Local Services Ads don't use keywords. Your ad becomes eligible when someone searches for something related to a job type you've switched on, or for your general category, like "roofer near me", in the areas you serve. If a service isn't on your job type list, LSA can't catch it, and there's no keyword list or match type to widen it. That gap is what a standard Search campaign is for.
What the live searches showed
On a follow-up mentoring call with a roofing and exteriors franchise branch, we ran live searches from a second Google account. "Attic venting", one of its selected job types, brought up the LSA ad, though low on the list. The company's brand name plus "attic venting" didn't. The report showed 196 impressions, a 25.84% absolute top impression rate on search, and no leads.
On the call we described it as exact match: LSA shows when the search matches the service you listed. It's a handy shorthand, but Google's description is different, and the difference tells you which settings to check.
How LSA matching works, per Google
- Job types. You pick services from a list for your industry, and Google says your ad is eligible when people search for phrases related to them. Google's own advice is to select every job type you perform.
- Category searches. You're automatically opted into your industry's general category, called broad search, so you can show for searches that don't name a service. You can turn it off, and Google warns that may reduce leads.
- Your business name. Direct business search is an opt-in that makes your ad eligible when people search for your business by name, and you're only charged for leads from new customers. We didn't check this setting on the call, so we can't say it explains the brand search. It's the first thing we'd look at.
- Location. Service areas reach people located there and people elsewhere who search for that place by name. Google recommends setting them broadly, like whole counties.
- No keywords. Google describes these campaigns as keywordless, and that holds after the move to Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals.
To see what is matching, read your leads list. The job type column shows which service a lead came from, and category-search leads are marked separately: a dash in the Local Services lead inbox, an X in the Service Type column on the Google Ads Leads page.
Pair it with a Search campaign
A Search campaign covers what LSA structurally can't: services that aren't on your job type list, and phrasings you want to target on purpose. Google Ads keywords come with match types. Broad, the default, shows on searches related to your keyword. Phrase shows on searches that include its meaning. Exact shows on searches with the same meaning or intent.
That's where the same call went next. We opened Keyword Planner, looked at the demand around roof inspection, roof inspection cost, roof leak detection and gutter inspection, and used those terms as the starting point for a Search campaign. If you're new to reading that tool, our piece on Keyword Planner vs SEO tools covers what its columns measure.
The two work differently. LSA charges per lead and decides which searches you're eligible for from your job types. Search charges per click and lets you choose the searches through keywords and match types. Run both, and you pay per lead for the services you switched on, with keyword coverage for everything else.
The takeaways
- LSA is keywordless. It matches searches related to your job types, your general category, and your service areas.
- Switch on every job type you perform, and keep broad search on unless you only want specific-service leads.
- Brand searches need direct business search turned on. Check it before assuming LSA is broken.
- Anything outside your job type list needs a Search campaign with keywords and match types.
Common questions
Do Local Services Ads use keywords?
No. Google describes Local Services Ads as keywordless. You select job types from a list for your industry, and Google says your ads become eligible when people search for phrases related to those services. Ads can also show for general category searches. That stays the same for accounts moved to Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals, which Google says remain keywordless and target based on service categories and areas.
What is broad search in Local Services Ads?
Google automatically enrolls Local Services Ads advertisers in their industry's general category, so ads can show for searches like "plumber near me" that don't name a specific service. You can opt out, but Google warns that disabling broad search may reduce leads. Leads from these searches show a dash in the Job Type column of the lead inbox.
Will my Local Services Ad show when people search my business name?
Only if you opt in to direct business search. Google says opting in makes your ad eligible to appear when people search for your business by name, and that you are only charged for leads from new customers. You can filter reports by Category or Direct Business to see where leads came from.
How do I make Local Services Ads show for more searches?
Select every job type you perform, which Google recommends, keep broad search on unless you only want specific-service leads, and set service areas broadly, such as whole counties instead of individual zip codes. Your service areas cover people located there and people searching for that place by name. For services that aren't on your industry's job type list, use a standard Search campaign with keywords.
Should I run Google Search ads alongside Local Services Ads?
Usually, yes, if there are services or search phrasings LSA can't reach. A Search campaign uses keywords with match types: Google says broad match shows on searches related to your keyword, phrase match on searches that include its meaning, and exact match on searches with the same meaning or intent. That lets you target services and wording outside your LSA job types.