Seeing your Google Local Services Ads (LSA) account go from lead-magnet to dust-magnet overnight is enough to send chills down any business owner’s spine.

But before you call it quits, remember: sudden drops often have identifiable causes, and with the right approach, you can get those leads flowing again.

Here’s what to do:

Rule Out the Obvious:

  1. Campaign Status: Double-check that your entire campaign or individual job types haven’t been accidentally paused. A simple oversight can have big consequences!
  2. Budget Blues: Have you reached your weekly budget limit? It’s easy to lose track, so review your budget settings and adjust if needed. Consider setting your bid to “Maximize Leads” for a more lead opportunities. Any kind of limitation on bid or budget in LSA can keep your ad from showing.
    LSA Tip: Run with Maximize Leads, and set your budget higher than what you want to actually spend. If you want to maximize Local Service Ads leads, set it higher than the numbers Google suggests.
  3. Expired Liability Insurance: If your proof of insurance expires, and you don’t update it in your Local Service Ads account, your ads will stop running. Google will send you an email notice that your insurance is expiring (if you haven’t turned off the notification emails).
  4. Expired Professional License: Many LSA categories (plumbers, electricians, etc.) require licensure with their state. When your license comes up for renewal, make sure that you update it in your LSA account as well as keeping it renewed with your state.
    LSA Tip: If you have hired a competent company to manage your LSA account, they should be checking your budgets, licensure, and insurance at least monthly to make sure that you are all systems go. They should let you know when something is coming up for renewal.

Fix Google Business Profile Issues:

If your LSA account isn’t giving you any leads, it’s possible that there are technical problems that are to blame.

  1. Google Business Profile (GBP) Disconnected: If your Google Business Profile gets unlinked or out of sync with your LSA account, you can immediately stop getting LSA leads from Google. We’ve seen this happen when you change your name on one profile or the other. I’m sure that there are other ways that your GBP can get disconnected from your LSA account. Regardless of how it happens, the result is the same, no more LSA leads. The best way to resolve this situation is to contact Google, or your trusted LSA advisor.
    LSA Tip: The way to diagnose this problem is to check the number of reviews in your Google Business Profile, and compare it to the number of reviews showing in your LSA account. If they are not the same, then they are not connected.
  2. Google Business Profile linked to multiple LSAs: I first saw this when a client of mine was adding a new service offering (expanding from HVAC to electrical). Another consultant set up a new LSA account for them to cover their electrical services. This caused the new, linked, LSA account to start getting all of the LSA opportunities that their preexisting LSA was receiving. While their electrical LSA was taking off, their HVAC LSA fell off a cliff.We solved this problem by adding electrical services to their original LSA account, removing the new LSA account, and unlinking it from their Google Business Profile.*It has come to our attention that this is being used as a tactic by unscrupulous marketers to “nuke” their competitors LSA accounts. If you think that your LSA account has been attacked by this tactic, you should contact Google, or your trusted LSA advisor immediately.The only way to clean this up is to have Google support unlink the offending profile. If you are stuck and don’t have a trusted LSA advisor, we can help.
    LSA Tip: LSA and GBP profile linking is a 1 to 1 relationship. This is critical. You should always have one Google Business Profile linked to one LSA account.

Dive Deeper:

  1. Always Answer the Phone: If you haven’t had a good record of answering the phone consistently when an LSA call comes in, Google may have put you in the LSA dog house. Each time you don’t answer the phone when an LSA lead comes in, Google counts it against you. Google keeps a phone call responsiveness score over a 90-day period. This running tally is a percentage of calls that you answered relative to the number of calls they sent you. Your phone call responsiveness score is a ranking factor for your Local Service Ads.
    LSA Tip: The only way you can access your phone call responsiveness score is through the Google API, or via a 3rd party reporting console that uses the Google API to pull the phone call responsiveness score. Wizard of Ads Online provides phone call responsiveness score as a metric in our digital reporting dashboard.

     

    LSA Bonus Tip: Make sure your LSA ad schedule corresponds to the hours that humans answer the phone. If you run ads 24/7 but only answer the phone 8-5, your phone call responsiveness score is suffering.
  2. Quick Disposition: If you let your LSA calls languish in the LSA console, Google may be penalizing you for not being on top of your business. Are you marking your LSA leads as booked, archived, or disputed daily?
    Giving your leads a disposition in your LSA account quickly sends Google the signal that you are on top of managing your business. You need to be managing these leads in the LSA console as well as in your CRM.
  3. Bidding Breakdown: Are your bids competitive enough in your area? Analyze your bidding strategy and consider optimizing your bids or exploring “Maximize Impressions” for wider reach.
  4. Lead Quality Check: Are the leads you’re getting relevant and qualified? If not, refine your targeting settings or consider adjusting your service offerings.
    LSA Tip: If you are getting leads, but the quality is too low, look at how many of them are coming from the “Other” category. Consider pausing the “Other” category to improve your lead quality.
  5. Review Reputations: Don’t underestimate the power of online reviews! Negative reviews or a low star rating deter potential customers. Address negative reviews promptly and actively solicit positive ones. Number of reviews, rating, and recent frequency of reviews all effect your rankings. More 5-star reviews will improve your situation.
    LSA Tip: LSA reviews are more important than Google Business Profile reviews. When you can, get your happy customers who booked you via LSA to review you via the LSA link rather than your regular Google Business Profile link.
  6. Account Snags: Any outstanding issues or policy violations with Google can limit lead generation. Ensure your account is in good standing.

Boost Your Profile:

  1. Complete the Picture: Fill in every detail of your profile, including high-quality photos and videos that showcase your expertise and professionalism.
  2. Shine Your Light: What makes you unique and better than the competition? Highlight your strengths and unique selling points in your profile description.
    LSA Tip: Don’t use stock photos. Savvy web visitors can tell the difference between real, and “fake” photos. Use real photos of your staff working in the field, and include happy customers when you can.
  3. Responsiveness is Key: Prompt and professional communication is crucial. Respond to every lead quickly and efficiently to increase conversion chances.

Remember External Factors:

  1. Seasonal Shifts: Some industries experience natural fluctuations in demand. Research seasonal trends and adjust your strategy accordingly. Sometimes LSA opportunities drop because opportunities overall have dropped. This is to be expected.
  2. Competitive Landscape: Take a peek at your competitors’ LSA profiles. Are they making a better offer or showcasing stronger value propositions? Are their profiles more robust? Do they have more reviews? Adapt your profile and offerings to stay competitive.

Keep in Mind:

  • Optimization is Ongoing: No digital advertising is set it and forget it. Regularly monitor your LSA performance and make data-driven adjustments to stay ahead of the curve.
  • Seek Expert Help: Consider partnering with a Google Ads certified professional for advanced campaign management and optimization. If you don’t want to deal with all of the headaches of managing your LSA account (and fixing those problems when they arise), Wizard of Ads Online is happy to help you get back on the right track, and stay there.

By taking these steps and staying proactive, you can diagnose the reason behind your sudden LSA lead drop and get back on track to attracting qualified customers. And, our Local Service Ads can become a lead-generating powerhouse once again!

Latest posts by Vi Wickam (see all)