A Year Ago: The Journey Begins (September 2023)
Welcome back, Towing Professionals!
Back in September of 2023, we let you know that the Towing Industry had just opened up for sign-up on Google’s Local Services Ads (LSA/Google Screened) but was limited to only two states, California & Florida (Old Blog Here). We also had a blast throwing down a 46 Minute Podcast on the topic (Old Podcast Here).
Fast forward one year, and the game has changed entirely. Buckle up—this ride’s about to get interesting!
Present Day: Nationwide Expansion (Late 2024 & Beyond)
In Early October of 2024, Our friends at Google gave us the news we’ve been waiting for: The Towing Category is now launched Nationwide on the LSA Platform! Since that day, we’ve been hard at work bringing this opportunity to the thousands of Towing/Automotive professionals we represent. As you can see from the image above, while the focus of this blog is Towing/Roadside Assistance, there’s also opportunity in this nationwide expansion for firms big & small who handle: Auto Repair, Auto Body work, and even Car Washing & Detailing.
What Does This Mean? How Does It Work?
In short, this means strong exposure & supercharged paid lead generation for early adopters. Google Screened Ads allow Towing Companies to display at the very top of the page, above PPC ads, the maps, and above every other advertising platform out there. It’s an opportunity for your business to display as the most reputable wrecker service in town and demand leads in the form of phone calls, not clicks, from the top of Google. Additionally, the Google Screened check mark (Badge of Trust) gives users an added level of comfort, knowing these businesses are vetted by Google with a more careful eye.
Why Jump In Now? The Early Mover’s Advantage
The secret to success lies in the ‘Early Mover’s Advantage.’ Local Services Ads (LSA) operate on a Ranking System where businesses compete for top positions. The longer you maintain a high rank, the more high-quality calls you’ll receive.
Here’s why Towing is unique: this rollout is brand new. Chances are, no one in your area is running Google Screened ads yet. That means you have a rare opportunity to claim the #1 spot on Google, standing out above all competitors and securing premium leads before anyone else.
How Have LSA Ads Been Performing for Towing?
Overall, Google Screened For Towing has been phenomenal. Our clients across the United States are getting as many high quality calls as their budgets can afford them with virtually zero negative feedback.
Some say “a picture is worth a thousand words” so enjoy a picture of one of our clients, Action Towing, Ranking #1 on Google across 4 of their locations. This could be your firm within your area(s)… seriously.
How Does My Tow Company Get Google Screened?
Google Screened for Towing is simple and achievable with the right partner. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Towing License: Required in 27 states (as of writing).
- Insurance: Typically $250k in General and Automobile Liability (varies by state).
- Background Check: Standard for most LSA advertisers.
- Verified Google Business Profile (GBP): Must be in good standing.
- At Least One Review: This can be sourced from your GBP.
- Weekly Budget: Starting as low as $72/week (state-dependent).
What Types of Calls Can You Expect?
Though this may change in the future, early data shows that LSA tends to focus on Light-duty Towing & Roadside assistance with a sprinkle of Medium-duty Towing. LSA operates on a Vertical to job-type structure.
In this case, the Vertical, or upper-level category is
The Job-Types Are As Follows:
- Accident Recovery
- Private Property Towing
- Storage for Wrecked Vehicles
- Truck Roadside Assistance
- Roadside Assistance
- Towing Services
Google’s verticalized system ensures highly relevant calls, and you can customize which job types to target.
How is this different from Google Ads (PPC)?
Local Services Ads for Towing focus on delivering paid phone calls directly to your business, skipping the middleman (clicks). With LSA, you do not have the ability to target a variety of conversion actions like button clicks, form fills, and purchases.
However, With top placement and the Google Screened badge, LSA is ideal for light-duty towing leads (phone calls) from the top of Google.
Google Ads (PPC), on the other hand, offers unmatched customization and targeting. It’s perfect for specialized services like junk car removal or heavy-duty towing.
At OMG Tow Marketing, we help clients diversify their ad spend across platforms, ensuring the right mix to maximize results. We take pride in this cutting-edge & open-minded approach and call it “a complimentary strategy”.
Add More Icing to the Cake!
1. Reduce Wasted Ad Spend
Google’s AI-reviewed calls filter out non-leads (like job seekers), saving you money. Clients often see 10% of their monthly spend credited back for filtered calls. Bonus: calls under 30 seconds are typically not charged.
2. Flexible Control
Pause or resume campaigns anytime, and adjust budgets quickly to match your business needs.
3. The Fastest Way to Rank #1
Early adopters are already dominating their markets with minimal competition.
Why Work with OMG Tow Marketing?
- An Ex-Googler at the Helm: Our LSA Product Manager spent time as a LSA Subject Matter Expert at Google and over four years at OMG National, building this product from scratch to serve 500+ happy clients. Your account is in expert hands.
- Google Premier Partners: Our strong Google partnership gives us access to the latest tools, tests, and support.
- Hands-On Optimization: Every account is hand-optimized regularly. We reject the “set it and forget it” approach.
- Proof of Performance: All work is time-stamped and visible in our client portal, OMG InSite.
- Friendly, US-Based Support: Our Digital Marketing Specialists are responsive, knowledgeable, and here to help when you need it.
Ready to outpace your competition and capture more high-quality leads? The nationwide rollout of Towing & Automotive Local Services Ads is your game-changing opportunity to secure the #1 spot on Google. By acting now, you’ll benefit from early mover’s advantage, industry-leading tools, and expert guidance backed by our Google-trained team. Don’t wait—reach out to OMG National’s Tow Marketing team today and leverage the power of LSA to supercharge your call volume, elevate your brand visibility, and boost your bottom line.
Let’s take your towing business to new heights together.
