Google Local Services Ads (LSA), also known as Google Guaranteed, provides an effective avenue for consumers to connect with local service contractors. However, many business owners encounter challenges when their LSA accounts fail to generate sufficient leads. In this article, we’ll delve into the most common issue faced with LSA and offer actionable solutions to transform a dormant LSA account into a lead-generating powerhouse.
The Challenge: Low LSA Lead Volume
Many business owners express frustration over inadequate lead delivery from their LSA accounts. While LSA is just one marketing channel, it’s essential to maximize its potential. One consistent factor among struggling accounts is the weekly budget. Google provides a tool to estimate leads based on the budget, but its accuracy varies.
Budgets Are Not Being Spent
Examples:
1. Roofing Account:
– Weekly Budget: $1,400
– Target Weekly Leads: 19-48
– Actual Leads Captured: 1
– Average Lead Cost: $135.09
2. House Cleaner:
– Weekly Budget: $10,000
– Target Weekly Leads: 181-454
– Actual Leads Captured: 10
– Average Lead Cost: $59.39
Clearly, Google’s LSA Cost Estimator is not as accurate as we would like!
Weekly budget is one factor that significantly impacts LSA account performance. Yes, reviews photos, and completeness of your LSA are all ranking factors, but a healthy budget can improve visibility. Based on data from over 100 LSA accounts, the average account spends only 17% of its weekly budget! Let’s look into a strategy for increasing spend to get more LSA leads.
What should the LSA weekly budget be?
With this data and knowledge of LSA trends, we recommend the following steps to setting a right-fit budget for your Google Guaranteed account:
1. Find a starting place: Begin with a budget you’re comfortable with.
2. Incremental Increases: Raise the budget by 20% each week until you achieve your desired lead volume with LSA.
LSA Weekly Budget Adjustment Example:
Marietta owns a house cleaning business and runs a Local Services Ads account for house cleaning leads. She only gets about 1-2 leads a month with local service ads and spends about $60 a month.
– Initial weekly budget: $300
– Goal: 10 leads per week
– By incrementally increasing her budget (e.g., $60 per week), Marietta achieved consistent success.
– With a weekly budget of $1,400, Marietta receives roughly 10 leads weekly at an average cost of $35 per lead.
Key LSA Takeaways:
1. Budget Utilization:
– LSA rarely exhausts the entire weekly budget you allocate.
– The current LSA estimator tool lacks accuracy.
2. Consistent Budget Increases:
– Set your weekly budget higher consistently to yield more leads.
3. Industries and location vary in LSA weekly budget spend.
– General contractors, carpet cleaners, junk removal contractors, and occasionally painters spend up to 50% of their weekly budget. This is why it is important to start at a comfortable budget and make incremental increases (once a week).
4. Monitor Your LSA Account:
– You authorize Google to spend a specific amount (the budget you set), so keep a close eye on the account. If you don’t have time for this, consider hiring a professional to do this for you.
99 Calls LSA Management Service
At 99 Calls, we understand the challenges faced by businesses navigating the LSA landscape and offer professional LSA account management for an affordable price. For just $99 a month, our team of experts will optimize your LSA account, fine-tune budgets, and ensure maximum lead generation. Let us take the guesswork out of LSA management, so you can focus on what you do best—serving your local customers.
Remember, effective management of your LSA account pays off. Stay tuned for more insights in our next LSA article!
Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions or need additional assistance!