Update: Unexpected Glitch in Automated Local Services Ads Credits
Google’s streamlined lead crediting process for Local Services Ads faced an unexpected hiccup recently. Advertisers received erroneous notifications about receiving millions of dollars in ad credits due to a glitch in Google Ads. Although initially surprising, Google swiftly clarified that these credits were not legitimate and would not be honored. This incident serves as a reminder of the imperfections in automated systems, highlighting the importance of staying vigilant.
It’s no secret! Participating law firms have received an impressive number of leads and cases from Google’s Local Services Ads (LSAs) platform over the past few years. Our clients’ results show that LSAs’ cost-per-case is consistently much lower than other ad platforms, largely due to the LSAs pay-per-lead model.
However, the road to success has not been without hardships. Google possesses a tendency to shift minor intricacies in its processes, platform and algorithms without notice, which can cause inconsistencies in results. Accounts require consistent monitoring in trends over time, optimizations, and a sharp eye for changes.
This leads us to our latest change, and it sure is a big one!
So, What’s Changing???
In July 2024, Google introduced an automated lead crediting process for Local Services Ads, streamlining how advertisers receive credits for poor-quality leads, but also removing the ability to dispute leads manually. Previously, advertisers could manually dispute charged leads under the following categories, according to Google.
Solicitation:
- Call was from a wrong number.
- Caller was trying to sell you a product or service.
- Call was from someone seeking employment at your business.
Spam:
- Call was pre-recorded.
- Call was otherwise not from a live human.
Location not served:
- The customer communicated their location, the location wasn’t listed on your profile, and you declined the job.
Service not offered:
- The customer communicated their service type, the service wasn’t listed on your profile, and you declined the job.
- Caller was looking for a physical store, or looking to buy something other than a service (for example, parts).
Duplicate lead
- The customer called to follow up on an existing lead for the same job within 15 days, and both the leads were charged.
Only the United States and Canada advertisers were eligible to dispute an invalid lead and only during a 30-day time period. This article highlights what your law firm needs to know in order to stay informed and on top of Google’s latest change to its LSA landscape.
How Lead Dispute and Credits Work Now
Google’s machine learning models assess lead quality, automatically crediting invalid ones. In a perfect world, this system is ideal for busy law firms, allowing them to focus on client service while ensuring they only pay for quality leads. The biggest challenge lies in machine learning’s imperfections, leading some marketers to be concerned about consistency and accuracy in identifying poor-quality leads and applying fair credits.
Let’s take a look at the benefits and factors to consider.
Key Benefits
- Equitable Credits: All leads are automatically reviewed, ensuring fair credits even for those advertisers who might miss eligible leads.
- Time Savings: Automation eliminates manual disputes, freeing up time and resources for businesses.
Key Factors to Consider
- Check and Adjust Your Settings: “Job type not serviced” and “geo not serviced” leads will no longer be credited, so marketers must review their account settings to ensure the service areas and job types align with their ideal customers.
- Your Feedback Matters: You can provide feedback on individual leads using the new Lead Feedback Survey available in your lead inbox. This helps the system refine the quality of leads sent to you, aiming to deliver more of the leads you prefer and fewer of those that don’t meet your criteria.
What to Expect
- The new lead credit system will be implemented automatically, therefore, no action is needed by advertisers.
- Lead credits are expected to be applied within 30 days.
- Remember, AI is known for imperfections. We recommend remaining vigilant with what leads are disputed and reviewing credits as they come in. Consistent lead feedback will also help refine lead quality over time.
Conclusion
Google’s automated lead credits for Local Services Ads aim to make the LSAs process more efficient, saving time and ensuring a fairer distribution of credits amongst advertisers. However, as we’ve all heard before, certain restrictions apply.
Advertisers can enhance lead quality by refining service areas and settings, as well as providing constant feedback on the Local Services Ads platform.
Consultwebs manages a large portfolio of Local Services Ads clients. If you have questions or need assistance getting the most out of your LSAs investment, reach out to us!
For more details on this topic, visit the official Google page.
