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Local Services Ads Are Moving Into Google Ads: What Changes

The Short Answer

Google is moving Local Services Ads into the regular Google Ads interface, and the separate Local Services Ads dashboard stops being available once an account has moved. The campaigns still run on Search and Maps, still use no keywords, and you still pay per lead. What changes is how you manage them.

What Changes

The migration began in August 2026 with a limited group of U.S. advertisers. Google plans to bring more U.S. accounts over later in 2026, with accounts outside the U.S. and the remaining business categories following in 2027. Account administrators get a notice 14 days before their account moves.

Once moved, budgets switch from a weekly average to a daily average, manual bidding is no longer supported, and Google calculates one campaign-level target cost per lead instead of separate targets by service type. Your business name, address and standard hours now come from your Google Business Profile. The old Local Services Ads inbox is replaced by Lead Manager in Google Ads, and the Better Business Bureau callout is no longer supported.

The Mistake Worth Avoiding

Do not wait until after the move to download your reports. Historical reports do not transfer, and dashboard access ends once your account has migrated. If you want year-over-year numbers, or you report to a partner or an owner, export them first.

What Actually Works

Here is a simple checklist for before and after your account moves:
  • Download every report you might want later while you still have dashboard access.
  • After the move, check your daily budget, your target cost per lead, your service categories and areas, your ad schedule, and the phone number leads are routed to.
  • Replace any BBB callout. Google recommends having at least six other callouts in place.
  • Give the account up to two weeks to settle before judging results, since performance can bounce around right after the move.
  • If you sell very different services, such as plumbing and HVAC, think about separate campaigns so each gets its own target. You get more control that way, but less data per campaign.

The Takeaway

Nothing about this changes how customers find you. It changes where you manage the ads and how much say you have over bidding. The real risk is being surprised by a move you did not prepare for, so export your reports now.

Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. According to Search Engine Journal, the campaigns stay keywordless and run on Search and Maps, and billing stays pay per lead.
It depends. The migration started in August 2026 with a limited group of U.S. advertisers. Account administrators get a notice 14 days before the move, with a reminder a week later.
No. Historical reports do not transfer, and the Local Services Ads dashboard is no longer available after the move, so download what you need beforehand.
Related: Google Will Now Charge You for Missed Local Services Ads Calls  |  Local Services Ads Just Got a Visual Redesign  |  Missed Call Cost Calculator
Source: Search Engine Journal

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