TECHNICAL · SEO GLOSSARY
Local Services Ads (LSA)
Google\'s pay-per-lead advertising format for local service businesses — appearing above the organic local pack and standard Google Ads for covered service categories. Unlike Google Ads (pay-per-click), LSA charges per qualified lead (phone call or message). Eligibility requires Google Guaranteed or Google Screened badge verification depending on category.
Definition
Local Services Ads (LSA) is a Google advertising product designed for local service businesses that bill customers for completed work. Unlike standard Google Ads: **Pay-per-lead (not pay-per-click)**: advertisers pay when a customer calls or messages through the LSA listing — not for impressions or clicks to a website. Disputed leads (wrong number calls, irrelevant contacts) can be disputed for a credit. **Above the pack**: LSA appears above the organic local pack and above standard Google Ads text results for eligible categories. **Badge verification required**: businesses must pass Google Guaranteed or Google Screened verification before LSA goes live. **No website required**: LSA can run without a business website — all contact happens through the LSA listing phone number or message function. LSA categories (subset): **Home services**: plumbing, HVAC, electrical, roofing, pest control, cleaning, moving, landscaping, locksmithing, appliance repair. **Professional services**: law firms (attorneys), financial advisors, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, tax specialists. **Education**: tutors, driving instructors. **Category expansion**: Google continues expanding LSA eligibility to new categories. LSA management: separate from Google Ads account — set up through Google Business Profile; bid is set as a target cost-per-lead; hours configuration determines when ads show; lead management and dispute resolution is in the LSA dashboard. Integration with organic SEO: review count and rating feed into both LSA ranking and GBP organic local pack ranking — getting more positive reviews benefits both channels simultaneously.
Why it matters for SEO
For businesses in LSA-eligible categories, LSA is frequently the highest-ROI paid acquisition channel for local leads — the pay-per-lead model means payment is only required for actual contacts, not wasted clicks; the above-pack placement captures the highest-intent local searchers. For attorneys and other licensed professionals, LSA (Google Screened) provides a trust-verified paid channel that complements organic local pack ranking and can generate leads even for businesses new to SEO with limited domain authority.
How DeepSEOAnalysis checks this
DeepSEOAnalysis does not audit LSA campaigns directly. The audit validates the supporting SEO infrastructure: `aggregateRating` in structured data (matching visible reviews — critical for both LSA ranking and organic local pack), `Attorney`/`LocalBusiness` schema completeness, and website CWV for the pages LSA links to (where applicable). Strong organic local SEO infrastructure and strong LSA performance are complementary — the same review signals, GBP completeness, and business credibility factors influence both.
Useful tools and resources
GLOSSARY
Related terms
technical
Local SEO Ranking Factors
The three primary signals Google uses to rank businesses in local search results (the local pack / map pack): proximity (how close the business is to the searcher), relevance (how well the business matches the query), and prominence (how well-known and trusted the business is — based on reviews, citations, and website authority).
Read definition →technical
Google Guaranteed / Google Screened
Google\'s trust badges for Local Services Ads (LSA) — Google Guaranteed for home service businesses (plumbers, electricians, cleaners) and Google Screened for licensed professionals (attorneys, financial advisors, real estate agents). Require background checks, license verification, and insurance validation. Appear as paid placements above the organic local pack with the badge and business name.
Read definition →technical
GBP Optimisation (Google Business Profile)
The ongoing management and improvement of a Google Business Profile listing to maximise visibility in local pack and Google Maps results — covering category selection, business information completeness, review management, photo updates, GBP posts, service listings, and Q&A management.
Read definition →technical
Legal SEO
SEO practice applied to law firms, attorneys, and legal service providers — characterised by YMYL content standards, jurisdiction-specific keyword targeting, Attorney/LegalService schema, intense aggregator competition (Avvo, FindLaw, Martindale), and Local Services Ads (Google Screened) for local legal query visibility.
Read definition →structured data
Attorney Schema
The schema.org type for law firms and individual attorneys — Attorney, a subtype of LegalService → LocalBusiness — with properties including address, geo, openingHoursSpecification, areaServed (jurisdiction coverage), knowsAbout (practice areas), and aggregateRating. Enables knowledge panel features for legal service queries and jurisdiction-specific local search relevance.
Read definition →See how your site scores on Local Services Ads (LSA).
The free DeepSEOAnalysis audit checks local services ads (lsa) and 100+ other signals. Full report, no signup.
Run a free audit →