In this video we go over how to activate the schedule button on your Local Services Ads and how to start letting customers book jobs directly from the search results.
Note: Google Local Service Ad's are not currently available in Canada.
How Do I Enable the Schedule Button on My Local Service Ads?
Please note, all changes take 24 hours to take effect
To enable the schedule button on your Local Service Ads, first, select the 9 dots icon in the top right corner of your HCP dashboard
Next, select the black 'Go to App Store' option at the top of the App Store dropdown
Locate the 'Local Services Ads' app card and select the 'View Details' option below it.
Next, toggle the Disabled option to Active in the top right corner, to Enable Local Services Ads by Google
**Remember that it is a requirement that you are Google Guaranteed for the integration to work***
A pop-up window will appear, select the blue 'Set Up Price Book Items' option on the right
Edit each price list item under the category titled 'Google' to add a price and description by selecting the pen edit icon on the right.
Please note, Google has predefined a set of items that will be available for booking for your industries, meaning:
You CANNOT move other items into the category
You CANNOT define your own items to be booked on Google's Local Services Ads
The title of items CANNOT be changed, but you can change the description and price
Add in your price and edit the description so customers know what the service entails
Next, set up Online Booking Windows by selecting the settings gear icon in the top right corner, locating the 'Company' tab on the left, and then selecting 'Business hours' from the drop-down menu.
You'll need to set your availability for your online booking in time slots of your choice before your customers can book you online
Select the blue 'EDIT' option on the right
Select the days of the week you would like to show as available
Select the blue 'ADD TIMESLOT' button on the right of your time slots to start setting up your booking duration.
The most popular time slot is 2 hours, however, it can be customized to your business. Remember: The slot that you are setting is the window of time in which you'll arrive for the job, not how long the job will take to complete.
Finally, select the blue 'SAVE' option at the bottom right, and you are done!
REMEMBER ALL CHANGES TAKE 24 HOURS TO TAKE EFFECT AND THE SCHEDULE BUTTON ONLY APPEARS ON MOBILE
How Does My Customer Book A Job Using The Schedule Button on Google's Local Services Ads?
We’ve partnered with Google's Local Services Ads to power bookings directly from search results making it easy for your customers to book directly into your calendar.
On your Local Services Ads, a 'Schedule' button will appear which customers can use to select the service they want performed and a time slot that works for them without leaving Google.
What Happens After a Customer Clicks Schedule?
Google's Local Services Ads will show homeowners your available booking slots according to your calendar in Housecall Pro. These are the same windows that Housecall Pro uses to show on your online booking page. Both use your calendar to see if you are available or not for booking, so if you are not available for jobs on a specific booking window, the window will show as unavailable on both online booking and Google's Local Services Ads.
If you already have windows set up for online booking, you're good to go. If you have not set them up, or want to make edits before going live on Google, you can do so in your Housecall Pro account.
Remember that to enable the integration, your company MUST be Google Guaranteed. If you are not part of the Google Guaranteed program yet, sign up here.