Solar Marketing Agency: Google LSA, Maps and Yelp Set Up Right the First Month
DG Agency runs Google Local Services Ads, the Google Business Profile and Yelp for solar installers. This page walks through the first 30 days with CPG Solar in the San Fernando Valley, day by day.
By Daniel Gonzalez, founder of DG Agency. Updated . Every number names its source and date range.
CPG Solar's First 30 Days
CPG Solar (Clean Power Group) started with us on September 7, 2026. This is a setup story, not an outcome story yet. The pieces are in place and the numbers below are from Google's LSA dashboard and our own map scans.
| Period | Times shown | Calls | Charged leads | Spend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 7 to 30, 2026 | 387 | 7 | 0 | $0 |
| Oct 1 to 6, 2026 | 118 | 2 | 1 | $160.63 |
Source: CPG Solar 30-day report, October 7, 2026 (Google LSA dashboard).
Google LSA Verification for a Solar Installer
Google's screening pagesays the checks vary by category and location and can include background, business registration, insurance and license checks. Google validates licenses against state databases, and the name on your insurance documents has to match the name you advertise with. Google's partner Evident runs an identity check on the business representative using a government-issued photo ID.
In California, solar work is licensed under the CSLB C-46 Solar Contractor classification. CPG shows why the details matter. Renaming the profile to CPG Solar and updating the ad phone number were the right moves, and Google still paused the ad for 6 days to check them. If you are about to rebrand or change numbers, plan for a gap.
The First Fix Is Usually the Phone
CPG answered 1 of 9 LSA calls in the first 30 days. Across 7 of our contractor LSA accounts, calls answered for 30 seconds or more were marked booked 30.5% of the time and unanswered calls 7.7% of the time (1,013 vs 338 calls, November 2025 to October 16, 2026). More budget does not help until someone picks up.
Two setup problems made it worse. The website and the ad showed different phone numbers, and the profile said open 24 hours on weekdays, so Google could send calls when nobody was there. Matching the numbers and setting real hours come before any budget change.
Where a Solar Company Shows Up on the Map, and in AI Answers
We scanned CPG at 169 points across the Valley for 5 solar searches. It averaged 17th to 19th, near the top only close to the office. A few miles out, in Simi Valley, Santa Clarita, Burbank and Woodland Hills, it dropped past 20th. That scan is the starting line every later month is measured against.
We checked ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Grok and Meta AI for the same searches. None listed CPG in its top 20. The rebuilt profile set the main category to Solar energy company, added 30 services with their own descriptions, a new description, 21 optimized photos and the first Google posts. The website belongs to CPG's own developer, so we reviewed its pages, titles and schema and handed the notes over.
Yelp for Solar: Watch the Category
CPG was already running Yelp at $5 a day. On September 18 we raised it to $60 a day, solar only, aimed at nearby cities, and updated the category, service area and profile. On September 29 Yelp switched the solar category back to Roofing on its own. For a solar installer, that one setting decides whether the ad shows up for the right searches, so we check it every month.
What We Run for Solar Installers
- Google Local Services Ads: verification paperwork, Evident escalations, job types and lead review.
- Google Business Profile: category, services, photos, posts and a reply to every review.
- Yelp ads aimed at solar searches, with the category checked monthly.
- A Google Maps and AI assistant baseline in month one, rescanned every month.
- Website notes for your own developer, if someone else runs the site.
Guides for contractors
Solar Marketing Agency FAQ
How fast can Google Local Services Ads go live for a solar company?
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For CPG Solar the ad went live one day after onboarding and the first lead called the day after that. That depends on where your verification already stands, and Google can still pause the ad later. CPG's was paused September 11 to 16 while Google checked a new name and phone number.
Why did Google pause my LSA ad after I changed my business name?
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In CPG Solar's case Google paused the ad for 6 days while it checked a new business name and phone number. Google also says the name on your insurance documents has to match the name you advertise with, so plan renames carefully.
What license does a solar installer need for LSA in California?
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Google validates licenses against state databases. The CSLB licenses solar work under the C-46 Solar Contractor classification. Check your own record with the CSLB before you apply.
Why does LSA answer rate matter so much for solar?
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Because missed calls rarely book. Across 7 of our LSA accounts, answered calls were marked booked 30.5% of the time and unanswered calls 7.7%. CPG Solar answered 1 of 9 LSA calls in its first 30 days, so that was the first thing to fix.
Does Yelp have a solar category?
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Yes, and it can change without warning. We set CPG Solar's Yelp category to solar on September 18, 2026 and Yelp switched it back to Roofing on September 29. Check it every month.
How much does DG Agency charge solar companies?
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Retainers start at $5,000 a month for solar installers doing $1M or more. 90-day minimum, then month to month. Ad spend is separate. If there is no measurable result in 90 days, you get your retainer back.
Get your solar company's first 30 days mapped out
Book 30 minutes with Daniel. He'll check your LSA verification, phone setup, profile and Yelp category and tell you what he'd fix first.
Not ready to talk? Or take the free marketing scorecard