Using CallRail Tracking with Google Local Services Ads

What are Local Services ads?

If your business provides a service to customers in a specific local area, Google’s Local Services ads are designed to create new leads for you. These ads display in a special section at the top of the search results page, above both paid and organic results, when someone searches for a keyword you’ve won at auction.

The ads include your business name, your starred rating from your Google My Business listing, and a button that either automatically dials your number or, in some cases, allows customers to send you a message. 

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Why use a Local Services ad?

Local Services ads are perfect for businesses that—you guessed it—provide local services. A lot of these types of businesses provide home- or car-related services, but any local service fits the bill. 

Find out if Local Services ads are available in your area.

Google currently supports the following services:

Locksmithery

Plumbing

Garage door repair

Electricians

HVAC

Painting

Air duct maintenance

Pest Control

Appliance repair

Pet care

Auto glass

Pet grooming

Auto service

Photography

Carpet cleaning

Roadside assistance

Event planning

Roofing

Carpentry/handyperson

Tree services

Home improvement

Tutoring

House cleaning

Upholstery cleaning

Junk removal

Water damage

Lawn care

Window cleaning

Moving

Window services 

 

(Not all services are available in all areas. This list may change—check with Google to see if your service is covered in your area.)

These ads are particularly good at drumming up new customers. When a customer searches for a local business of this kind, they are usually doing so with the intention of making a purchase decision. Maybe they’re locked out of their car; maybe their toilet is overflowing and flooding the whole house; maybe their yard has fallen into disrepair and needs to be shaped up for a dinner party this weekend. These are the type of situations in which customers are ready to buy now.   

Local services ads are also cost-effective uses of marketing resources—you’re buying leads instead of clicks. The only clicks or taps you pay for are the ones that end up as direct phone calls or messages to your business, by customers who chose you over your competitors.

Lastly, by creating a Local Services ad, your business automatically applies to become a Google Guaranteed business, which means you’ll be included in results in voice searches made using Google Assistant. 

Why should I use CallRail tracking numbers in my Local Services ads?

CallRail offers an extensive set of information about every lead, allowing for highly accurate, deeply detailed call attribution.

Without CallRail, you’ll also miss out on advanced attribution analytics and reporting tools, along with services that help manage your calls and optimize your customer service. These include call routing, call recording, automatic transcriptions, and Automation Rules. And don’t forget our highly valuable sales tools like automatic lead qualification.

How do I create a CallRail tracking number to use with Local Services ads?

When someone clicks or taps on your Local Services ad, their device will automatically dial a Google tracking number, which will then forward to your business number. 

To use a CallRail tracking number, you’ll create a tracking number in CallRail using the steps below, and list it in your Local Services ad profile as your main business number. 

When the customer clicks or taps your Local Services ad, they’ll call the Google tracking number, which will forward to the CallRail tracking number, which will forward to your main business number. This “double-forwarding” won’t affect customer experience, except for occasionally causing a second of dead air during the forwarding process.

  1. Log in to your CallRail account and click the + Create button in the lower-left corner of the page and select Phone Number.

  2. Choose the company with which you'd like to use your new tracking number.

  3. The new number wizard will appear on your screen. The first question asks, "Where do you want to use this tracking number?" Select I’ll use it online.

  4. Select Somewhere else since this number will display in your ad and not your website.

  5. Select Yes, in an ad extension since you will be using it in an ad extension.

  6. Select On desktop and mobile devices since your location extension may be displayed on both desktop and mobile devices.

  7. Enter the forwarding number where your calls should route. Then, click Number setup.

  8. Choose the type of tracking number you'd like to create. (Since this caller will be forwarded to this number from a Google tracking number, the area code doesn’t matter—they won’t see it.)

  9. Name your tracking number for your reports (we suggest “Google Local Services ad”). Then, click Number Features.

  10. Configure your whisper message and call recording. When you're finished, click Activate Tracking Number.

Once your CallRail tracking number is set up, access your Local Services ads account. In the Business Profile section of the account, paste your this tracking number as your main business number.

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