LSA radius

[iwebresults]

I have a client that wants to expand LSA paid ads to a 100+ mile radius, he is hiring technicians in each area, but it seems like we can't have GMB listings becasue they won't have "true" locations in each area, just hired technicians, any ideas? I know we can do regular PPC with Location pages on their website, but they really like the LSA ads.

 

[Phil Rozek]

@iwebresults, because an LSA requires a Google My Business page, all you can do (within Google's guidelines) to fill in those gaps is what you said (i.e. run classic AdWords).

Which is probably for the better anyway, because you have more control over the geotargeting and the rest of your campaign than you would if you relied on LSAs.

 

[TomW]

@iwebresults I don't know what type of business or where it is but why not just expand the service area in their Local Services ad so it reflects where all they work? Just be sure they have appropriate licensing required for the areas and that the new technicians have passed the background checks if required for their business category.

 

[iwebresults]

That was my question, I was not sure how far afield the LSA ads allowed, I guess I should call them and just ask, because the technicians are required to be licensed and I would not be sure how they determine appropriate service areas per technicians location.

 

[Cherie Dickey]

I'm not sure about LSA Ads radius, but I do know that as long as there is at least one location with a GMB listing, you should be able to create a location extension in Google Ads. These will show in Maps with the same location settings to have for that campaign. They won't have the cool little badge, and conversion tracking has much to be desired, but it at least allows you to make sure the listing is seen in Maps. Might be a compromise?

 

[iwebresults]

I was able to expand the service area in Local Services , but the rep told me that because the physical business is pretty far away, the ad will be at the bottom of the list. They will not allow us to use a residential address for a new service location, even though the Guaranteed technician is moving to this new area. So now looking into renting commercial space, even though the locksmith is completely mobile. Is Regus allowed for this, I know they can't get a map listing for Regus, but can one get authorized in Local Services as a Commercial address?

 

[iwebresults]

To answer my own question, I called Local Services and they do allow Executive Suites!

 

[JoyHawkins]

@iwebresults - did you use the term "Executive suites" or "virtual offices" when you asked? Not sure if it makes much of a difference but it is interesting to see that their guidelines are different than Google My Business.

 

[iwebresults]

Executive Suites, I did not ask them about Google My Business because it is a totally different thing.

 

[Tim Colling]

For the moment, LSAs = revenue generators for Google, and GMBs <> revenue generators for Google (yet). Therefore it's not surprising that Google would have less stringent requirements for LSAs.

 

[BipperMedia]

@iwebresults -- a conversation I love having with our clients is talking to them about the idea of just flat out finding a commercial space smack dab in the middle of the cities where they want to expand.

I especially love presenting this idea to businesses that I know have the resources to rent space.

I always present the argument as one of ROI -- if you spend, say $750 per month on a legitimate office space in a highly profitable market > put your business sign on the door > verify the location > and legitimately run your business from that space... would it potentially generate enough of an ROI for your business?

The answer is usually "yes".

 

[iwebresults]

Understood, but some businesses do not need space to run their businesses and if google is accepting the "virtual" offices for LSA, thats a cheaper alternative. LSA did tell me that they would accept a shared space also, if for instance someone rented a section of an already existing business.

 

[valesence]

@iwebresults -- a conversation I love having with our clients is talking to them about the idea of just flat out finding a commercial space smack dab in the middle of the cities where they want to expand.

I especially love presenting this idea to businesses that I know have the resources to rent space.

I always present the argument as one of ROI -- if you spend, say $750 per month on a legitimate office space in a highly profitable market > put your business sign on the door > verify the location > and legitimately run your business from that space... would it potentially generate enough of an ROI for your business?

The answer is usually "yes".

I own a service business and had this exact conversation with my team. Initially I was trying to do it on the cheap, but google wasn't budging. So I rented a commercial address for around $1,000 per month. Signs going up next week. Found a market that is growing with little competition. In the long run, google clamping down, helps me more than hurts me.

 

[BipperMedia]

@valesence -- this is excellent feedback... I'm excited to hear a real world example of the strategy.

So question for you -- I'm assuming you did the math and determined that paying $1,000 per month for this new location, and as such the opened door for exposure in Google Maps, would deliver a strong ROI for your business?

 

[valesence]

Return would of been nothing IMO, if I didn't get a real office. The rules have changed, if you don't play, you pay. Plus I've been following your thread on service areas and how to expand them. SO yes I did the math.

 

[BipperMedia]

Return would of been nothing IMO, if I didn't get a real office. The rules have changed, if you don't play, you pay. Plus I've been following your thread on service areas and how to expand them. SO yes I did the math.

That is awesome... and I hope you will come back and keep this conversation flowing your personal experience in going this route.

But I think the premise and logic is sound -- stop messing around with shared office space, hidden addresses, local service areas, etc...

Just take the leap and invest in an actual office space in your high growth potential markets.

.... and let me take this idea of "surrounding area" and "service area" optimization one step further and introduce the topic city pages.

A city page is landing page you build within your website to target a geographic area where you do not have a verified GMB.

So now, add the city you targeted in your city page as a defined service area in your GMB.

Then link from your city page back to your GMB using the "share URL" in your city page.

What's crazy is, we are working on an 8 city page project for a law firm where the "city pages" are actually going to be targeting - and optimized for - specific municipal courts.

So we are now going to build out and optimize pages within their website for city, county, and state municipal courts... tying in all of the SEO strategies that would go into the city page.

sorry... I know I'm digressing a bit -- but at a certain level, I see all of the above correlated to increasing the productivity for a business from defined local markets.

 

[Ampere]

So now, add the city you targeted in your city page as a defined service area in your GMB.

Then link from your city page back to your GMB using the "share URL" in your city page.

Can you please explain that last sentence further? I don't understand the "share URL" thing.

 

[BipperMedia]

Hi @Ampere -- I figured it would be easier, and faster, to put a quick video together for you...

let me know if this answers your questions!

 

[Ampere]

Wow, thank you!

So you put that one link on each of your city landing pages? What do you use for anchor text?

 

[BipperMedia]

Wow, thank you!

So you put that one link on each of your city landing pages? What do you use for anchor text?

Well... the idea is to include that link within your city page, and then include the city (zip code, county, city, etc...) as a service area on your GMB.

This would sort of create a link exchange type scenario / connection between your city page and GMB where you've listed that city in your service area.

Regarding anchor text, I would recommend linking something like your business name, or your "business name" + "city name" where your business / GMB is verified.

Since this would be a city page, I would create the link within a section that we refer to as "location signals" -- which is a section within a city page that links out to relevant / related landmarks in the city that you are targeting... but in the location signals section of the city page, link out to your GMB listing using your city name or city name + city.

I hope that made sense