News and Notes From Google Local Services Ads: December 2024

We're back with the latest edition of News & Notes From Google Local Services Ads, where we provide essential updates for lawyers from the Google Partner newsletter. In this post, we'll cover key changes and adjustments that impact how legal professionals can effectively leverage Google LSAs to enhance their practice growth and marketing strategies.

Approximate Read Time: 3 Minutes

Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) have become a crucial tool for lawyers and law firms aiming to enhance their online visibility and attract a broader client base. These ads, prominently featured at the top of Google search engine results pages (SERPs), are the only Google ads that carry the “Google Screened” badge, which boosts consumer trust and helps legal practices stand out.

To fully harness the potential of LSAs, lawyers must stay informed about the continuous updates and changes to this marketing tool. At Justia, our team of legal marketing specialists monitors these developments closely and provides law firms with the latest insights from the Google Partner newsletter to ensure they make the most of their digital marketing strategies.

New: Enforcement of Verified Business Profile Requirement [US and CAN]

A verified Google Business Profile (GBP) is now mandatory (learn more) for all Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) in the U.S. and Canada. Every LSA profile must have a verified and affiliated GBP that matches the corresponding LSA listing. Enforcement is already effective for businesses without an MCC as of December 5, 2024, and begins for businesses with an MCC on January 22, 2025. For reference, an MCC refers to a type of account that allows advertisers or agencies to manage multiple Google Ads or Google LSA accounts from a single email address. Additionally, new customer reviews will now flow through the GBP instead of the previous LSA vanity link.

FYI: Access Ad Performance Data in Search [Global]

The Ad Preview and Diagnosis tool now makes it easier to view performance stats and check your live Google Local Services Ads directly on the Search page. Simply type “my ads” or “google ads” into the search bar, or use a vertical/job type plus location (e.g., “lawyer in San Francisco, CA”) to trigger your ad. To access this feature, you must be logged in with the email address associated with your LSA account and have Admin, Standard, or Reports-only access. You can see whether your ad is currently live, along with performance metrics from the past seven days, including conversions, impressions, and costs. To disable the Ad Preview, click the three dots in the top-right corner of the screen.

New: Responsiveness to Message Leads [Update]

Google now highlights average message response times (more information here) on ads for businesses with at least two message leads in the past 90 days. These estimates, ranging from “a few minutes” to “one day,” aim to provide users with transparency about responsiveness. Response times are calculated based on business hours, excluding non-operating times to ensure fairness, with specified business hours prioritized or default hours of 7 AM–9 PM applied otherwise. The calculation uses a weighted average, giving more importance to recent leads. Notably, the responsiveness callout is hidden during off-hours, ensuring it reflects only active business periods.

FYI: The LSA Mobile App Is No Longer Supported [US]

Google discontinued the LSA Mobile app on January 6th, 2025, as part of its effort to enhance the mobile web experience for Local Services Ads. This shift will allow providers to manage their campaigns seamlessly across all devices. The app has already been removed from both the Android and iOS app stores and will no longer be available after the deprecation date.

Reminder: Ad Safety Policy (ASP) and Website Disapproval Guidelines [Global]

Google LSA accounts must comply with Google’s Ad Serving Policies to ensure ads run without issues. Websites linked to your LSAs should be active and adhere to these policies, as disapprovals commonly occur due to broken links (404 errors) or redirects to unrelated content. You can check for policy violations on the LSA Policy Manager page. To resolve disapprovals, you can either remove the website from your ad, replace it with a valid one, or file an appeal. Maintaining compliance helps keep your ads running smoothly and ensures a positive experience for potential clients.

FYI: Removal of Minimum Bid and Budget Requirements [Global]

Google has removed the minimum bid and budget requirements for Local Services Ads, allowing you to set any budget you choose for your profile. Previously, a minimum budget was needed to save your settings, but now you have the flexibility to set whatever bid amount works best for your business. However, to attract leads, it’s important to ensure that your bid and budget are competitive; if they are set too low, you may receive an alert recommending that you increase them to receive leads. Remember that while you can save your profile with any bid amount, your budget estimate may fluctuate over time. This change provides more freedom in managing your LSA profile while maintaining the need for competitive pricing to generate leads.

Final Thoughts: Why Do You Care?

A thriving law practice starts with a strong digital marketing strategy, and Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) are an essential component for boosting your online visibility. These ads work seamlessly alongside your other marketing efforts to connect you with potential clients and grow your practice. To ensure your LSAs perform at their best or to explore additional search engine marketing strategies, the Justia Amplify team is here to help.

Whether you want to optimize your current LSAs or expand your marketing efforts, our tailored PPC management services can help you achieve your goals. Contact us today for a free consultation and take the next step toward maximizing your law firm’s success!

Justia offers premium website, blogging, and online marketing solutions for law firms. We have an unparalleled record in helping law firms grow. Regardless of whether you are just starting your online marketing efforts or have a fully developed website and blog, we have solutions to help propel you to the next level. In addition to our website and blog services, we also help clients with content, lawyer directory services, social media, local SEO, and PPC Management. Contact us for more information, or call us at (888) 587-8421.