Google's email about your Local Services Ads (LSA) account gives you a migration date and about two weeks of notice. This checklist covers what to do with that time and what to look at once the account lands in Google Ads. For how LSA and Search ads charge and rank, see our guide to Google Ads vs Local Services Ads. Everything here comes from Google's help pages as we read them on October 16, 2026, and none of those pages shows a last-updated date.
What stays the same
The core deal doesn't change. Google's transition page says, "You still only pay for valid leads (such as phone calls and messages) rather than ad clicks." It also says the ads "will continue to show exclusively on Google Search and Google Maps." Google says, "Your campaign remains keywordless," so you still won't bid on search terms.
How you'll know your date
Google moves accounts in phases. Phase 1 started in August 2026 and covers "select home and storefront service advertisers" in the US. According to Google's supported verticals page, late 2026 brings broader groups, among them service-area businesses without storefronts. In 2027, non-US accounts and the categories not moved in 2026 follow.
Phase 1 covers only "select" advertisers, so the phase list alone won't settle your date. The email will. Google says account admins "will receive an advance notification email 14 days before your migration date," and that "A final reminder email is sent 7 days later." A confirmation follows after the move.
Before your migration date
Work through these steps once the first email arrives.
- Confirm admin access. Google's notices go to admins. Make sure the owner, or whoever will act on the notice, has admin rights.
- Screenshot your reports. Google says your earlier campaign-level metrics don't carry over. Its advice is plain: "If you need your reports immediately, please take screenshots of them before migrating." Google says a way to get historical reports will come later.
- Record your bid settings. Google says, "Manual bidding (such as setting a maximum cost-per-lead) is no longer supported in Google Ads." Write down your current bid mode and any cap, so you have a reference after the change.
- Plan campaigns by category. Google says "a unified campaign-level Target CPA will be calculated and applied to all vertical categories." If you list a second category and want a different target for it, Google's answer is a separate campaign.
- Note your weekly budget. Google says, "Your historical average weekly budget is automatically divided by 7," and monthly spend is capped at that daily average times 30.4. A $560 weekly average works out to $80 a day and a monthly cap of $2,432. That is an illustration of the math, not a suggested budget.
- Replace any BBB callout. Google says, "BBB callouts are no longer supported." It suggests adding at least 6 other structured callouts.
- Check your Business Profile. Google says your business name, address and hours sync one way from your Google Business Profile into Google Ads and can't be edited in Google Ads. Fix any errors at the profile.
What carries over on its own
You don't need to rebuild your setup. Per Google, these settings move on their own: targeted locations, service types, business categories, budget limits, ad schedule and business photos. Your lead history moves too. Google says customer contact details, message history and older call recordings land on the new Leads page in Google Ads.
After your migration date
Once Google confirms the move, check each of these in Google Ads. The locations come from Google's transition page.
| What to check | Where it is in Google Ads |
|---|---|
| Past leads and call recordings | Goals > Conversions > Leads |
| Lead email alerts | Admin > Notifications |
| Daily budget, bidding, locations, service types | Campaigns > Settings |
| Photos and callouts | Campaigns > Assets |
From Google Ads Help, "Local Services Ads transition to Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals."
On the notifications screen, Google says at least one user must stay opted in to lead emails. Make sure that user is the person who returns calls. A missed lead email can leave a customer waiting.
Then give the account time. Google tells advertisers to "allow up to two weeks for the migration process to fully complete." Once that window passes, the columns to read are Conversions, Cost and Cost / conv. Compare them with the screenshots you saved.
The old LSA dashboard redirects to Google Ads after migration. If you need a brand-new pay-per-lead campaign, Google says, "You can't create new campaigns with pay-per-lead goals directly within Google Ads at this time." New ones still start at g.co/localservices.
Lead types, the badge and support
Google's page on pay-per-lead goals says direct phone calls are a required lead type, while texts and emails are optional. It lists bookings as "Optional, available starting in October 2026." The same page says you can add images, a founding year and up to 6 callouts per category.
Google's Google Verified badge page says eligible existing advertisers who've completed verification requirements "will automatically earn the new Google Verified badge," and that LSA ranking won't be affected by the badge change. It also says "Google will be discontinuing the Money Back Guarantee associated with the Google Guarantee badge."
For questions during the move, Google lists a migration support number, +1-844-205-0011. It is staffed Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM EST.