How do I create a Google Local Services Ad, and what must be verified before it can appear?

Where do I start a new Local Services Ads campaign?

New pay-per-lead campaigns cannot currently be created directly in Google Ads. Google’s migration guidance says to use g.co/localservices for an additional campaign or local account until direct creation becomes available. Google’s Local Services Ads hub explains how this paid lead channel fits beside the rest of the Google Business Profile work.

Google says Local Services Ads are available only for certain service categories. Check eligibility for your business and area before gathering documents. The practical sequence is:

1. Check that your category and area are eligible.
2. Start the new pay-per-lead campaign at g.co/localservices.
3. Enter the service categories and areas your business offers.
4. Match, claim, or confirm the Google Business Profile connected to the campaign.
5. Complete the screening and verification tasks shown for your category and location.
6. Set up billing, choose a budget, and finish the remaining onboarding tasks.

What must be ready before I create the ad?

The exact checklist depends on your category and location. Google’s US requirements page lists a public, verified Google Business Profile as a requirement. Google’s pre-badge guidance also lists licensing or business registration, acknowledgement of appropriate licenses, category-dependent reviews, billing, and a budget.

For pre-badge ads, professional verticals also require headshots and, in the UK, business registration. Google says pre-badge ads are unavailable for garage door services, health care verticals, and locksmiths. Health care advertisers therefore need to check the full category-specific route rather than assume the pre-badge path applies. See understanding your Google Business Profile if the profile itself is not ready.

How do I connect my Google Business Profile to Local Services Ads?

The matched Google Business Profile must be claimed when it is unmanaged, and the person completing Local Services Ads checks must be a profile owner or manager. Google says this access step must be complete before the ad can appear in search, even if the person can finish other checks while access is pending.

Use this order in the verification dashboard:

1. Review the profile preview matched to the Local Services Ads account.
2. Claim the profile if Google shows it as unmanaged.
3. Confirm that the signed-in person is a profile owner or manager.
4. Request profile access from the dashboard if the signed-in person has neither role.
5. Recheck the dashboard after the access change. Google says this status can take up to 24 hours to update.

Google’s screening guidance distinguishes profile access from the other checks. A person without the required role can continue some verification work, but the ad cannot appear in search until the profile ownership or management step is complete.

What screening and verification does Google require?

Every Local Services advertiser must pass Google’s screening and verification process. Google says the process varies by business category and location, so the dashboard’s checklist is the controlling list for a particular business. The US requirements page says the process averages 3–4 weeks after documents are submitted.

For select US verticals and users, Google uses a D-U-N-S number for business-registration verification. If a business cannot obtain one, Google lists Secretary of State registration, an IRS EIN, or Department of Revenue registration as alternatives. Google says a new D-U-N-S application can take up to 30 days.

Google can also apply risk-based verification to select US users. An advertiser may receive accelerated verification and then have 14 days to complete additional checks. Google regularly re-evaluates advertisers. Missing a requested review can lead to loss of the badge, paused ads, or account suspension.

US health care advertisers have an additional rule: Google says NPI verification is required before Local Services Ads can serve. If Google finds no NPI or multiple NPIs, the provider must contact Local Services Ads support. Some categories also require Advanced Verification using account review when applicable, public information, and Google video interviews.

Can I run Local Services Ads before I receive the Google Verified badge?

Sometimes. Google says pre-badge ads can receive leads after preliminary checks while the advertiser completes the remaining onboarding checks. All onboarding requirements still apply before the business can go live with the Google Verified badge.

Google lists a license or business registration where applicable, acknowledgement of appropriate licenses, category-dependent reviews, billing, and a budget for pre-badge ads. Professional verticals also require headshots and, in the UK, business registration. Pre-badge ads are unavailable for garage door services, health care verticals, and locksmiths.

How does Local Services Ads billing work after setup?

Google requires a billing account at signup. An existing Google Ads account reuses its payment settings. A new account can provide a credit card or bank account, and Google charges it as charges accrue.

Google’s lead guidance separates budget from the charge for each lead:

• Set an average weekly budget based on the number of leads you want in a typical week.
• Set the bidding mode for the maximum amount you are willing to pay for a lead.
• Expect weekly spend to fluctuate, while the monthly maximum remains the budget limit Google describes.
• Pay for valid leads. Leads first assessed as invalid or low quality are not charged, and charged leads may later receive automatic credits after reassessment.

Automatic lead credits are unavailable for health care, tax specialists, and advertisers in EMEA. Google says lead prices can vary by location, job type, lead type, and bidding mode. Once the monthly maximum is reached, the ad stops appearing for the rest of the month unless the budget is adjusted. Booking leads are available only in the United States and Canada.

The account overview says advertisers can manage leads, communicate with customers, record notes, see performance reports, pause ads, adjust the budget, and provide lead feedback. Tracking bookings, tracking lead credits, and asking for reviews are listed as US-and-Canada-only actions.

What changes when Local Services Ads move into Google Ads?

Google is moving existing Local Services Ads campaigns into specialized Performance Max campaigns optimized for pay-per-lead goals. The management location changes to Google Ads, while valid-lead billing, Google Search and Maps placements, and keywordless targeting remain. The Local Services Ads overview covers the distinction between the paid lead channel and organic Maps results.

Google’s current timeline says the first phase began in August 2026 for select US home and storefront services. Broader groups are planned for late 2026, and non-US accounts plus remaining categories are planned for 2027. Google says the transition can take up to two weeks to complete and for performance to stabilize.

How are Local Services Ads different from organic Maps ranking?

Local Services Ads use a paid auction. Google says provider listings are ordered using the bid and overall profile quality, including rating, review count, average response time, high-quality images, completed verification checks, and other business information. Organic local results are separate: Google says they are mainly based on relevance, distance, and popularity, and that businesses cannot pay to request a better organic local ranking.

That distinction matters when you evaluate the first campaign results. A lead from a Local Services Ad is a paid-channel outcome. It does not establish a change in the unpaid ranking of the Google Business Profile. If another person will manage the campaign, choosing who does Google Local Services Ads for you covers access, screening responsibility, reporting, and handover questions.