How can I increase Absolute Top Impressions on Google Local Service Ads?

[fshehu]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know the most effective ways to improve Absolute Top Impressions in Google Local Service Ads?

I’m referring specifically to the percentage of times your LSA appears in the very first position, above other LSA listings. My profile is fully verified, I have strong reviews, good responsiveness, and an active budget, but my Absolute Top Impression Rate is noticeably lower than competitors in my area.

GBP rating: 5/5 - 320 reviews

My questions:

What factors directly influence whether an LSA gets the absolute top placement?

Is it mostly driven by budget, responsiveness, review velocity, or something else entirely?

Are there proven optimizations that help increase the frequency of appearing as the first ad?

Has anyone seen changes in their absolute top impressions after adjusting service areas, job types, or bidding strategy?

Any insights, tests, or data points would be really appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Chris Barnard]

Hey,

In my experience, the same "ranking factors" that determine overall account health correlate to the Abs Top IR. Basically providing everything Google is asking for, and continuing to feed it positive signals.

What factors directly influence whether an LSA gets the absolute top placement?
Competition, budget, location targeting, bidding model, business hours, responsiveness, reviews count/velocity, attributes, images, industries, and job types.

Is it mostly driven by budget, responsiveness, review velocity, or something else entirely?
Yes + all the above. Undetermined, but also managing leads (notes, marking booked, archiving, rating).

Are there proven optimizations that help increase the frequency of appearing as the first ad?
Keeping all previously mentioned optimizations as SOP.

Has anyone seen changes in their absolute top impressions after adjusting service areas, job types, or bidding strategy?
Yes, for all.