If you run a contracting business — HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, landscaping — you’ve probably been pitched both Google Ads management and Local Services Ads (LSAs) at some point. They look similar on the surface. They both show up at the top of Google. But they work completely differently, cost differently, and produce different results depending on your business.
Here’s how to think about them.
The Core Difference
Google Ads are traditional pay-per-click ads. You bid on keywords, write ad copy, and pay every time someone clicks your ad — whether they call you, bounce immediately, or end up booking a job. You control the targeting, the messaging, the landing page design experience, and the budget down to the penny. It’s flexible and powerful but requires real management to not burn money.
Local Services Ads (LSAs) are Google’s pay-per-lead product for service businesses. You get a “Google Guaranteed” badge, show up above traditional ads, and only pay when a customer contacts you directly through the ad (calls or messages). Google handles a lot of the targeting automatically. Less control, but simpler — and you can dispute bad leads for a credit.
Google Ads
- Pay per click (whether they convert or not)
- Full control over targeting and ad copy
- Works for any business type
- Requires active management
- Stronger for brand awareness + retargeting
- Needs a good landing page to convert
Local Services Ads
- Pay per lead (call or message)
- Google Guaranteed badge — builds trust fast
- Only available for eligible service categories
- Simpler to manage, less granular control
- Can dispute invalid leads for refunds
- Requires passing Google’s background check
Which One Should You Use?
Start with LSAs if you qualify
If your business category is LSA-eligible (most home service contractors are), LSAs should be your first move. The Google Guaranteed badge converts better than standard ads. You pay for actual leads, not clicks. And the barrier to entry is lower — you don’t need to build campaigns, write ad copy, or manage bids.
The downside: you have less control over when and where your ads show. Google’s algorithm decides. If your category is competitive, you can still end up paying a lot per lead.
Add Google Ads when you want more volume or control
Google Ads become valuable once you’ve exhausted what LSAs can deliver, or when you need to target specific neighborhoods, compete harder on specific keywords, or run campaigns for services that LSAs don’t cover. They’re also useful for seasonal pushes where you want to ramp up fast.
The best answer for most contractors: Run both simultaneously but treat them as separate budget lines. LSAs for high-intent, ready-to-hire leads. Google Ads for broader reach and specific keyword targeting. The combined presence also means you’re showing up multiple times on the same search results page.
What Does It Actually Cost in Charleston?
LSA lead costs vary by category. In the Charleston market, expect roughly $20–$60 per lead for most home service categories, more for competitive trades like HVAC and roofing. Google Ads CPCs for high-intent service keywords typically run $8–$25 per click in this market.
Neither is cheap. But both beat paying a lead generation company $100+ per lead for prospects who also got sent to four other contractors.
What About Organic SEO?
Neither ads option replaces organic search. Ads stop the day you stop paying. A well-optimized Google Business Profile and website keep generating calls for free, month after month. The businesses doing it right in Charleston are running ads for immediate volume while building SEO for the long term. You want both.
Not sure where to start?
We run Google Ads and LSA campaigns for service businesses in Charleston. We’ll tell you what makes sense for your business specifically — not just sell you everything.
Get a straight answer