Local Services Ads
and local Google Ads

Two kinds of local Google Ads

“Local Google Ads” usually means one of two different products, and most service businesses benefit from understanding both.

Local Services Ads (LSA) appear at the very top of results for many service searches, with your business name, rating, a badge and a call button. You don't write ads or choose keywords. Google matches you to searches in your category and service area, and you pay per lead rather than per click. LSA is managed in its own interface, connected to Google Ads.

Local Search campaigns are regular Google Search ads aimed at people in your area, with location assets that show your address and distance, and call assets for one-tap calling. You choose keywords, write the ads and pay per click. They can also appear on Google Maps.

How Local Services Ads work in Canada

Local Services Ads are available in many Canadian cities for a range of categories, mostly home services such as plumbing, HVAC, electrical, cleaning, locksmiths and movers, and in some areas professional services. The list keeps changing, so I always check your category and city first.

To run LSA you create a profile with your business details, service area, hours and job types. Depending on the category, Google runs checks before your ads can show, which may include business registration, licences, insurance and background checks for owners or staff. Businesses that pass may show a Google Guaranteed or Google Screened badge, depending on the category and region. I'll walk you through the requirements; the checks themselves are between you and Google.

Ranking in LSA depends on things like your proximity to the customer, your review score and count, how quickly you respond to leads, your business hours and how complete your profile is. That's why answering the phone and asking happy customers for reviews matter as much as the budget.

Local Search campaigns: more control

Local Search campaigns give control LSA doesn't: specific keywords like “furnace repair Regina” or “emergency dentist Halifax”, ad text with your offer, and landing pages for each service. I set location targeting to people actually in your area, use city and postal code targeting rather than giant circles, and schedule ads around your hours. Calls from ads are tracked, and only calls above a minimum length count as leads.

Running both together

For many home service businesses, the best results come from running LSA and Search side by side. LSA catches people who want to call immediately; Search catches those who compare, read and fill out forms. I compare cost per booked job in both and shift budget toward whichever is cheaper that month.

Canadian specifics for local ads

Distances and weather shape local campaigns here. A roofing company in Edmonton has a short season and needs to push hard in spring and early fall. Snow removal works the other way. In mixed English and French markets like Ottawa–Gatineau or Moncton, I run the English-language side; French ads are outside my work. And smaller towns often have cheaper clicks but fewer searches, so budgets should follow real volume rather than a rule of thumb.

Don't skip the free part

Your Google Business Profile powers location assets, influences Maps rankings and supports LSA through reviews. A tidy profile with photos, services, hours and regular reviews makes every local ad dollar work harder, and it brings free calls from Maps on its own. My guide to Local Services Ads in Canada goes deeper on the LSA side.

Setup is $650 and management starts from $750 a month. If you serve a particular city, see the city pages such as Google Ads in Winnipeg, or go back to all Google Ads services.