# How to rank higher in Local Services Ads

By Banish Angural · Published September 10, 2026 · Updated November 9, 2026

> Local Services Ads ranking depends mainly on how close you are to the customer, your number of reviews and review score, how quickly and reliably you answer calls and messages, your business hours, your budget and bidding, and whether you have had serious complaints. Answering every lead fast and earning steady reviews are the two biggest levers you control.

## What Google looks at

- **Proximity** to the customer.
- **Reviews:** how many and how good.
- **Responsiveness:** answering calls and messages, and how quickly.
- **Hours:** being open when people search.
- **Budget and bids.**
- **Complaints** about the business.

## Habits that move you up

1. **Answer every call.** Forward to a mobile, use an answering service after hours, or narrow your hours to when you can answer.
2. **Reply to messages within minutes.**
3. **Ask every customer for a review** by text, right after the job.
4. **Keep budget from running out early** in the week.
5. **Keep job types and areas focused** on work you want.

## Want to sit at the top more often?

We run [Local Services Ads](https://banishmedia.com/services/local-services-ads) for trades across Edmonton and nearby towns. A [free audit](https://banishmedia.com/free-audit) shows where you rank today and what’s holding you back.

## Sources

- [Local Services Ads Help Center](https://support.google.com/localservices/), Google
- [Getting started with Local Services Ads](https://support.google.com/localservices/answer/6224841), Google

## Questions readers ask

### Do reviews affect Local Services Ads ranking?

Yes. Review count and rating are among the main factors, along with proximity, responsiveness, hours and budget.