PPC

Google enhances Local Services Ads with auto-selected photos

Google is rolling out a new feature for Local Services Ads (LSA) that automatically selects profile photos to display in advertisements.

Why we care. This update aims to increase ad engagement and potentially improve ad rankings for local service providers.

How it works:

  • Google will choose photos from advertisers’ LSA profiles based on their likelihood to boost engagement.
  • Photos won’t appear in every ad, depending on user queries and other factors.

Key details:

  • The feature launches today for all Local Services advertisers.
  • Adding photos to LSA profiles can help improve ad rankings.

Google’s recommendations:

  • Upload 3-5 high-quality images to your LSA profile.
  • Ensure photos are relevant to your work, original, and not copied or stolen.

What to watch. How this change affects ad performance and ranking for local service providers, especially those who haven’t previously focused on visual content in their profiles.

First seen. We were first alerted to this update from Google Ads Liaison, Ginny Marvin’s X:

Screenshot 2024 08 07 At 20.33.58

The bottom line. Local Services advertisers should review and update their profile photos to take full advantage of this new feature and potentially improve their ad performance

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About the author

Anu Adegbola

Paid Media News Editor, Search Engine Land

Anu Adegbola has been Paid Media Editor of Search Engine Land since 2024. She covers paid search, paid social, retail media, video and more.

In 2008, Anu started her career delivering digital marketing campaigns (mostly but not exclusively Paid Search) by building strategies, maximising ROI, automating repetitive processes and bringing efficiency from every part of marketing departments through inspiring leadership both on agency, client and marketing tech side. Outside editing Search Engine Land article she is the founder of PPC networking event - PPC Live and host of weekly podcast PPC Live The Podcast.

She is also an international speaker with some of the stages she has presented on being SMX (US, UK, Munich, Berlin), Friends of Search (Amsterdam, NL), brightonSEO, The Marketing Meetup, HeroConf (PPC Hero), SearchLove, AdWorld Experience (Bologna, IT) and more.