With Local Services Ads, you pay for valid leads. Here’s how it works:
- Set an average weekly budget based on the average number of leads you want to receive in any given week.
- Note: You can spend more than your average weekly budget in a given week on your leads, but you’ll never spend more than your monthly max. Your monthly max can be calculated by multiplying your average weekly budget by the average number of weeks in a month. Learn How to edit your budget.
- Set your bidding mode for the max you’re willing to pay for a lead. Learn How bidding works for Local Services Ads.
- You’ll automatically be credited for low quality leads*. If you believe the lead you received is poor quality, you can let us know in the Feedback Survey for that lead. We’ll do our best to send you more of the leads that you want and fewer of those you don’t want. We may also occasionally credit leads you report as poor quality through this survey. Learn how automatic crediting works.
*Lead credits aren't available for health care verticals or for advertisers in EMEA.
How you’re charged
You're charged for each valid lead you receive through your Local Services ad. Lead prices may vary depending on your location, the job type, the type of lead, or your bidding mode, but each lead received will count towards your budget.
After you’ve reached your monthly max, your ad won't appear for the remainder of the month (unless you adjust your budget).
You can view how much you've been charged for your leads by going to the "Billing" menu in your leads inbox. Learn more How to pay for Local Services Ads.
Billing for Local Services Ads is managed by Google Ads. Any suspension in your Google Ads account will also suspend your Local Services Ads.
Note: Message leads are priced at 50% of the corresponding phone lead. Booking leads are charged at the same rate as phone leads. Message and booking leads are only available in the United States and Canada.
Valid leads
Valid leads are related to your business and can occur when customers find your Local Services ad on Google. Valid leads can be generated when:
- You receive a text message or email from the customer (United States and Canada only)
- You receive a voicemail from the customer
- You answer a phone call and speak with the customer
- You receive a missed call (without a voicemail) and you return the customer’s message with a text message, email, or call where you either speak with the customer or leave a voicemail
- You receive a booking request from a customer (United States and Canada only)
When a lead is automatically credited, you’ll find the following note in your account:
Examples of leads that won’t be credited
Below you'll find examples of leads that won't be credited. Leads won't be credited if:
- A valid lead was received outside of your business hours.
- A customer asked for advice to complete a project related to a service you offer.
- A customer canceled a booking.
- A customer was researching potential projects or prices related to a service you offer.
- A customer didn’t respond to your return call or message.
- You listed a general service type on your profile, but you don’t do a specific type of service.
- You generally service an area or provide a service, but are temporarily unable or unwilling to provide these services.
- You're in a law vertical, have turned on general lawyer leads, and the lead is for any type of law service. Opting into general law leads signals that your business is interested in getting law-related leads.
- You entertained a customer with a quotation and promised a call back.
- Referring a customer to a different provider.
