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Local Services Ads (LSA)
Free Local Services Ads audit
Takes about a minute
Top slot
Above all standard ads
Per lead
Not pay-per-click
Aug 2026
Migration into Google Ads begins
Partner certified
The basics
A pay-per-lead ad format that places verified local businesses in a dedicated slot above all regular Search ads and organic results.
Unlike Search or Shopping ads, LSAs are keywordless - you don't bid on search terms. Instead, Google matches your ad to relevant local searches based on your service categories, service area, business hours, and profile completeness, then charges you only for a verified lead (a call, message, or booking), not for a click.
Because there's no bid-and-keyword mechanic, ranking works differently too - it's driven by proximity, review volume and rating, response time to leads, and how complete and active your profile is, not by how much you're willing to pay per click.
Quick definition
Pay-per-lead ads shown above standard Search results for local service categories, ranked by proximity, reviews, responsiveness, and profile completeness rather than keyword bids.
What's changed, and what's changing right now
This isn't a minor settings update - LSAs are in the middle of the biggest infrastructure change since the product launched. Here's the real timeline.
The two separate trust badges were retired and replaced with a single unified "Google Verified" blue checkmark, shown across every LSA industry regardless of the previous badge type.
"Local Services platform policies" was renamed "Local Services Ads requirements," with outdated rules removed and language aligned to the Google Verified badge. Google was explicit that this did not add new restrictions.
Google has begun a phased rollout moving LSA management out of the standalone dashboard and into Google Ads directly, using a new campaign type built specifically for pay-per-lead goals. The first advertisers migrating come from pet care, home services, wellness, and education - with the rollout continuing in phases through 2027.
Don't let the name confuse you
Despite borrowing the Performance Max name, this new LSA campaign type still shows ads only on Search and Maps - not across YouTube, Display, or Gmail like a typical PMax campaign. It stays keywordless and continues pulling data from your Google Business Profile rather than manual targeting. Billing stays lead-based, not per-click. Functionally, it's the same LSA product - just managed from inside Google Ads instead of a separate dashboard.
No bids, so what decides your position?
Since there's no keyword auction, the factors that move your position are operational, not financial - and several of them now route through your Google Business Profile.
Review volume and star rating are among the strongest ranking levers - and reviews now need to be directed to your Google Business Profile specifically to count toward LSA ranking.
How quickly you respond to a lead affects future ranking - slow response to calls or messages is one of the fastest ways to lose position.
How close your business is to the searcher, within the service area you've defined, factors directly into which businesses show first.
Being open and available when a lead comes in matters - LSAs favor businesses actively able to take the job right now.
Photos, service categories, and business details all factor in - Google explicitly recommends real photos over stock or AI-generated images.
Completing the verification process (background checks, license and insurance where applicable) unlocks the Google Verified badge - a baseline trust requirement, not just a ranking boost.
Eligible categories
Available for most home service and select professional service categories - the first wave of the Google Ads migration specifically covers pet care, home services, wellness, and education.
Why the pricing model is different
You pay for every click, whether or not it turns into a real customer - a curious browser costs the same as a ready-to-book lead.
You're charged only for a verified lead - a call, message, or booking request - with disputes available for leads that clearly weren't genuine, like spam or an out-of-area request.
Common questions
Ready when you are
A free audit reviews your Google Business Profile, review pipeline, and current LSA setup so you're not caught off guard as Google moves the platform into Google Ads.
