Google Local Service Ads vs Google Ads for UK Electricians in 2026
Which paid Google product actually books more electrical jobs? Real numbers from 12 live UK electrician campaigns comparing LSA and regular Google Ads (PPC) side by side across domestic, EV charger, emergency and commercial work.
For UK electricians, LSA wins by 8 to 9 times on cost per booked job.
Google Local Service Ads (LSA) sits above every regular Google Ad with a Google Guaranteed badge and pay-per-verified-lead pricing. UK electrician leads cost £28.70 on average and convert at 29% to £99 per booked job. Regular Google Ads for the same electrical search terms cost £190 per lead and convert at 20% for £860 per booked job. LSA should be your primary channel. Regular Google Ads still has a place for commercial keywords and EV charger campaigns.
At a glance
Side by side, the two Google paid products the way our electrician clients see them.
Google Local Service Ads
Pay per lead · Google verified
- Pricing modelPay per verified lead
- Avg CPL (UK electricians)£28.70
- Lead to job rate29%
- Cost per booked job£99
- Position on pageAbove all ads & map pack
- Trust signalGoogle Guaranteed badge
- Setup time2 to 4 weeks
Google Ads (regular PPC)
Pay per click · No verification
- Pricing modelPay per click
- Avg CPC (UK electricians)£5 to £16
- Click to lead rate15%
- Cost per booked job£860
- Position on pageBelow LSA slots
- Trust signalNone
- Setup time1 to 3 days
Real costs from 2026 UK electrician campaigns
Averages across 12 live UK electrician accounts, Jan 2024 to June 2026.
Cost per booked job by electrical category
Real UK electrician campaign data, 2024 to mid 2026.
| Category | LSA CPL | LSA cost/job | Google Ads CPL | Google Ads cost/job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General electrical | £25 | £86 | £175 | £780 |
| EV charger install | £55 | £315 | £245 | £1,220 |
| Emergency callouts | £42 | £96 | £220 | £1,100 |
| Fuse box replacement | £35 | £108 | £188 | £875 |
| Commercial electrical | £68 | £265 | £285 | £1,050 |
Why LSA outperforms Google Ads for electricians
Four structural reasons LSA books more jobs per pound spent.
You pay for leads, not clicks
On Google Ads, 85% of clicks never enquire. On LSA you only pay when the customer calls or messages through the ad. Every pound spent on LSA is attached to a real enquiry.
Google verifies electrical qualifications
Google confirms Part P, scheme membership, insurance and DBS before you can advertise. That verification is exactly what customers look for. Google Ads has no equivalent trust check.
Google Guaranteed badge signals safety
The green tick badge on LSA ads is huge for electrical customers who care about qualified, insured tradespeople. Trust translates directly into higher call rates.
LSA sits above everything else
LSA slots are the highest paid result on the page, above every regular Google Ad. Even if a competitor spends more on Google Ads, if you’re on LSA you are seen first.
When to use each channel
LSA is not universal. Google Ads still has real use cases for electricians.
Use Google Local Service Ads when
- You are Part P registered or on a competent-person scheme (NICEIC, ELECSA, NAPIT, STROMA, BSI)
- You have public liability insurance minimum £2M
- You need booked electrical jobs this month, not clicks
- You have a Google Business Profile with 5+ reviews
- You can respond to leads within 5 to 15 minutes
- Your service area covers at least one UK postcode with LSA availability
Use Google Ads when
- You need commercial electrical keywords LSA doesn’t cover
- You have a dedicated landing page for a specific service (Vaillant EV chargers, Tesla-approved installer)
- You want to target manufacturer-specific searches (Pod Point install, MyEnergi Zappi)
- You need to run ads immediately while LSA verification completes
- You are defending brand terms against competitor bids
- You want to remarket to visitors who saw your website but didn’t call
Real campaign results
A Sheffield-based domestic electrician, 12 months on both channels running side by side.
| Metric | LSA | Google Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Spend | £22,400 | £15,600 |
| Leads generated | 780 | 68 |
| Booked jobs | 226 | 14 |
| Cost per booked job | £99 | £1,114 |
| Revenue attributed | £112,000 | £6,930 |
| Return on ad spend | 5.0x | 0.44x |
Frequently asked questions
Should I run LSA and Google Ads together as an electrician?
Yes for most established electricians. Use LSA as your primary channel to book jobs. Use Google Ads for keywords LSA doesn’t cover (commercial electrical, branded terms, manufacturer-specific EV charger searches, remarketing). LSA covers 65 to 80% of your paid lead volume, Google Ads fills the rest.
What is the minimum weekly budget for electricians on each?
LSA: £125 to £250 per week. Google Ads: £150 to £300 per week. Below these floors, algorithms cannot optimise.
Can non-Part P electricians use LSA?
Only if you’re on a competent-person scheme (NICEIC, ELECSA, NAPIT, STROMA, BSI). Part P self-certification alone doesn’t qualify. Domestic Installer schemes also qualify for domestic-only work.
How long is LSA verification for electricians?
2 to 4 weeks typically. Google verifies your business licence, insurance, Part P or scheme registration and DBS. Once verified, ads go live within 24 hours.
Why is Google Ads so much more expensive per job?
You pay per click regardless of intent. Only 15% of clicks convert to a lead. Only 20% of those leads book jobs. Compounded, 3% of Google Ads clicks book a job. On LSA you pay per lead and 29% of leads book. Very different economics.
How do EV charger installations perform on each channel?
LSA dominates. EV Charger Installation is one of the fastest-growing LSA categories with CPL £35 to £75 and average job value £1,800 to £3,500. Cost per booked job on LSA typically £250 to £400. Google Ads for EV charger searches costs £4 to £11 per click with much lower conversion.
See how we can help your business today
Free 20-minute discovery call for UK electricians. Real cost per booked job benchmarks for your postcode and specialisms.
Andrew Heppinstall is founder of Unavoidable Marketing, a Leeds-based UK digital marketing agency specialising in Google Local Service Ads management for UK trades and dental practices. 14 years running UK digital marketing campaigns. Unavoidable Marketing has delivered 390+ projects with a 92% returning client rate. Get in touch: andrew@unavoidablem.com or 07749 941 111.
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