Google Local Services: Service areas
Local Services Ads (LSA) is a valuable tool for local businesses to connect with potential customers online. An often overlooked factor in optimizing your performance on this platform is your service area.
Service Areas
Service areas are the geographic boundaries within which your business operates. Often overlooked in Local Services Ads (LSA) accounts, service area settings can significantly impact your visibility. By accurately defining your service areas, you can ensure that potential customers searching for your services in specific locations can easily find you on Google.
Cities vs. Counties vs. Zip Codes
Businesses can target cities, counties, or zip codes. While cities offer more specific targeting, they may limit your reach. Counties, on the other hand, provide a wider reach but may include less relevant areas. Lastly, zipcodes are normally never used in search terms and will default to the closest cities. There isn't a preferred recommendation from Google Docs when approaching service areas but after months of testing, we found that Google's support team had the best insights, and the results matched.
Google's Recommendations
Google recommends targeting both cities and counties within your service area to maximize visibility and reach. By doing so, you can attract a larger audience without sacrificing relevance. Our tests have shown that this strategy can lead to increased impressions, clicks, and overall lead volume.
Even if you receive leads from areas slightly outside your preferred market, you can assess their quality before accepting or declining them. If a lead isn't a good fit, consider referring it to a partner in the area for a referral fee.
Addressing Duplicate Notifications
You will receive a duplicate notification when targeting both cities and counties. However, Google advises ignoring these notifications. This dual-targeting approach to your Google Local Services listing can benefit your business.
How to edit your service areas
- Sign in to your Local Services Ads account
- Select the menu at the top left.
- Select Profile & Budget.
- On the “Service areas” card, click on the pencil icon.
- Add all counties and cities that you can target within your preferred market.
Conclusion
By strategically targeting cities and counties within your service area, you can effectively improve your Google Local Services ranking, which will help attract new customers and grow your business. Remember to ignore duplicate notifications and focus on providing exceptional service to your clients.
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