A source says the vetting process for Google Home Service Ads in the Greater Chicago metro area is finishing up, meaning the search feature for this market will soon launch.
Since 2015, Google has been partnering with businesses in California to display the ads for relevant queries. Philadelphia was the first East Coast city added to the list of test markets after the recruitment process finished in June.
Based on recruitment for Home Service Ads in Philadelphia, Google most likely reached out directly to 30-to-40 Chicago companies seen as recognized and trusted providers. We know that at least one of those companies was a plumbing business.
However, it’s possible that Google also vetted other home service providers including handymen, electricians, and locksmiths. These types of companies are yet to be featured in the Home Service Ads pack for queries in Philadelphia but appear for searches in California.
Google plans to expand the ads nationwide by the end of 2017. So far, it seems like they’re staying the course; the feature started on the West Coast, expanded to the East Coast in Philadelphia, and will soon launch in a Midwest market.
In Chicago, recruited businesses had to go through background checks, obtain proper licenses and insurance, and evaluations from undercover shoppers. After they had passed these screenings, businesses could partner with Google for the ads.
Select providers in Chicago will soon have the chance to connect directly with customers through phone calls and web-based leads. Users, on the other hand, will be able to leave reviews and place requests—straight from the search results page.
Partnering with Google means that companies will receive the “Google guaranteed” tag below their brand name. This way, customers will recognize when a company is backed by the Google guarantee, which implies the job is guaranteed to be done right or your money back.
Now that the recruitment process for Home Service Ads for this market is concluding, Chicago providers will soon notice their brand featured in the pack of listings.
