Google Shuts LSA Dashboard in Major Local Search Shake-Up
By David Saunders
Google has officially confirmed one of the biggest changes to local search advertising in years. The standalone Local Services Ads (LSA) dashboard is being retired, with campaigns moved directly into the main Google Ads platform as a specialised Performance Max Pay-Per-Lead campaign type.
If you rely on local phone calls and customer enquiries to drive your business, here is what is changing and what you need to do before your account transitions.
The Rollout Schedule
- August 2026: Phase one starts with select UK home and storefront services (such as plumbers, electricians, gardeners, cleaners, and roofers).
- Late 2026: Expands to wider US service-area businesses and custom campaign configurations.
- 2027: Rollout reaches non-US accounts (including the UK) and remaining business categories.
Google will send a 14-day email advance notice and display a 7-day banner inside your LSA dashboard before automatically migrating your account.
What Stays the Same
- Pay-per-lead pricing: You still pay only for valid calls, messages, or direct bookings — never for general clicks.
- Ad positions: Your ads remain pinned exclusively to the top of Google Search and Google Maps.
- Keywordless targeting: Target matching continues to be driven by your chosen service categories and location boundaries.
- Google Verified badge: Your trust badge and verified status transfer over automatically.
What Changes (And the Big Catch)
- Historical performance reports disappear: Contact details and lead records carry over, but past performance reporting (impressions, historical cost-per-lead trends, and spend logs) will vanish once the old dashboard shuts down.
- Budget conversion: Weekly budgets will automatically convert into equivalent daily average budgets.
- Unified Target CPA: Manual cost-per-lead bidding and separate category-level targets are being removed in favour of a single campaign-level Target CPA.
- Google Business Profile sync: Key details sync one-way from your Business Profile. Making major changes to your business name or address around migration day can trigger a 24-to-48-hour re-verification review that pauses your ads.
Action Plan Before Migration
- Export your reporting data immediately: Download all historical lead costs and performance records before your migration window opens. That data cannot be restored after the switch.
- Split distinct service lines: If you run multiple services with very different profit margins (like emergency repairs versus full installations), consider splitting them into separate campaigns so Google does not blend their target costs together.
- Audit your Google Business Profile: Ensure your profile name, phone number, and service areas are completely accurate and stable before migration begins.
For a clear visual walkthrough of the pay-per-lead workflow and local advertising stack, watch Google Local Services Ads Explained (2026). This video breaks down how pay-per-lead mechanics work and how to structure your local marketing leads effectively as these updates take effect.
Need help? Get in touch with David! 07307 607395