Disputing Leads on Google Local Services Ads: Improving Return on Investment
Who, What, When, Where, and How, do I dispute Google Local Services Ad Leads?
One of the biggest advantages that Google Local Services Ads platform has over other types of lead generation avenue's is the ability to dispute out of scope leads. Not every single lead is always applicable to your business. You could be an owner of a plumbing company hoping that somebody is calling with a leak in their kitchen, but when you answer the phone you are getting asked if you're hiring.
Do I really have to pay when I get asked for a job? Can I flag this phone call and get my money back? Where do I go and how do I dispute the validity of this lead? This blog will guide you through those commonly asked questions and more.
Who?
- To dispute a Google Local Services Ads lead you must have admin or standard level permissions. There are 5 different levels of access with admin and standard being both able to access leads. All other access types are read-only, and not able to make changes or interact with the ads account.
What?
- The "What" of our options to dispute leads are leads that are "out-of-scope" or invalid leads that don't fit into to the type of leads that we are paying for. Reasons like:
- Job not served, or types of leads you don't service.
- Location not served, or a lead thats out of the area you're targeting
- Wrong number or sales call. Think of a solicitor, or person who isn't actually a customer.
- Spam or bot, phone calls from leads that aren't actually human.
- Duplicate lead, or a customer who contacted you twice.
- Incorrect business, or a lead that isn't looking for your business and contacted you about a different organization
When?
- You can dispute local services ad leads within 30 days of receiving them. After that time frame, the opportunity to dispute those leads closes. The best thing to do is act fast if you believe the lead you received isn't applicable to your campaign goals.
- If your lead dispute is accepted by Google, you will be credited back the cost of the lead to your account balance. You do not receive the amount back on your credit card.
- The amount will be credited to your account sometime over the next 40 days if accepted. The original lead charge might still appear on your invoice, but the amount credited back will offset the cost of that lead.
Where?
- To access your leads in your Google Local Services, you must sign into the backend of your Local Services Ads account on Google, and click the menu icon (commonly 3 horizontal lines) in the top left hand corner of the screen.
- From the menu options available, scroll down and click "Leads" from the menu options. You'll now see a table with tabs containing your leads sectioned into different phases of the lead life cycle.
How?
- Check New for the newest leads you have, Active for people you've responded to, Booked for people you scheduled an appointment with, Completed for people you have actually helped through the platform, Archive for leads that haven't converted to paying customers.
- Once you find the lead you want to dispute, click on it. In the top left, if its disputable, you'll see an icon showing three stacked vertical dots. Once you click on those dots, you will see a "Dispute" button:
- After clicking the "Dispute" button, you'll find a new screen that forces you to choose an explanation for why you're disputing the lead like the image above. You'll need to carefully select the reason that best fits the lead you're disputing as this makes or break the dispute process. After submitting, they'll review the dispute and you'll be notified of the verdict Google reaches as they review the lead and dispute case.
By familiarizing yourself with common reasons for disputes (like wrong service requested or spam calls), you can focus on getting better returns on your investment in Google Local Services Ads. Remember the 30-day window for submitting disputes and leverage the available resources, like Google Support, if you encounter any complexities. By effectively managing disputes, you can optimize your Google Local Services Ads experience and achieve long-term success in attracting high-quality leads.