Google Home Services
What You Need To Know About Google’s Latest Program
What Is Google Home Services?
If you are a pool builder, or anyone that is a contractor that visits a customer’s home, you need to know about the new marketing platform that Google is currently testing called Google Home Services.
Why do you need to pay attention to this test program? Because, if they decide to roll this program out in your city, this will have a huge impact on any PPC or SEO efforts that you have spent so much money on. We tell you below what you need to know to stay one step ahead of the game, and so you have a jump on your competition.
Exploring the Live Beta Test
As of today, the program is only running in the following cities:
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San Francisco Bay Area: |
locksmiths, plumbers, house cleaners, handyman, general contractors, electricians, HVAC contractors, painters, overhead door, auto glass repair, roadside assistance |
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Sacramento: |
HVAC contractors, plumbers, electricians, locksmiths, auto glass repair, general contractors, roadside assistance, house cleaners, handyman, painters, overhead door |
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Stockton: |
HVAC contractors, plumbers |
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Philadelphia: |
plumbers, HVAC contractors, electricians, locksmiths |
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Atlanta: |
plumbers, HVAC contractors, electricians, locksmiths, overhead door |
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Phoenix: |
plumbers, HVAC contractors, electricians, locksmiths, overhead door |
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Seattle: |
plumbers, HVAC contractors, electricians, locksmiths, overhead door |
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Los Angeles: |
HVAC contractors, electricians, overhead door, plumbers, locksmiths |
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San Diego: |
HVAC contractors, electricians, overhead door, towing, auto glass, plumbers, locksmiths |
*They plan to roll it out in Dallas and San Antonio in the next few weeks.
Here is the geographical target area of the Beta program:
So if you do a search for “plumber San Francisco”, you will see something like this:
Three Google Home Service ads show above the normal PPC ads, and also above the 3 map pack listings.
Let’s go further to find out how Google Home Services works:
Once you click on one of the 3 listings in the Google Home Services section, you are taken to a new page where you can view more information about the business, their qualifications, services provided, hours, and Google review star rating.
If you click the “IN-HOME ESTIMATE” button, it asks you to clarify your zip code and enter the service you need.
Notice that Google Reviews (5-star rating) plays a HUGE part of this new system. If you are not continuing to ask your happy customers to leave a positive review on your Google profile, you will lose out on future business. I can’t stress how important this is. If you have a 3.5 rating and everyone else on the page has above a 4.0, you will not even get an at-bat. To learn more about how to upgrade your online review presence, check out our Online Review Guide resource.
Next, they give you a block of times that the company has provided, making it extremely easy for the customer to book a time that is convenient for them.
Next, you fill out your Name, Address, Contact Information, and a description of the service you need provided, and you will get a confirmation message.
Google Reviews Are More Important Than Ever!
Take a look at the screenshots below. Google Reviews are the separating factor that is going to determine who gets the lead.
The company’s highlighted below are in danger of missing out on hundreds of leads each month because they either do not provide excellent service, or they have not been paying close attention to their Google star rating.
Want Our Help Increasing Your Star Rating?
Google Home Services is still in Beta testing mode, however with the increased number of cities and business categories that Google continues to roll out, we have to prepare.
5 star Google Reviews are easy to get, if you remember to ask.
We get it! You are busy wearing 10 different hats while running your business, so we are here to help.
Introducing Tamara Childres, Online Reputation Specialist
We see how important it is to have a glowing online reputation, so we went out and hired the best. Tamara has vast experience helping small businesses with their online reputation.
She will work with you in a collaborative way to get more of your happy customers to reflect their feelings online.
- Send a monthly status snapshot of all of your online reviews
- Create an email template to send to happy customers
- Create a Review Link to send out to happy customers
- Reach out to emails that you provide her to solicit positive reviews
- Keep store information up to date on all sites
- Help with unwanted reviews
Have a bad review that you would like to have removed? Although it is not always a guarantee that reviews can or will be removed, we have some tricks up our sleeve and will proactively work to protect your online reputation.
Tamara Childres
Online Reputation Specialist
