Local Services Ads Job Types: Which to Keep On and Which to Switch Off

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Summary: Job types decide which work Google sends you through Local Services Ads, and they are the biggest lever on what your leads are worth. Many owners leave every job type switched on and fill the week with small, low-margin calls. Keep on the jobs you want most and can take on, and switch off the ones you don't do or don't want. It matters for your bill too: if you list a general service but don't do a specific type of that work, Google won't credit those leads. Review your job types every month against what actually booked and what it paid.

The same budget can buy a week of small service calls or a week that includes a few big-ticket jobs. The difference is often a handful of settings nobody looked at after sign-up.

Why job types matter so much

The math behind a good month is three numbers multiplied together: what a lead costs, how many leads you book, and what an average job is worth. Job types move the third number more than anything else. In our free guide's worked example, the same 20 booked jobs bring in $16,000 at $800 a job and $60,000 at $3,000 a job. Same spend, same calls, same jobs. Only the size of the job changed. The guide, How a local service business can spend $1,000 and make $60,000 in a month, walks through it with a worksheet.

The credit rule most owners miss

Google won't credit a lead when you listed a general service but don't do the specific job the customer asked for. So if a job type is switched on, Google treats those leads as work you asked for. The only reliable fix is switching off what you don't want.

How to decide what stays on

Ask four questions about each job type:

1. Do we actually do this? If not, switch it off today.
2. Is it worth the lead cost? A job that barely covers a $50 lead and a truck roll isn't worth paying for.
3. Do we have the capacity? Leads you can't schedule for two weeks often go to someone else.
4. Does it lead to bigger work? Some small jobs open the door to a replacement, a contract or a repeat customer. Those can be worth keeping.

Examples by trade

These are practical starting points, not Google's official lists. Your own numbers should decide.

• Plumbing. Often worth keeping on: water heater installs, repipes, sewer and water line work, leak repairs. Consider switching off: small fixture jobs, if they crowd out bigger work and you don't want them.
• HVAC. Often worth keeping on: system replacements, no-heat and no-cool repairs. Maintenance visits can be worth it if you sell plans on the visit.
• Electrical. Often worth keeping on: panel upgrades, EV charger installs, rewiring. Consider switching off: small fixture swaps, if they don't pay for the lead.
• Roofing. Often worth keeping on: replacements, storm damage, leak repairs. Consider switching off: services you don't offer, such as gutter work if you don't do it.
• Tree service. Often worth keeping on: removals, emergency and storm work. Consider switching off: stump grinding if you don't have the equipment, and firewood requests if you don't sell firewood.
• Pest control. Often worth keeping on: recurring service plans, urgent infestations you treat. Consider switching off: pests you don't handle.
• Landscaping. Often worth keeping on: installs and maintenance contracts. Consider switching off: one-off jobs you don't want to schedule.

Review job types every month

• Leave a note on every lead saying what the job was, whether it booked, and what it was worth.
• Once a month, group booked jobs by job type. Which types bring the money in? Which bring calls that never book?
• Switch off the worst offenders and watch the next month.
• Don't over-trim. Switching off too much can leave you with too few leads. Change a couple of job types at a time.

Job types and junk leads

Tighter job types don't just raise your average job. They cut the leads you can't get credited. Combined with honest business hours and a service area you actually cover, they stop most junk before it arrives. For the rest, use Rate this lead, as covered in how to dispute bad Local Services Ads leads.

FAQ

What are job types in Local Services Ads?

They're the specific jobs you choose to get leads for within your trade. Your selections shape which customer requests Google sends you.

Should I leave every job type switched on?

Usually not. Keep on the jobs you want and can take, and switch off work you don't do or don't want.

Will Google credit a lead for a job I don't do?

Not if you listed the general service. Google says a request for a specific type of work you don't do, under a general service you listed, isn't eligible for a credit.

How often should I review my job types?

Monthly is a good rhythm. Use the notes on your leads to see which job types book and what they pay.

Will switching off job types hurt my ranking?

Ranking depends on your bid, responsiveness, relevance and profile quality. Switching off work you don't want makes you less relevant for those searches only, which is the point.

Opus Group runs Google Ads, Local Services Ads and high-converting landing pages for local service businesses. See how it works.

Opus Group is a marketing agency for HVAC, plumbing, roofing, electrical, landscaping, tree service and pest control companies.

Theo Prada is the founder of Opus Group, which runs Google Local Services Ads and Google Ads for local service businesses.