Google is making a major change to Local Service Ads

Businesses will soon need a Google Business Profile (GBP) to continue running Local Service Ads (LSAs) and displaying customer reviews.

This change tightens the integration of LSAs and GBPs, with Google positioning the Business Profile as the “source of truth” for ads.

Why we care. LSAs are a key tool for businesses looking to capture local search traffic. Without a verified and accurate GBP, your ads could be paused, potentially disrupting lead generation and customer acquisition efforts. The integration of reviews into the GBP also gives new emphasis to profiles being properly managed to maintain credibility and visibility in search results.

Key details.

• Deadline: By Nov. 21, businesses must have a Google Business Profile to run Local Service Ads.
• Verified information: The name and address on the GBP must match the LSA; otherwise, the ads will be paused. Unverified or suspended GBPs will also lead to ad pauses.
• Reviews consolidation: Moving forward, customer reviews for LSAs will be managed through the GBP. By early 2025, all reviews will appear on both the LSAs and the GBP.

What they’re saying. Ben Fisher spotted the notice and shared the alert he received on X. He said:

• “Your Google Business Profile is now the source of truth for LSA. LSA ads will be paused if you do not have a GBP attached to an LSA.”

Big picture: This change streamlines how businesses manage their reviews and ads, but it could cause disruptions for companies that haven’t fully aligned their GBP with their LSA.

What’s next: Businesses need to ensure their GBP is verified, accurate and linked to their Local Service Ads by the November deadline to avoid any ad campaign disruptions.