If you’re a pool service business owner looking for a reliable way to generate more leads, Google Local Service Ads might be exactly what you need.
Today I’m going to walk you through a case study showing how we generated 441 leads for a pool service client over their first year using Google Local Service Ads for their pool service business.
These weren’t just random clicks or people browsing around. These were 441 actual phone calls and direct messages from people in their local market who were actively looking to hire a pool service company.
The best part? With pool service Google Local Service Ads, you only pay when someone actually calls your business. No wasted ad spend on clicks that don’t convert.
Let’s dive into the results, talk about why Google Local Service Ads work so well for pool services, and what you need to do to get results with the platform.
Pool Service Local Service Ads Results
Over the course of 12 months running Local Service Ads for this pool service client, we generated a total of 441 leads.
These leads came in consistently month after month, with the business receiving somewhere between 30 to 40 new leads every single month on average.
Every one of those leads was either an inbound phone call or direct message from someone searching for pool service in their local area.
The quality of these leads was incredibly high. These were people who needed pool cleaning, pool maintenance, or ongoing pool service and were ready to hire someone right away.
Because Local Service Ads show up at the very top of Google Search results (even above regular Google Ads), the business was able to get in front of potential customers at the exact moment they were searching for help.
Why Local Service Ads Work So Well For Pool Service Businesses
There are a handful of reasons why Google Local Service Ads have become one of my favorite platforms for pool service marketing.
It’s become a strategy that I love adding alongside an existing Google Ads campaign to add on another source of quality leads for any pool service business.
You Only Pay Per Lead
The biggest benefit of Local Service Ads is the pay per lead model.
Unlike traditional Google Ads where you pay for every click (whether that person converts or not), with Local Service Ads you only pay when someone actually picks up the phone and calls your business through the platform.
This makes the platform incredibly cost effective because you’re not wasting any money on clicks that don’t turn into leads.
Every dollar you spend goes directly toward an actual phone call from a potential customer.
You Get Maximum Visibility
Local Service Ads show up at the absolute top of Google Search results.
When someone searches for “pool service near me” or “pool cleaning company”, your Local Service Ad will appear above everything else on the page, including regular Google Ads.
This prime real estate means you’re getting maximum visibility right when potential customers are looking for your services.
The Google Screened Badge Builds Trust
One of the most powerful features of Local Service Ads is the Google Screened badge.
To get this badge, Google verifies your business by checking your licenses, insurance, and running background checks on you and your employees.
When potential customers see that Google Screened badge on your ad, it immediately builds trust. They know you’re a legitimate, verified business that has passed Google’s screening process.
In an industry where homeowners are letting you onto their property and trusting you with expensive pool equipment, this trust factor is huge.
High Intent Leads
Just like regular Google Ads, people who call you through Local Service Ads are high intent leads.
They’re not browsing around or thinking about maybe getting their pool serviced someday. They’re actively searching for a pool service company right now because they need help.
These leads are much further along in the buying process, which means they’re much more likely to convert into paying customers.
It’s Incredibly Simple To Manage
Compared to running traditional Google Ads campaigns where you need to manage keywords, ad copy, landing pages, and constant optimization, Local Service Ads for pool service companies are much simpler.
Google handles most of the heavy lifting for you. The platform is largely automated, so you don’t need to be a marketing expert to get results.
You set your budget, define your service area, and make sure your profile looks good. That’s pretty much it.
There is management time that goes into it, but compared to something like Google Ads it’s significantly more simple.
This makes Local Service Ads a great option for pool service business owners who want to generate leads without spending hours managing complicated ad campaigns.
The Downsides of Local Service Ads
While I’m a big fan of Local Service Ads for pool service businesses, the platform isn’t perfect. There are some downsides you should be aware of.
Less Control Over Targeting
With Local Service Ads, you don’t have as much control over who sees your ads compared to traditional Google Ads.
You can set your service area and your budget, but beyond that, Google’s algorithm decides when and how often to show your ad.
If you’re someone who likes to have granular control over every aspect of your advertising, this can be frustrating.
Limited Customization
Your Local Service Ad is pretty basic. It shows your business name, review rating, phone number, and the Google Screened badge.
You can’t customize the ad copy or create different versions to test. What you see is what you get.
If you want more control over your messaging and branding, you’ll need to supplement Local Service Ads with regular Google Ads or other marketing channels.
The Screening Process Takes Time
Getting approved for Local Service Ads isn’t instant. You need to provide documentation for your business licenses and insurance, and Google needs to run background checks.
This process can take a couple of weeks, so you need to plan ahead. You can’t just decide to run Local Service Ads today and start getting leads tomorrow.
That said, once you’re approved, you’re good to go and can start generating leads immediately.
You Need Good Reviews
Your star rating is displayed prominently on your Local Service Ad, and people are much more likely to call businesses with higher ratings.
If you don’t have many reviews yet, or if your rating is low, your ad won’t perform as well as competitors with better ratings.
This means you need to be proactive about asking happy customers for reviews. If you’re not consistently building your review profile, Local Service Ads won’t work as well for you.
You’re Not In Full Control
This is probably one of the biggest downsides with Local Services Ads.
With something like Google Ads, you can dial your traffic up and down and have significantly more control over your lead generation.
With Local Service Ads, Google is in full control.
At times, Google LSAs can be inconsistent, and how many leads you get sent is fully in the hands of Google.
That’s why being on top of answering your phone, responding to leads, and managing your leads is so important.
Since there’s not an optimization process, we need to make sure that we’re showing up as a trusted business in the eyes of Google.
I’ve seen instances where lack of responsiveness has prompted Google to stop sending leads to a business, and recovering that is hard to do because Google isn’t very transparent about the entire process.
What You Need To Do To Get Results With Local Service Ads
Getting results with Google Local Service Ads for your pool service business isn’t complicated, but there are a few key things you need to have in place.
Get Your Account Set Up and Verified
The first step is getting your Local Service Ads account set up and going through the verification process.
You’ll need to provide Google with documentation for your business licenses and insurance. You’ll also need to go through background checks for yourself and any employees who will be doing the work.
Make sure you have all of your documentation ready before you start the process. This will help speed things up and get you approved faster.
Once you’re approved and get the Google Screened badge, your ads can start showing.
Set Your Budget and Service Area Properly
When setting up Local Service Ads, you’ll define your weekly budget and your service area.
The budget determines how many leads you can potentially receive each week. Start with a budget that makes sense for your business based on how many new customers you can handle.
For your service area, be very specific about where you actually provide service. Don’t set your area too wide or you’ll get calls from people you can’t help, which wastes your budget.
At the same time, don’t set it too narrow or you’ll limit the number of potential leads you can receive.
Keep the amount of population in a given area in mind, because if you’re not targeting enough people there’s a chance you just won’t get any leads.
Build Out Your Profile Completely
Your Local Service Ads profile is what potential customers see before they decide to call you.
Make sure you have high quality photos of your team, your work, and your equipment. Write a compelling business description that highlights what makes you different from other pool service companies.
List out all of the services you offer, set your business hours correctly, and make sure all of your contact information is accurate.
The more complete and professional your profile looks, the more likely people are to call you over a competitor.
Answer Your Phone
This should go without saying, but you absolutely need to answer your phone when leads call.
With Local Service Ads, you’re paying for every call that comes through. If you’re not answering those calls, you’re literally throwing money away.
Not only that, but Google will take note of businesses that aren’t responsive to their leads.
Google want to make sure that they’re providing the searcher with a good experience, and they’re going to be less likely to send leads to businesses who don’t answer their phone.
Make sure you have systems in place to answer calls during business hours. If you can’t answer every call yourself, have someone on your team dedicated to handling incoming leads.
Also, make sure you’re responding quickly to any missed calls. The faster you respond, the more likely you are to convert that lead into a customer.
Respond To Leads Immediately
Speed to lead is critical with Local Service Ads, and really any advertising for that matter.
Google actually tracks how quickly you respond to leads, and if you’re slow to respond, they’ll show your ads less frequently.
When a new lead comes in, you need to respond within minutes, not hours. The businesses that respond fastest are the ones that book the most jobs.
Set up notifications on your phone so you know immediately when a new lead comes through, and make it a priority to respond right away.
Ask For Reviews Consistently
Your review rating is one of the biggest factors that determines whether someone will call you or call a competitor.
You need to be consistently asking happy customers for reviews. Make it part of your process after every job.
The more positive reviews you have, the better your ad will perform and the more leads you’ll receive.
Don’t wait until you have a low rating to start focusing on reviews. Build your review profile from day one and maintain it over time.
Dispute Invalid Leads
Not every lead that comes through Local Service Ads will be legitimate, or for a service that’s a good fit for your business. Sometimes you’ll get spam calls, people calling from outside your service area, or people calling for different service categories within Local Service Ads.
When this happens, you can dispute those leads through the platform and get refunded.
Make sure you’re regularly checking your leads and disputing any that aren’t valid. This helps keep your cost per lead down and ensures you’re only paying for legitimate opportunities.
Google is far from a perfect platform, but thankfully with Google Local Service Ads for pool services they allow you to dispute leads when the system messes up to get a credit on your account.
Track Your Numbers
Just like any marketing channel, you need to track your numbers with Local Service Ads.
Know your cost per lead, track how many of those leads turn into booked jobs, and calculate your return on investment.
This data will help you determine if Local Service Ads is working for your business and will allow you to make informed decisions about your budget.
Should You Run Local Service Ads For Your Pool Service Business?
If you’re a pool service business owner, I would absolutely recommend giving Local Service Ads a try.
The platform is one of the most cost effective ways to generate high quality leads for your business (even if at times it can be a bit inconsistent). The pay per lead model means you’re only paying for actual opportunities, and the leads you get are high intent people ready to hire someone right away.
The setup process is straightforward, the platform is simple to manage, and once you’re up and running you can generate leads consistently month after month.
The main things you need to have in place are:
- The ability to answer your phone and respond to leads quickly
- Systems in place to manage your leads in the Google LSA dashboard
- A commitment to building your review profile
- Good service that will lead to positive reviews
If you’ve got those things covered, Local Service Ads can become a reliable source of new customers for your pool service business.
For this client, those 441 leads over 12 months translated into consistent monthly revenue and helped them grow their business significantly.
The best part is that Local Service Ads worked alongside their other marketing efforts (like regular Google Ads) to create a complete lead generation system that kept their schedule packed all year long.
Need Help With Your Pool Service Local Service Ads?
If you’re ready to start generating more leads for your pool service business with Local Service Ads, the first step is to get your account set up and go through the verification process.
Head over to Google Local Service Ads and start the signup process. Get your documentation together, go through verification, and get your profile built out.
Once you’re approved, start with a modest weekly budget and see what kind of results you get. You can always scale up your budget once you see leads coming in and converting into customers.
Remember that Local Service Ads are most effective when combined with other marketing efforts. Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.
Use Local Service Ads alongside regular Google Ads, SEO, and other marketing channels to create a complete system that generates leads from multiple sources.
If you’re looking for help getting your Local Service Ads set up and running, or if you want someone to manage the entire process for you, feel free to reach out.
Click the button below to apply for a consultation, and I’ll personally review your application. If I feel like I can help you out, I’ll reach out to schedule a call.
Thanks for reading!
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