords ads on Deskotp, May 29, 2018.

So far, we are not able to recreate the same result on mobile devices, although that may be coming.  So why is Google is testing new placement for these ads?  Perhaps revenue from traditional AdWords ads has started to dip for keywords that also show Local Services ads, and Google is trying to rectify that?  Or maybe Google is testing this in areas where there aren’t three qualified Google Guaranteed service providers?  They may feel more confident in their AdWords results now that the Garage Door industry has undergone Advanced Verification checks.  We will see if this result becomes more prevalent across verticals, devices, and keywords in the upcoming weeks.

Google Home Service Ads – Some Advertise For Free?

At this point, most of you are probably already familiar with Google Home Service Ads (HSAs) and their placement at the top of the SERP.   Three HSAs can show for any given search, marked as “Google Guaranteed,” with their business name, reviews, home city, phone number and hours displayed.  Searchers can click on the “More Pros” link to see additional providers.  But what happens when Google doesn’t have three qualified providers in a vertical and metro area where HSAs are active?  Do some businesses get top placement for free?!? Continue reading

Google Home Service Ads – Impact on Google AdWords Positions

The Google Home Service Ads program continues to move forward as we move into fall, despite some challenges on Google’s end.  We have been fortunate enough to see the Home Service Ads launch process through with two of our customers, and  we have learned  that Google HSA are having an impact on Google AdWords in a way that we may not have all considered – average position reporting.

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Google Home Service Ads Expand

The Google Home Service Ads program is now traveling across the United States, after being largely quarantined to California (San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento & Stockton)  for quite some time.  We were notified that for some of Google’s service categories, they are set to expand to the following metro areas:

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