Local Services Ads Partner Updates [July & August 2023]

Welcome to the July & August 2023 edition of Google’s Local Services Ads Partner Updates. Here’s what you need to know:

New Vertical Expansion Launch in California & Florida

Local Services Ads is expanding into 15 new verticals across California and Florida. These vertical categories include:

Auto: Auto Body Shop, Auto Repair Shop, Towing, Tire Shop, Car Wash, and Detailing.
Beauty: Hair Removal, Hair Salon, Nail Salon, Piercing Studio, Tattoo Studio, and Barber Shop.
Home Services: Solar Energy Contractor.
Local & Classified: Cell Phone and Laptop Repair, Storage, Insurance Agency.

What to Know:

The Auto, Beauty, and Local & Classified categories will feature the “Google Screened” badge, while “Solar Energy Contractor” will be “Google Guaranteed,” similar to other Home Services.
Eligible businesses must operate in Florida or California. If a business also operates in a neighboring state, they should not select zip codes outside of Florida and California, as the ad will not display there.
Reach out to your Local Services representative or contact Google’s sales team at 1-833-272-1444 for pricing and requirements inquiries.

New: Ad Schedule Now Supports Midday Breaks

Google is offering enhanced flexibility in managing phone leads by allowing you to add breaks during your working hours (e.g., lunch breaks) to indicate when you are available to receive leads. This feature makes it easier to manage your day and avoid missing important calls. You can manage your ad schedule in the Profile & Budget tab.

Reminder: Applying for Background Check Equivalencies for Enterprise Brands

Enterprises that conduct background checks as part of their HR policies can apply for background check equivalencies. To check if you qualify, please complete the background check equivalency request form.

Prerequisites for waivers include but are not limited to:

10+ years in business.
Single owner with 10+ locations.
25+ field workers.
National and regional-level business.
Eligible for all verticals except garage door, locksmith, and home security.

Reminder: UI Updates and Experiments

Google Local Services Ads consistently explores ways to enhance the experience for advertisers and users. You may notice improvements in the user interface (UI) and ad format, along with occasional experiments to test new features before they are fully implemented.

Update: Business Photo Guideline Policy

High-quality images play a crucial role in instilling confidence in potential customers and can improve ad engagement and performance. Effective September 1st, 2023, Local Services Ads will update its business photo policies. Key highlights include:

A faster review process: The introduction of an automated process to expedite photo reviews, ensuring newly added photos appear on your ad (or get rejected) more quickly.
Enhanced flexibility for creativity in your photos: Collages, transparent backgrounds, poorly cropped images, frames/borders, text or text overlays, and promotions are now permitted in business photos, as long as they do not violate any remaining photo policies (e.g., personally identifiable information, inappropriate content, copyright, etc.).

Have Questions?

If you have any inquiries or need further assistance, please consult the Local Services Ads on Google Help Page, or get in touch with our Local View team for comprehensive guidance.