Look for a company that understands how local service ads differ from standard search ads, leaves the account in your name, reports on leads and revenue instead of clicks, and is honest about what it cannot guarantee. Ask whether any partner credential is held, but do not let it be your only filter. Use the questions below to test each priority.
Start with how LSAs actually work
A manager who treats LSAs like keyword-and-CPC search campaigns is a poor sign. Google describes a bid in Local Services Ads as the most you would pay for a lead, and says you only pay when you get a lead, so the mechanics differ from click-based buying. Google's bidding and budget help page explains this.
Google also lists several bidding choices, including automated bidding, target cost per lead, and manual maximum-per-lead bids. It recommends automated bidding and a minimum weekly budget of 10 leads for best results, per the same help page. A capable manager should be able to explain which option they would choose for you and why, and how they would size your weekly budget.
Ask these questions:
- Ask which bidding mode they would start with and what would make them change it.
- Ask how they set a weekly budget relative to your lead goals.
- Ask how they handle irrelevant or spam leads.
- Ask how they decide which services and service areas to enable.
Where the ads appear
Ask whether your manager can explain the whole path from ad to phone call or message, not only the ad itself. Review how each lead reaches you and record where calls or messages get lost along the way.
Check their handling of verification and policy
Ask a manager how they would verify that each ad is running as planned. Check whether they can explain their review steps in plain terms. Test their process by asking them to walk you through a recent example of a check they completed.
- Ask who gathers and uploads licences, insurance, and other documents.
- Ask what they do if Google requests follow-up checks.
- Ask how they would respond if your account were paused or suspended.
- Ask whether they keep a checklist of required documents for your trade and area.
Insist on ownership, clear fees, and honest reporting
General guidance on choosing a Google Ads agency applies well to LSAs. Reliablesoft's agency-selection guide suggests checking that you know who will run your account, that the ad account stays in your name, that pricing is clear, that reports show leads and revenue, and that the agency has worked with similar businesses.
Fees
Ask for a written breakdown that separates per-lead charges from the company's own management fee. Compare quotes on that basis. If pricing is bundled so you cannot see what the platform charged, ask for it to be itemised.
Reports
Reports should connect leads to booked jobs and revenue, not just impressions. Ask what they track, such as cost per qualified lead, booking rate, and job value by category. If you use a CRM or data warehouse, ask about data export. Google documents Local Services campaigns in its Ads API, which is relevant for technical teams; see Google's Local Services campaign documentation.
Who does the work
Ask who will manage your account day to day, and ask to meet them. Ask directly whether the senior person selling the work will also run it, or whether someone less experienced will. Ask about the team's experience with this type of ad.
Weigh credentials carefully
Ask any agency or manager you consider to show their credentials, and ask how those credentials were earned. Verify each claim directly with the issuing body before you rely on it in your hiring decision.
Treat that status as a baseline sign of general Google Ads competence. Ask whether the experience is specific to Local Services Ads. Ask for examples from your trade and region, even anonymised, and ask how they judge success.
Ask any agency whether it manages accounts for other businesses and how it measures its own performance. Record the spend and results it can show you. Compare any certifications the staff hold against the work you need done.
Test fit with your business and market
Ask any provider who promises fixed lead volumes what budget and bid assumptions sit behind that figure. Track your own lead counts against your budget, bid, and local demand, and record where they diverge from what you were promised.
Look beyond the ad unit
One home-services article cites research that 84% of homeowners use Google before choosing a service provider, in TechRadar's service-business growth piece. Ask whether the manager also considers your reviews and your business profile, and whether they would suggest other channels if this one is limited for your category.
A short checklist and when to get extra help
- Confirm they can explain pay-per-lead bidding and budgets in plain language.
- Review their verification process and suspension response in writing.
- Confirm the accounts stay in your name with you as owner.
- Compare itemised fees, separating Google charges from management fees.
- Ask for a sample report that reaches revenue.
- Ask for relevant experience in your trade and area.
- Check that they avoid guarantees and discuss limits openly.
If a verification dispute, licensing question, or contract term feels beyond your depth, consider asking a qualified adviser, such as a solicitor or accountant, to review it before you sign.