Google continues to expand its ad product for local service providers. This week, the company announced home service ads are available to more businesses in more cities.
Painters, electricians and towing companies can now run ads through AdWords Express, joining locksmiths and plumbers, house cleaners and handymen.
Google launched home service ads in 2015 with a pilot in San Francisco. The ad product is also available in Stockton, San Diego, Los Angeles and Philadelphia — marking its first availability on the East Coast — in addition to the San Francisco Bay Area. As is its practice, Google has regularly tested new formats for these ads over the past couple of years. 
The product takes aim at fulfilling consumers’ heightened expectations for sourcing and booking providers on demand online. It’s a sector that offers big market potential for Google. Home services is predicted to be a $435 billion market globally by 2021. It’s not alone in this area, with Yelp, Angie’s List and Amazon Home Services among those vying for market share. In May, IAC acquired Angie’s List in a deal worth more than $500 million, merging it with competitor Home Advisor.
After going through an application and background check process, providers can set up their Google Home Service ad listings in AdWords Express. The ad blocks typically appear at the top of the results page, with the organic pack of listings displaying farther down the page.
