Home Service Ads Interview 2017 - Plumber

[PSLab]

I am not sure how I feel about home service ads so far.  They are supposed to make it easier for home service businesses to connect with clients but the difficulty level seems to be off the charts.  I have my first client scheduled for an interview tomorrow.  We have 2 previous interview schedules and something went wrong on their end.

I have a Plumbing client about to do the video interview?  Does anyone have any experience to help my client with the interview?  What questions will they ask?  What does he need to be prepared for to pass the interview?

From a manager/consultant standpoint, does the client need an Adwords manager if he is running home service ads?

[JoyHawkins]

I believe you do have to take an additional step to set up the ads because not everyone wants them. They're done through AdWords Express so I would go here and sign up: https://www.google.com/adwords/express/home-service-ads/

[PSLab]

Since posting my client has passed the interview and been approved.  It was hard getting to the interview stage.  The biggest hurdles were dealing with all the listings and duplicate GMB pages that my clients previous marketing companies had set up and would not handle in a responsible manner as professionals.

I really feel sorry for him because he was screwed over by some big name marketing companies.  They truly do suck at what they do except for marketing for themselves.

Now that we are approved all Adwords and GMB work at least for now.  The question I still have is how do I run home service ads for him?  They said "your approved!" and then nothing after that.  I don't believe I can run them through Adwords.  Do I need to setup an Express account for him?  Will they get in touch and tell me what to do?

Cory

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Cori,

Joy's advice is accurate, and I just want to add - yes, these are definitely extra steps for the business owner to take, which can be something of a pain. That being said, bearing in mind that Google is giving us clear signals that many business categories may see free packs go away, this is a good chance for your clients to become early adopters, learning to survive in an increasingly paid environment. So, you're hitting the learning curve in what are still relatively early days, and this will be valuable to you as a consultant, as well as to your future clients whom you can guide toward success.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about Google vetting businesses and about paid inclusion. I think this puts further burdens on SMBs who are already stretched for time and funding and are in the fight of their lives with the big boxes. On the other hand, as a consumer, I honestly fear encountering GMB listings set up by scammers, particularly in sensitive verticals like locksmithing. Do I really want a scam artist rekeying my doors? Nope. So, because of this, if Google can decrease spam in their packs via vetting, I see a consumer gain there.

Good luck!

[JoyHawkins]

He should have a business license and should be ready to answer questions about his business to help prove he's an actual company.  The platform actually uses AdWords Express, not AdWords (unfortunately).