Google is moving Local Services Ads (LSA) into Google Ads. The new campaigns run as Performance Max, or PMax.
If you run LSA for your plumbing, HVAC, electrical, or roofing company, this affects you. Local services ads performance max campaigns look different from the old LSA dashboard. Most of the same settings are still there. They just live in new places.
This guide shows what changed, where to find your settings, and what we still don’t know.
Last updated October 2026. Google is still rolling this out, so details may change.
What Is Changing With LSA and Performance Max?
Think of it like moving from a whiteboard dispatch board to dispatch software. The jobs are the same. The screen is new.
Before: LSA lived in its own dashboard, with its own lead inbox.
After: LSA runs as a PMax campaign inside Google Ads. Here is what stays the same, according to Search Engine Journal:
- You still pay per valid lead (calls, messages, and bookings), not per click.
- Your ads still show on Google Search and Maps.
- The campaigns are keywordless. You don’t pick keywords.
Here is what goes away:
- Daily budget: Weekly LSA budgets become daily budgets. As an example, a $700 weekly budget is about $100 a day.
- Bidding: You set one target cost per lead for the whole campaign. Google no longer offers manual bidding.
- Locations: Set by zip code, city, or county, just like in LSA.
- Ad schedule: Similar to the old LSA setup. Double-check it after your account moves.
- Business category and services: Turn individual services on or off here.
- Direct business search: This setting lets Google show your ad when people search your business name. It can be toggled off.
- Call and message forwarding: This is where you control where calls and message leads go.
Step 3: Check Asset Groups for Photos and Callouts
Photos, callouts, and business details are not in campaign settings. Look under Campaigns, then Asset Groups.
- Business profile info: This connects your Google Business Profile and shows your start year.
- Photos: Photos pull from your Google Business Profile listing, up to 20.
- Callouts: These are short selling points, like warranties and guarantees. Google recommends at least six. BBB callouts are no longer supported.
If a photo shows up that you don’t want, you likely can’t remove it here. It has to come off your Google Business Profile.
Step 4: Preview Your Ad
Inside asset groups, you can preview your ad. You’ll see how it looks on Google Maps and how it looks on Google Search. You can also see what the headings will say.
This is new. The old LSA dashboard didn’t give you much of a preview.
What We Don't Know Yet
We won’t guess here. Some things are still unanswered:
- How daily budgets and target costs affect lead volume. This is new, and we need to test it.
- How to rate or dispute a bad lead. We haven’t found where this lives yet.
- How to escalate a lead that isn’t working. Same answer. We are still looking.
- Whether the new data shows which searches drive your leads. There may be useful insights in the new reports. We haven’t confirmed it.
We have no client results to share yet. When we do, we’ll update this post.
Your Post-Move Checklist
When your account moves, check these right away, per Search Engine Journal:
- Daily budget
- Campaign-level target cost per lead
- Service categories and locations
- Ad schedule
- Phone number that receives leads
- Photos and callouts
Two more things to know:
- Download your old reports first. Historical performance reports do not transfer. Your lead history does.
- Be careful editing your business name or address. A big change can trigger a 24 to 48 hour review that pauses your campaign.
Give it up to two weeks for performance to settle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Local Services Ads going away?
No. LSA is moving into Google Ads as Performance Max campaigns. You still pay per valid lead, and your ads still show on Search and Maps. The old standalone dashboard is what goes away.
Do I still pay per lead with Performance Max for LSA?
Yes. According to Search Engine Journal, billing stays pay-per-valid-lead, not pay-per-click. That covers calls, messages, and bookings.
Will I lose my old LSA reports?
Your lead history transfers, but historical performance reports do not. Download any reports you want to keep before your account moves.
Do I need to do anything when my account moves?
Yes. Check your budget, target cost per lead, services, locations, schedule, call routing number, photos, and callouts. Some ads may start running right away, so don’t wait.
What to Do Next
Local services ads performance max campaigns give you more visibility than the old LSA dashboard. They also move your settings around and remove some controls you used to have.
If your account hasn’t moved yet, download your reports and review your Google Business Profile now. If it has, run the checklist above.
Not sure what to check, or want someone to run it for you? Relentless Digital manages LSA for home service contractors across the US and Canada. Book a free strategy session and we’ll review your LSA account with you.
- The standalone LSA dashboard ends after your account moves.
- Manual bidding (setting a max cost per lead) is no longer supported.
- Your old LSA inbox is replaced by Lead Manager inside Google Ads.
