Google Just Changed the Rules

If Local Services Ads are one of your biggest lead sources, this is a change you can't afford to ignore.

Google is moving LSAs into Google Ads, where they'll live alongside Performance Max campaigns. The leads themselves aren't changing yet. You'll still pay per lead, your Google Guaranteed badge stays intact, and your ads will continue appearing at the top of search results.

But the platform behind them is changing in a big way.

That matters because the new system gives advertisers more control over budgets, bidding, and campaign structure. It also introduces more complexity, and that's where many contractors will get into trouble.

Here's what you should do before the migration:

• Export your LSA reports. Google says your lead history will transfer, but your performance reports won't. Save your lead volume, cost per lead, dispute history, booking rates, and spend before they're gone.

• Audit your Google Business Profile. Double-check your business name, address, phone number, hours, and service information. Your GBP will continue to play a major role in LSA performance.

• Review your budget. Many contractors intentionally set oversized weekly budgets because Google never spent them. With daily budgets and automated bidding, that strategy could quickly backfire.

• Monitor performance daily. The first two weeks after migration will tell you everything. Keep an eye on lead volume, cost per lead, and total spend so you can catch issues before they become expensive.

This migration will almost certainly be messy. Some businesses will lose ground simply because they weren't paying attention. Others will pick up market share by making a few smart adjustments before everyone else catches on.

The good news is Google is giving everyone advance notice. Use it. The contractors who prepare now will have a much easier August than the ones who assume nothing has changed.

My Takeaway

If Google is your biggest lead source, don't wait until your phone stops ringing to figure this out. Spend an hour preparing now instead of weeks trying to recover later.