Google has a much stricter policy for Local Service Ads than for conventional PPC campaigns. This is because local service ads target neighborhood homeowners and involve services where technicians enter people’s houses and work on business properties. If you see your LSAs suspended, rejected, or verification failure, it doesn’t mean a complete termination. You have some ways to improve your status, request a review, and get the campaign back live.
This post explains why your LSAs get rejected and how you can fix them.
6 Reasons HVAC Local Service Ads Get Rejected
Out of those countless reasons behind rejection, the 6 most common that we have encountered ourselves are mentioned here.
1. Expired License
Google verifies your license and insurance status at frequent times. If at some time your license is found expired or the insurance is not active, your local service ads are discontinued immediately. To sort the issue out, you have to reactivate your license and insurance and submit the evidence to Google for review. Soon after Google verifies your credentials and finds them accurate, your ads will resume.
2. Inconsistent Business Information
If there is inconsistent information between your local service ads account, Google Business Profile, website, and social media, this is a signal to Google that the business is not reliable. As a result, Google stops your ads. To sort this issue out, you have to audit your NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) and make them consistent. After you have done it, request a review from Google so your ad campaigns can continue.
3. Expired Billing Details
If your credit card is blocked, billing information is outdated, or payment methods are expired, Google rejects your ad campaigns immediately. It shows warnings in your LSA account and also an option to fix those details. To solve this problem, you have to update the billing information with working card details or a payment method and request a review from Google. Google will then review these details and reactivate your advertising account if the newly added details are transparent and accurate.
4. Suspended Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile and Google LSAs are closely linked. If a business profile is suspended, it is a signal that the business is unverified, deceptive, or fraudulent. As a result, the Google Local Service Ads are rejected. The issue is resolved when the business profile is reactivated, and for this purpose, you have to fix the root cause for which the Google Local Service Ads were rejected.
5. Incorrect Service Categories
When you advertise for services you do not have a valid license for, your ads stop immediately. For example, if you have a license for residential HVAC services, you can’t legally advertise for electrical services, commercial HVAC services, and refrigeration projects. If you advertise, your ads are rejected. To fix this issue, navigate to your Google Local Service Ads account, explore service categories, and uncheck all the services for which you don’t possess a valid license. Submit the changes for Google review. Once the changes are approved, your ad campaigns will continue.
6. Linked PPC Policy Restrictions
Many local service ad accounts are nowadays linked to a standard Google PPC account. If there are some restrictions or policy issues in the linked Google Ads account, it also has an effect on the LSA campaigns. To fix this issue, log in to your PPC account, navigate to the advertiser verification or policy restrictions section, check issues or strikes, and complete the pending verifications. Once the main account is reactivated, the LSA campaigns also go live within one or two days.
Mistakes to Avoid When Running HVAC Local Service Ads
To keep your ads running, boost campaign performance, and turn those clicks and form submissions into booked jobs, here are the mistakes you should avoid.
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Neglecting to update your business hours regularly
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Failing to answer incoming calls immediately
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Ignoring negative reviews on your profile
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Setting a monthly budget that is too low
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Targeting service areas that are too wide
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Leaving your ad status paused for too long
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Uploading low-quality or unprofessional team photos
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Failing to track your lead conversion rates
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Mismatches between ad text and landing pages
What to Do If Ads Are Not Disapproved But Still Don’t Show
Sometimes, your ad account is active and eligible for advertising. But somehow, the lead stream stops, and ads are not showing anywhere. This is a different issue and needs a different strategy to sort it out. Here are a few causes for it along with the fixation steps.
Budget Limitations
If your daily budget is too low compared to the lead cost, the ads stop. Increase your budget to keep ads running in this case.
Low Responsiveness Score
Failing to reply to calls immediately reduces your responsiveness score. It lowers your ranking in the competitive market and eventually leads to ads not showing at all. Answer calls within 3 to 5 seconds to get the best responsiveness score and higher ad rankings.
High Marketing Competition
Fierce competition in your target service areas can make your ads stop displaying. When the customer pool is the same, but more and more contractors are advertising, the low-ranking ads appear fewer times to the customers actually looking for the jobs. Narrow down your service radius and service types to get your ads displayed again.
Final Takeaways
Rejected local service ads can be due to a variety of issues. A disconnected Google Business Profile, outdated billing information, an expired license or insurance, and incorrect service categories can be the culprits behind ad rejection. When experiencing such issues, open your LSA account, navigate to policy section, and understand why ads are rejected. Fix the root cause, submit the fresh documents for review, and follow every step until your account is reactivated.
For professional guidance on account reactivation or sorting out specific issues, feel free to contact Tensai Muse.