Does Google provide a way for agencies to experiment with Local Service Ads?

[UKSBD]

Do Google provide a way for agencies to experiment with Local Service Ads?

I'm experimenting with Local Service Ads so that I can help advise clients on them, help set up for clients and help maintain for clients.

I set up a demo listing to get a good idea on how everything works, but haven't fully activated it yet as I don't particularly want to be paying for calls I don't want.

It would make a lot of sense if Google let agencies experiment more like this and even let the test listings go live for a short period.

Does anyone know if Google do this, or have I just got to bite the bullet, fully activate it and hope I don't get too many calls?

 

[nathangdavidson]

It's a great idea but I very much doubt it. it's hard enough to get a reply to enquiries about LSA's from Support, let alone to have the facility to test something so you can potentially extoll the virtues of the product to your network.

 

[UKSBD]

I've actually been exchanging emails from someone in the Local Service Ads team and have set up an add and done everthing except make it go live.

They said this is fine and I can use it for testing and demonstrating but the ads just won't show.

To be honest from what I have seen and the way these Local Service Ads are set up, a small local service provider could spend a fortune on them with little result unless they really know what they are doing and really monitor the ad display.

They look as though they are really set up for call centres who can handle every call received and outsource to providers they have in their system.

To work well for small (or low value services) service providers virtually every call received has to convert and unless they are geared up to only receive a call that they can provide a service for within a very short time frame they are burning money.

 

[nathangdavidson]

I've actually been exchanging emails from someone in the Local Service Ads team and have set up an add and done everthing except make it go live.

They said this is fine and I can use it for testing and demonstrating but the ads just won't show.

To be honest from what I have seen and the way these Local Service Ads are set up, a small local service provider could spend a fortune on them with little result unless they really know what they are doing and really monitor the ad display.

They look as though they are really set up for call centres who can handle every call received and outsource to providers they have in their system.

To work well for small (or low value services) service providers virtually every call received has to convert and unless they are geared up to only receive a call that they can provide a service for within a very short time frame they are burning money.

I'm glad to hear it!

 

[keyserholiday]

Do Google provide a way for agencies to experiment with Local Service Ads?

I'm experimenting with Local Service Ads so that I can help advise clients on them, help set up for clients and help maintain for clients.

I set up a demo listing to get a good idea on how everything works, but haven't fully activated it yet as I don't particularly want to be paying for calls I don't want.

It would make a lot of sense if Google let agencies experiment more like this and even let the test listings go live for a short period.

Does anyone know if Google do this, or have I just got to bite the bullet, fully activate it and hope I don't get too many calls?

LSA requires a background check and an advanced screening. It's not like PPC where you can create an account and play around. Google will reimburse the service call if the consumer has a bad experience.