What is changing about Google Local Services Ads and Performance Max?

What stays the same after Local Services Ads move to Performance Max?

Pay-per-lead campaigns still charge for valid, qualified leads such as phone calls, message leads, or bookings. Pay-per-lead campaigns still serve only on Google Search and Google Maps. Pay-per-lead campaigns also remain keywordless and use information from the Google Business Profile instead of manual keyword lists. Google describes the change as a new management location, not a change to where these ads appear.

The Google Local Services Ads hub covers the paid lead channel alongside related questions about profiles and local visibility.

How is pay-per-lead Performance Max different from standard Performance Max?

Google separates the new pay-per-lead campaign type from standard Performance Max in three practical ways:

The name Performance Max does not make a pay-per-lead campaign a standard click campaign. The billing event and serving surfaces remain the distinctions to check when reading a new campaign overview.

When will my Local Services Ads campaign migrate?

Google's published timetable uses three phases. The first phase began in August 2026 for select United States home and storefront service advertisers, including plumbing, HVAC, electrical, appliance repair, house cleaning, lawn care, roofing, pest control, and moving. The broader phases follow by advertiser group and region.

The phase is not a universal switch date for every business. Google says existing campaigns migrate over the coming months, so an account's notice and dashboard are the records to use for its scheduled date.

How much notice will Google give before migration?

The account administrator listed on the profile receives an email 14 days before the scheduled migration, and Google places warning banners in the current dashboard. Google says a final reminder arrives 7 days later, followed by another email after migration is complete.

Before the scheduled date, save the campaign reports that matter to the business. After migration, the original Local Services Ads dashboard is no longer available. Logging in there redirects the account to the campaign overview in Google Ads.

What happens to the Local Services Ads budget after migration?

Google converts the historical average weekly budget into a daily average by dividing it by 7. Google then sets the monthly billing cap at that daily average multiplied by 30.4. Daily spend can fluctuate on high-demand days, but Google says monthly billing will not exceed that cap.

For example, a historical average weekly budget of $700 becomes a $100 daily average and a $3,040 monthly billing cap under Google's formula. The example shows the conversion; it is not a recommendation for how much a business should spend.

What bidding controls change after migration?

Manual bidding, including setting a maximum cost per lead, is no longer supported after the transition. Google also replaces separate vertical-level Target CPA values with one campaign-level Target CPA when multiple business categories share one campaign. Target CPA means the target cost per action used for bidding.

Separate campaigns preserve separate bidding rules by business category. Google directs advertisers to g.co/localservices for that setup path while direct creation inside Google Ads remains unavailable.

Which Local Services Ads reports and leads will carry over?

Historical campaign-level performance metrics do not migrate. Google specifically lists past impressions, clicks, weekly spend, and ad-level performance reports. Save or screenshot those reports before migration because the old dashboard will not make them available afterward.

Past customer lead history does migrate to the new Leads page. Google says the transfer includes customer contact details, message history, and older call recordings. Campaign reporting and lead history therefore need different backup plans:

1. Save the campaign-level reports before the scheduled migration.
2. Use the new Leads page after migration for transferred customer history.
3. Recheck the campaign overview in Google Ads for the migrated budget and bidding settings.

For the current account-creation path, use g.co/localservices. The Google Local Services Ads overview explains how the paid lead channel differs from organic Maps results.

Can I create a new pay-per-lead campaign directly in Google Ads?

No. As of September 28, 2026, Google says advertisers cannot create new campaigns with pay-per-lead goals directly inside Google Ads. Use g.co/localservices for additional campaigns or local accounts. Google says direct campaign creation will become available later, but it does not give a date in the supplied guidance.