Those are Local Services Ads (LSAs). Unlike normal Google Ads, you don't pay per click. You only pay when a customer actually contacts you.
That sounds like the perfect deal for a trade, and sometimes it is. This guide explains how they work in the UK, what they cost, what decides who appears first, and when they're worth it.
How Local Services Ads work
- A customer searches for a service in your area.
- Google shows up to a few LSA businesses at the top, with your rating, review count, years in business and the Guaranteed badge.
- The customer calls you, messages you or books through the ad.
- You pay for that lead, not for the click or the view.
You set a weekly budget, and Google spreads your leads across the week.
The Google Guaranteed badge
To appear, your business has to pass Google's checks. For UK home-service trades, that usually means:
- business registration documents
- proof of insurance (usually public liability)
- trade licences or registrations where your trade needs them (for example Gas Safe)
- background checks on the business owner and, depending on the trade, field staff
Once you pass, you get the Google Guaranteed badge. If a customer who booked through the ad is unhappy with the work, Google may refund them up to a limit, which is why customers trust the tick.
Verification can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, so start early if you're planning around a busy season.
Which trades can use them?
In the UK, LSAs are available for a set list of home services. These include plumbers, electricians, heating engineers, locksmiths, cleaners, roofers and a growing number of others. Google adds categories over time, so check the Local Services Ads signup page for your trade and postcode.
What do leads cost?
There's no fixed price. It depends on your trade, area and how many competitors are bidding. UK estimates put typical plumbing leads at around £15 to £40, with competitive trades and big towns and cities costing more. Urgent jobs (boiler breakdowns, lockouts, leaks) usually cost more because they're worth more.
Leads are not jobs. If you win half the leads you're sent, your real cost per job is double the lead price. Work it out from your own numbers before deciding it's cheap or expensive.
Bad leads and credits
You shouldn't pay for leads that aren't real. Examples:
- the job is outside your service area
- it's a service you didn't sign up for
- it's spam or a sales call
You can flag these for a credit. The process is now mostly automated, though, and credits aren't guaranteed. The best protection is setting your service categories and areas carefully at the start, so the wrong leads don't arrive in the first place.
What decides who appears first
Paying more helps, but it isn't everything. Google mainly looks at:
- Your reviews. Your score and how many you have. Google Business Profile reviews count.
- How quickly you respond. Missed calls and slow replies push you down. This is the one most trades underestimate.
- How close you are to the customer.
- Your hours. You only show when you're marked as open.
- Your track record. Lots of disputed leads or complaints count against you.
Put simply: answer your phone and keep collecting reviews. Those two habits do more for your LSA position than raising your budget.
LSAs vs normal Google Ads
| Local Services Ads | Google Search Ads | |
|---|---|---|
| You pay for | Leads (calls, messages) | Clicks |
| Position | Very top of the page | Below LSAs |
| Control over wording | Very little | Full control |
| Needs a website | No | Yes, a good landing page |
| Setup effort | Verification checks | Keywords, ads, landing pages, tracking |
| Best for | Urgent, call-first jobs | Specific, higher-value jobs and services LSA doesn't cover |
Many trades run both: LSAs for urgent call-out work, and normal search ads for bigger jobs like bathroom installs, new boilers or full roofs, where a good website page does the selling.
What's changing
Google is folding Local Services Ads into the main Google Ads platform. It began moving a small group of US advertisers in August 2026, with other accounts following in phases through 2027, and automated bidding replacing manual cost-per-lead settings.
What it means for you:
- the pay-per-lead model stays the same
- your reviews and responsiveness still decide your position
- you'll manage it inside Google Ads, with less manual control over bids
- export your lead history before your account moves, in case past reports don't carry over
So, are they worth it?
Usually worth trying if:
- your trade is eligible and gets a lot of urgent, "call now" searches
- you can answer the phone quickly, or someone can for you
- you already have a decent number of Google reviews
Probably not the best fit if:
- you can't answer calls during the day
- your work is high-value and planned (customers want to see your portfolio first)
- you have very few reviews. Build those first, or competitors will outrank you anyway
Give it at least a month with a modest budget, and track every lead through to a job.
Need a hand?
We set up and manage Google ads, including Local Services Ads, for trades. Our fee is based on your spend, with no tiers and no long contracts. All accounts are in your name, and we never mark up your ad spend. See Google Ads for tradesmen for how it works.
Not sure if ads are right for you yet? Get a free video audit. We'll check your Google listing, reviews and website, and tell you honestly whether ads would pay off now or whether to fix the basics first.