Why it matters
When several companies in your area run Local Services Ads, Google decides who shows first. That order matters, because most people call one of the first few businesses they see.
Google doesn’t publish an exact formula, but it does point to factors like how close you are to the customer, your reviews and rating, how responsive you are to leads, your business hours, and whether complaints have been received about your business. Budget and bidding are part of it too, but they work alongside these, not in place of them.
The good news is that most of these factors come down to running your business well and making it easy for customers to say so. A roofing company that answers every call, replies to messages quickly and asks every customer for a review is in a strong position, even against bigger competitors.
Reviews also do a second job. Your rating and review count sit right on the ad, so they shape whether someone calls you or scrolls to the next name. A homeowner choosing between two pest control companies will often pick the one with more recent, detailed reviews. That’s why we focus on a steady, honest flow of reviews from every customer, not a quick push to hit a number.
How we do it
- Link your Google Business Profile. We connect it during setup so your existing reviews can show on your ad, where eligible, and check that your business details match across both.
- Set up honest review requests for every customer. After a job is finished, every customer gets a simple text or email asking for an honest review, with a direct link. No screening, no filtering by who seemed happy, and no incentives tied to a good rating.
- Make responsiveness automatic. LSA leads come in as calls and messages, and speed matters. We set up alerts so the right person knows right away, and instant replies to messages so no one waits in silence while you’re on a job.
- Keep hours and profile details accurate. We set hours you can actually cover and keep your profile current. Showing as open when nobody can answer hurts both the customer experience and your standing.
- Watch for complaints and patterns. If leads mention the same issue or a review points to a recurring problem, we flag it for you. Fixing the cause in your business does more than any ad setting can.
What you get
- A linked Google Business Profile with matching details
- An automated review request that goes to every customer after the job
- Instant lead alerts and auto-replies so you respond quickly
- Business hours set to match when someone can take leads
- A monthly look at your review count, rating and response activity in plain English
- Suggestions on simple reply wording for new reviews, good or bad
Common mistakes we fix
- Asking for reviews only once in a while. A steady flow from every customer builds a more trustworthy history than a burst every few months.
- Review gating. Sending requests only to customers you expect to be happy breaks Google’s policies. We send requests to everyone.
- Slow replies to messages. A message that sits for hours often means the customer already called someone else. Auto-replies and alerts fix that.
- Ignoring negative reviews. A short, professional reply shows future customers you take problems seriously.
- Treating budget as the only lever. More spend won’t make up for missed calls, inaccurate hours or a profile that doesn’t match your business.