As the premier Kalamazoo web designer, the team at Blue Fire Media has fielded a lot of questions lately about Google’s Local Services and Guaranteed platforms. What’s the difference between these platforms and the more traditional Ads (or AdWords) platform? What are the benefits? Is my company able to run promotions on them? These are all valid questions and – with the “freshness” of the Local Services and Guarantee platforms – it can be tough to find solid, informative answers that don’t inundate you with heaps of unnecessary information. In today’s post, we’re going to look at these three platforms and try to help you decide whether they’re right for you or not.
Google Ads (AdWords)
Google Ads is the tried-and-true, time-tested advertising platform. It’s a pay-per-click platform that allows you to direct users to your website. If you have an online shop, online booking tools, or essential customer information on your website, it’s likely the best platform for you. While it doesn’t guarantee a lead, it does guarantee that users will visit your site. It can also be customized to direct users to important, pertinent pages right from the search results.
Google Local Services
Google Local Services is a pay-per-lead platform. This means that you aren’t paying for website visits, you’re paying for phone calls. While it isn’t currently available in all markets, Local Services has proven to be a very efficient way for service area business to generate leads. One important thing to remember, though, is that Local Services is indirectly tied to your business’ Google My Business listing, meaning that it will benefit you to have accurate, updated information there and – most importantly – a good number of positive reviews.
Google Guaranteed
Google Guaranteed is a sub-program of Local Services that seeks to identify businesses that have shown a commitment to safety, accountability, and delivering positive customer experiences. Customers who hire a Guaranteed business have their purchases backed by Google, who covers the purchase up to $2,000. To get a “Google Guaranteed” icon, a business must prove to Google that they are licensed and insured and all employees who serve customers at their homes must also submit to background checks.
So, those are the broad strokes! Of course, things can – and do – get a lot more complicated. If you’re looking to start pay-per-click or pay-per-lead campaigns this year, call Blue Fire Media, the leading Kalamazoo web designer, we’ll be happy to educate you, walk you through the process, and help you get your campaigns up and running!
