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Local Services Ads

Pay for the phone call, not the click.

Local Services Ads are the Google listings that appear above regular search ads with a Google Verified badge. You pay per lead instead of per click. Shepard Consulting handles the application, the license and insurance verification, the profile, the budget, and weekly lead review for contractors and home service businesses, so the owner only has to answer the phone.

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Everything happens by email. Replies within 24 hours from matt@shepardconsulting.ai.

The Problem

What is actually going on

Regular Google Ads charge you when somebody clicks. Job seekers click. DIY people click. Your competitor's office manager clicks.

Local Services Ads work differently. They sit at the very top of the results, they carry a Google Verified badge, and you are charged for a lead: a call or a message from someone in your service area asking for the work you do.

The catch is the paperwork. Google wants to verify the business, the license, the insurance, and in some trades a background check. Plenty of owners start the application and quit halfway.

What You Get

What is included

  • Eligibility check first

    Not every trade or city qualifies. I check yours before you spend an hour on an application that cannot be approved.

  • Application and verification

    I prepare the business, license, and insurance submissions and stay on it until Google approves the account.

  • Profile, job types, and service area

    Job types, zip codes, hours, and photos set so the leads match the work you want, not the work you are trying to get away from.

  • Budget and bidding

    A weekly budget you can live with, adjusted as the real cost per booked job shows up.

  • Weekly lead review

    I go through the leads each week, flag the wrong numbers and solicitors, and request credits where Google allows it.

How It Works

Three steps, all by email

  1. Tell me your trade and the zip codes you serve

    I confirm whether Local Services Ads are available for you and what Google will ask for.

  2. Send the documents once

    License, certificate of insurance, and owner details. I handle the submission and the back and forth.

  3. Leads start, then we tune

    The first few weeks tell us which job types and areas are worth paying for. I cut the rest.

I Try It On Me First

Where this has already been proven

I am a licensed general contractor in Colorado. License numbers, certificates of insurance, and additional insured wording are paperwork I handle every week in my own business, and that is most of what Google asks for here.

If your truck or website still says Google Guaranteed, that badge is gone. Google replaced it with Google Verified in October 2025 and ended the money-back guarantee that came with it.

I am Matt Shepard, a licensed general contractor in Colorado and the owner of Shepard Consulting. Every system I sell is one I run in my own businesses. Read the case studies.

Common Questions

Local Services Ads Management: questions people ask

What do Local Services Ads cost?

There are two costs. Google charges per lead, and that price depends on your trade and market. My management fee is quoted up front by email once I know your trade and service area.

Is Google Guaranteed still a thing?

No. In October 2025 Google replaced Google Guaranteed, Google Screened, and License Verified by Google with a single Google Verified badge, and discontinued the money-back guarantee. Businesses that were already verified were moved to the new badge.

Which businesses qualify for Local Services Ads?

Google limits them to specific categories, mostly home services such as plumbing, HVAC, electrical, roofing, and cleaning, plus some professional services. Availability varies by location, so I check your trade and zip codes before anything else.

Do I still need a Google Business Profile?

Yes. Google ties your Local Services Ads to your Business Profile and uses its reviews. I normally fix the profile first.

Related

Google Business Profile Setup and Management

Get on Google Maps and stay there. Verification, categories, services, photos, weekly posts, and a reply on every review.

See how it works

Google Review Reply Service

Every Google review answered in your voice. $199 the first month, then $99 a month. Cancel anytime.

See how it works

Website Design and Development

Fast, accessible sites with a page for every service you sell, built so Google and AI assistants can read them.

See how it works

Tell me what you need fixed

Send a message with your business name and what is not working. I will reply by email with what I would do and what it costs.

All services

Last updated September 20, 2026.