First-party evidence
Current first-party pages may earn public-evidence points when the exact source, excerpt, and check date are retained. They are not described as independently verified outcomes.
Approved methodology · lsa-ranking-v2.0.0
Google Local Services Ads (LSA) agency ranking methodology
LSAAgencies ranks Google Local Services Ads agencies using public company information, fixed scoring rules, visible source notes, and editorial review. Claiming, sponsorship, payment, and Maps position never change a score.
100-point score6 ranking componentsPublic sources requiredNo paid placement affects rank
Evidence context
Method at a glance
Every agency is evaluated with the same eligibility rules, score weights, and source requirements.
Eligibility comes first
An agency must pass the machine gates before editorial review
- A current, dedicated LSA management service has strong public evidence.
- The first-party website is active and at least 1 accepted source is retained.
- The public-evidence score reaches at least 35 of 100 points.
- Required LSA evidence is no more than 180 days old.
- No unresolved duplicate, material contradiction, false Google-affiliation claim, or verified disqualifying conduct is active.
- Identity corroboration, private commercial terms, LSA-specific reviews, and verified outcomes can add evidence but are not required for this public-evidence pilot.
Public-evidence score
100-point component weights
Every metric keeps its points available, points awarded, and evidence note. A metric receives zero when retained evidence does not satisfy its rule; the score is never renormalized.
| Component | Weight | Metrics | What it answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Local Services Ads service depth | 35 points | 8 | How completely does the public evidence describe current LSA delivery? |
| Home-service and industry fit | 20 points | 4 | Does the agency document relevant home-service industries and buyer fit? |
| Public proof and experience | 15 points | 4 | What case, outcome, operating-history, and client material is public? |
| Public reputation evidence | 10 points | 3 | What does the timestamped rating and bounded public review sample show? |
| Commercial and operating transparency | 10 points | 7 | Which ownership, billing, pricing, contract, reporting, and capacity terms are public? |
| Evidence quality, freshness, and accuracy | 10 points | 4 | How broad, current, attributable, and accurate is the retained evidence? |
Evidence interpretation
Public claims are usable, but labeled
Evidence threshold
A metric earns points only when a retained source satisfies the published rule. The component keeps its full weight, and the score is not renormalized.
Identity state
Corroborated identity earns more points, but a public trade identity may still be listed and ranked with its evidence state disclosed.
Warnings and holds
Terminology warnings stay visible
Outdated Google Guaranteed or Google Screened language removes terminology-accuracy points and creates a visible warning. It does not automatically disqualify an otherwise eligible agency.
Warning-only flags
- False or misleading badge claim
- Discontinued money back guarantee claim
- Unsubstantiated search position claim
Editorial hold flags
- False google affiliation claim
- Unresolved entity duplicate
- Material evidence contradiction
- Verified disqualifying conduct
Public reputation
How reviews and case studies are used
Public reviews help buyers assess reputation. The methodology uses up to 20 reviews per agency for comparable analysis.
Performance proof requires an attributed LSA case study with a defined period, baseline, and outcome.
Tie-break order
Equal scores use disclosed evidence rules
- higher Google Local Services Ads service-depth score
- higher home-service and industry-fit score
- higher public-proof and experience score
- more recent accepted LSA evidence
- canonical agency name ascending
Directory states
What every public label means
State 01
Listed
A profile exists in the directory. Listing alone is not a quality, verification, or rank claim.
State 02
Claimed
An authorized representative controls profile submissions. Claiming never changes editorial score or rank.
State 03
Verified
One or more named fields have passed their published evidence rules. Verification is field-specific and dated; it is not required for listing or national pilot eligibility.
State 04
Ranked
The agency passes the published cohort rules, receives an editorial score from comparable public evidence, and appears in that cohort's numbered results.
State 05
Unranked
The profile is outside the numbered cohort because it is ineligible, on hold, below the evidence threshold, or not selected for the bounded cohort. This is not a negative quality verdict.
State 06
Sponsored
A paid placement shown outside editorial numbering with a clear Sponsored label. It never changes score, eligibility, tie-breaks, or rank.
Page eligibility
National approval does not create local coverage
A national page needs at least 10 eligible agencies and a source ledger. State pages need 5 agencies with separate state-service evidence. Market pages need 3 agencies with market evidence and distinct research.
Discovery location alone is never treated as service coverage. Failed pages remain noindex, merge into a useful parent, or stay draft.
Editorial review
Every ranking receives a final review
- Every score links to metric notes and public sources.
- Material warnings remain visible.
- Agencies must pass the eligibility rules before they can rank.
- Each result receives an editorial decision.
- Only approved pages enter the XML sitemap.
Corrections and appeals
Evidence can be challenged and updated
Agencies and users can submit a field-level correction with a source. Material changes trigger a source check and recompute. Claiming does not bypass editorial approval or change rank by itself.
Claim or correct a profileUpdate cadence
Freshness is enforced
- LSA service evidence: 180 days
- Public rating and review sample: 180 days
- Ranking recompute: 90 days
- Material changes trigger a recompute
Your next step
Use the methodology while you compare
Review scores, sources, reputation, industries, and buyer questions for every agency on your shortlist.