Google is merging Local Service Ads into Google Ads Performance Max starting August 2026. You'll manage LSA through the Google Ads dashboard instead of a separate platform, but pricing and placements stay the same. Don't create new LSA accounts now, they'll be obsolete.
Did you know that Google just announced that Local Service Ads is merging with Google Ads? If you haven't heard the news, this video exactly for you. So what's changing? Google recently announced that the LSA platform, or Local Service Ads, is now going to migrate to Google PMax pay-per-click campaigns. So what's changing? The platform is changing, so you'll be able to manage your account, set up billing, answer clients, change your phone numbers, and so on through the Google Ads platform. So you're going to have a unified spot where you're going to be managing your Google Ads and Local Service Ads. What isn't changing is the fact that you're still paying per lead, which is great and which is the best part of Local Service Ads. In addition, what's also not changing is the fact that the placement is going to still be the same. Your ads are still going to be visible in Google Search and Google Maps. You won't be able to set up keywords very much like the same, like before. So there aren't that many changes. I guess the core change is that you'll be managing your LSA account through Google Ads. So you're going to have one consistent platform where you're going to be managing budgets, spend, billing details, and so on. When is the change going to happen? They're rolling it out from August 2026 in the US, and the change is going to start from HVAC, cleaners, gardeners, handyman type of businesses. So anyone in the service sector, including franchises. And after August 2026, since September, all the other service-based businesses that haven't got a physical location but service a territory or an area, again franchises. And after September 2027, everyone outside of the US. How is this change going to affect you? Well, the platform you are going to manage your ads is going to change. We don't advise you to create new LSA accounts as of now because those are going to become useless in the future. So if you're planning on starting your local service ads, freeze the accounts creation at the moment or contact someone like us who knows how to do it for you. Follow me for more interesting tips on franchise marketing.
