{"id":18324,"date":"2015-07-29T14:05:02","date_gmt":"2015-07-29T18:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/?p=18324"},"modified":"2015-07-29T20:30:47","modified_gmt":"2015-07-30T00:30:47","slug":"google-testing-home-services-marketplace-snak-paks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/2015\/07\/29\/google-testing-home-services-marketplace-snak-paks\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Testing Sponsored Home Services Marketplace Snak Paks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Updated<\/strong> 8:15 PM with images and details captured by Glenn Gabe of\u00a0of\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/XpJPdXkOD6\">G-Squared Interactive<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/moz.com\/community\/users\/22897\">Dr. Pete Meyer<\/a>s of <a href=\"https:\/\/moz.com\">Moz<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dr_pete\/status\/626432924854804481\">posted<\/a> this screen shot of a sponsored Snak Pak test displayed for the search &#8220;plumbers&#8221; in San Francisco. It was captured on a desktop search last night.<\/p>\n<p>Reports of Google getting into home services first surfaced this spring with reports at \u00a0Inc. (h\/t <a href=\"http:\/\/www.davidmihm.com\">David Mihm<\/a>) and Buzzfeed where they <a href=\"http:\/\/www.buzzfeed.com\/carolineodonovan\/google-eyes-home-services-market#.eyDOarqgJ\">noted<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p><em>The product will be integrated into Google\u2019s core search offering and is intended to capitalize on search intent, turning queries about home improvement tasks into engagement with home-service providers.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Essentially in this scenario captured by Pete, the Snak Pak becomes pay to play and the goal isn&#8217;t a website visit but\u00a0a call for\u00a0a booking. Although it doesn&#8217;t appear to go so far as to creating a booking, that would not be hard to imagine as a next step.<\/p>\n<p>. As Dr Pete <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dr_pete\/status\/626432924854804481\">noted<\/a> at Twitter:\u00a0<em>potential game-changer, IMO<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ll say. We always wondered when paid listings would enter the pack. The time\u00a0seems to be getting closer.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18325\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18325\" style=\"width: 520px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/CLGJbO9UAAE88RM.png-large.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18325 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/CLGJbO9UAAE88RM.png-large-520x293.png\" alt=\"CLGJbO9UAAE88RM.png-large\" width=\"520\" height=\"293\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/CLGJbO9UAAE88RM.png-large-520x293.png 520w, https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/CLGJbO9UAAE88RM.png-large-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/CLGJbO9UAAE88RM.png-large.png 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18325\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Click to view larger<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Here is the shot blown up:<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/blow-up.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-18326\" src=\"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/blow-up-520x263.png\" alt=\"blow-up\" width=\"520\" height=\"263\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/blow-up-520x263.png 520w, https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/blow-up-300x152.png 300w, https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/blow-up.png 565w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Update<\/strong>: Google Adwords has <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/adwords\/status\/626469899112685568\">confirmed<\/a> that this is a test Home service Ad and is in San Francisco only.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BryantGarvin\">@BryantGarvin<\/a> No, not the ad that <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dr_pete\">@dr_pete<\/a> had a screenshot of. This is a beta Home Service ad, not a location extension ad format. -Grace<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Google AdWords (@adwords) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/adwords\/status\/626469899112685568\">July 29, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" lang=\"en\"><p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dr_pete\">@dr_pete<\/a> Hi Pete, yes &#8211; currently only for the SF Bay Area. If this changes, however, we&#8217;ll be sure to let you know! -Grace<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Google AdWords (@adwords) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/adwords\/status\/626471509696081921\">July 29, 2015<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Glenn Gabe of <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/XpJPdXkOD6\">G-Squared Interactive<\/a> was able to <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/glenngabe\/status\/626538277437206528\">catch<\/a> a view of the ad live and captured these screen shots and shared them on Twitter:<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18342\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18342\" style=\"width: 427px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/profile.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18342 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/profile-427x600.jpg\" alt=\"profile\" width=\"427\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/profile-427x600.jpg 427w, https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/profile-142x200.jpg 142w, https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/profile.jpg 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 427px) 100vw, 427px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18342\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Plumber Profile including local reviews, types of services, areas covered and the status of their background check<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18340\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18340\" style=\"width: 425px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18340 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/review-tab-425x600.jpg\" alt=\"review-tab\" width=\"425\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/review-tab-425x600.jpg 425w, https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/review-tab-142x200.jpg 142w, https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/review-tab.jpg 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18340\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Reviews Tab includes their local reviews. It isn&#8217;t clear if there is a minimum score or quantity required<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18341\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18341\" style=\"width: 520px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18341 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/bulk-request-520x356.jpg\" alt=\"bulk-request\" width=\"520\" height=\"356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/bulk-request-520x356.jpg 520w, https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/bulk-request-292x200.jpg 292w, https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/bulk-request.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18341\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">quote requests can be sent to three plumbers at a time.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Here are the Google <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/ads\/answer\/6230381\">instructions<\/a> for How businesses qualify for home service ads (also uncovered by Glenn) that details the licensing and background checks required:<!--more--><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-container\" data-tracking-cat=\"article-container\">\n<div class=\"content-container content-container--answer\">\n<h3>How Google screens home service professionals<a href=\"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/bulk-request.jpg\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/h3>\n<h3>Background checks<\/h3>\n<p>All businesses shown in home service ads must require each of their in-home workers to undergo background checks by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinkerton.com%2F&amp;sa=D&amp;sntz=1&amp;usg=AFQjCNGQaIAPnJNYjHb_rK8FsdkUd6YVLA\" target=\"_blank\">Pinkerton Consulting and Investigations, Inc.<\/a>, a third-party risk management and security company. You can read more about the requirements in our <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/adwordspolicy\/answer\/6245891\" target=\"_blank\">Policy Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The background check process includes inquiries about the validity of home service professionals&#8217; Social Security numbers, criminal history (including cross-checks against national sex offender, terrorist, and sanctions registries and lists), and trade license and insurance verifications.<\/p>\n<h4>License checks<\/h4>\n<p>Pinkerton verifies the trade licenses identified by home service professionals during the background check process.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Locksmiths<\/strong> need a valid license from the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bsis.ca.gov\/forms_pubs\/locksmith_fact.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">Bureau of Security and Investigative Services<\/a>. They also need a general contractor&#8217;s license to perform services costing greater than $500.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Plumbers<\/strong>\u00a0need a general contractor\u2019s license to perform services costing greater than $500. Plumbers and handymen without a contractor\u2019s license may still appear in home service ads, but are prohibited from performing services that cost more than this limit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Insurance checks<\/h3>\n<p>Google requires home service businesses to carry insurance coverage for work performed.<\/p>\n<h4>Reputation assessment<\/h4>\n<p>We want to connect you with the most qualified, recommended and trusted businesses. That\u2019s why we also do research on the online reputations of each home service business.<\/p>\n<p>We collect ratings and reviews from people who hired home service professionals through our home service ads, and use mystery shoppers\u2014customers who communicate and hire professionals on our behalf without mentioning any affiliation with Google\u2014to help us learn more about the customer experience. We may suspend or terminate businesses based on poor ratings or mystery shopping experiences, as described in our <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/adwordspolicy\/answer\/6245891\" target=\"_blank\">Policy Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>How to see home service professionals&#8217; qualifications<\/h3>\n<p>After searching for a locksmith\u00a0or plumber, click <strong>View profile<\/strong> to see a detailed profile including more information about that professional\u2019s qualifications.<\/p>\n<p>If the business you contacted doesn&#8217;t have a contractor&#8217;s license, we&#8217;ll let you know that it&#8217;s only qualified to perform services costing less than $500.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"sub-article-container shaded\">\n<div class=\"article-survey-container\">\n<div class=\"two-ratings-article-survey\" data-tracking-cat=\"contact form: article_survey_full\">\n<div class=\"survey\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Given that the current search returns a full array of Adwords ads (3 at the top and 8 along the right side) for the search <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&#038;ion=1&#038;espv=2&#038;ie=UTF-8#q=plumbers+oakland\">Plumber San Francisco<\/a>, one wonders what sort of pricing would be needed by Google to replace the lost income from the current ad inventory?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/plumber-sf.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/plumber-sf-520x353.png\" alt=\"plumber-sf\" width=\"520\" height=\"353\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-18346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/plumber-sf-520x353.png 520w, https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/plumber-sf-294x200.png 294w, https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/plumber-sf-1024x696.png 1024w, https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/plumber-sf.png 1141w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Updated 8:15 PM with images and details captured by Glenn Gabe of\u00a0of\u00a0G-Squared Interactive. Dr. Pete Meyers of Moz posted this screen shot of a sponsored Snak Pak test displayed for the search &#8220;plumbers&#8221; in San Francisco. It was captured on a desktop search last night. Reports of Google getting into home services first surfaced this &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":262,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-google-plus"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/262"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18324"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18324\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18347,"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18324\/revisions\/18347"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}