BuzzFeed reports that they have a source within Google telling them that Google will launch a new ad product to connect home-service providers to searchers.
So plumbers, electricians, contractors, roofers, landscapers, pool maintenance, etc, can sign up with this platform and be able to find new customers through Google search. Yes, they can do this now but nothing is exactly tailored to really local searches for home-service providers. You can do this with AdWords but it is more complex for the average home-service provider to manage.
Here is what BuzzFeed wrote:
Sources close to the company told BuzzFeed News that Google plans to announce a new product aimed at connecting Google search users with local home-service providers — like plumbers and electricians — at an advertising conference later this spring. The product will be integrated into Google’s core search offering and is intended to capitalize on search intent, turning queries about home improvement tasks into engagement with home-service providers.Currently, Google searches for things like plumbers and electricians return links to service providers along with associated AdWord advertisements. Sources said the new product would go beyond this presentation format to actually connect search users with service providers, though it’s not yet clear how communication between the two parties occur. Google declined to comment for this story.
I see this being baked directly into Google My Business, like a switch they turn on to start getting leads. It is unclear how this will work exactly but I'd be surprised if it wasn't tied into Google My Business. Many of these home service providers do not have web sites, so integrating it into Google My Business makes more sense, I'd think.
We will see if and when Google launches this.
Forum discussion at Local Search Forums.
