Google is merging Local Services Ads into the Google Ads interface, with a new Performance Max campaign type for pay per lead goals replacing the existing Local Services Ads dashboard.
As such, this is a change in infrastructure rather than in the ad format itself. Advertisers will retain the same core experience, but manage it within the existing platform they already use for Search, Shopping, and Performance Max campaigns.
What Is Actually Happening
In a phased rollout beginning in August 2026, eligible advertisers will start managing Local Services Ads campaigns within the Google Ads platform instead of using the separate Local Services Ads dashboard.
The new campaign type will be unique to Local Services advertisers and will retain the core characteristics of the format, with ads appearing only on Search and Maps, not across Google’s broader advertising network. Campaigns will remain keywordless, pulling information from the advertiser’s Google Business Profile and not from manually specified keywords. Moreover, the campaigns will retain their core pricing model, with advertisers paying only for valid leads, such as calls, messages, and bookings, rather than for clicks.
It is worth mentioning that unlike regular Performance Max campaigns, the campaigns covered by this update will not gain access to additional Google advertising channels. In this case, the name refers to the campaign structure and management experience, rather than expanded coverage.
What Changes for Advertisers
Two major changes stand out as the highlights of this update. First, the campaigns will become more manageable, with advertisers managing their campaigns, leads, and calls within the Google Ads platform instead of using the dedicated Local Services Ads dashboard. For advertisers using Google Ads already, this means fewer platforms to manage.
Second, Google Business Profile information will automatically sync with associated campaigns. Thus, any updates, such as adding new photos or business details, will immediately be reflected in the ad campaign. This was not the case previously, when advertisers might have had to update information in several places to keep their Local Services Ads campaigns up to date.
Why This Matters
For advertisers, the key advantage of the update is simplification of workflow. Moving Local Services Ads campaigns from the dedicated dashboard into Google Ads means fewer separate systems to manage and fewer places to monitor performance. For agencies and in-house teams managing multiple campaign types for the same local business, this update will be helpful since it reduces the number of tools required to run a full campaign.
Tighter integration with Google Business Profile also matters for advertisers. Local service businesses usually rely heavily on their Google Business Profile listing for visibility, so automatic syncing with active campaigns will reduce the risk of outdated data, such as wrong phone numbers or service areas, showing up in paid placements.
Who Is Affected First
The update will be rolled out starting with a select few advertisers in the United States. Initially, Google is rolling out the update in four business sectors: pet care, home services, wellness, and education. Initial rollout will be launched in early August 2026.
Afterwards, according to Google, the update will be rolled out in phases during 2027. This schedule shows that it is not a single event, but a phased migration affecting different advertisers and industries at different stages over the following year. Advertisers who were not selected for the initial rollout will get advance notice before the migration starts, rather than being suddenly moved to the new platform.
What Happens to Existing Campaigns
Advertisers already using Local Services Ads will see their campaigns preserved on the new platform as much as possible. Budgets, settings, and creative assets will automatically migrate into the new Performance Max campaign structure, so advertisers will not have to rebuild their campaigns after the migration.
However, one notable exception exists. Performance history reports will not migrate to Google Ads platform and will remain in the existing dashboard. Therefore, Google recommends advertisers to download their past reports in advance before migrating, otherwise the data may become unavailable.
This is important to mention since for agencies it may be crucial to have data for year-to-year comparisons or reporting to clients. The migration date should be seen as a deadline for exporting any necessary data.
What This Means for Local Businesses
For local businesses the experience of running Local Services Ads campaigns is supposed to change minimally. As before, the ads will only be displayed on Search and Maps, they will remain keywordless, and advertisers will pay based on leads rather than clicks. The change will affect where and how the advertisers will be managing the campaigns.
The businesses in the initially selected industries, namely, pet care, home services, wellness, and education, should watch for notifications from Google regarding the start date of their migration window. The businesses in other sectors will see the update reach them as part of the phased update process continuing throughout 2027.
For agencies managing Local Services Ads campaigns for multiple clients, it will be a good opportunity to plan ahead. Since budgets, settings and creative assets will be transferred automatically, the technical disruption is not expected to be significant. However, it will be necessary to make sure the historical reports are exported in advance since this data will become unavailable afterwards.
The Bigger Picture
This is just another step in Google’s long-term strategy of bringing together its various advertising products to fewer, more unified interfaces. Instead of offering Local Services Ads separately from other campaigns through its own interface, Google is incorporating it into the existing Google Ads platform where advertisers can already manage campaigns for Search, Shopping, Demand Gen, Performance Max, etc.
This suggests that Google is not going to abandon Local Services Ads any time soon and is prepared to keep expanding it as part of its standard advertising suite.
How This Compares to Standard Performance Max
To be clear, here is how a regular Performance Max differs from the newly-introduced Local Services variation. Whereas a regular Performance Max campaign relies on the network of channels consisting of Search, Display, YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Maps and uses automation to find the optimal way to distribute the budget through it, the Local Services campaign relies exclusively on Search and Maps and retains the pay-per-lead fee model.
In other words, the best way to look at the new campaign is not as Local Services Ads moving into Performance Max, but as Local Services Ads borrowing its name and management tools while retaining its core features. There are no changes to the campaign structure, which remains keywordless, no changes to the data source used for ad creative, which remains Google Business Profile, and no changes to the pricing model.
Preparing for the Transition
Advertisers using Local Services Ads now need to watch for official notifications from Google about their individual migration dates. In addition, advertisers should export the necessary historical data to make sure it does not get lost in the transition. Creating a habit of periodically saving historical performance data is a good idea regardless of when the migration takes place.
Agencies managing multiple local service clients should be aware of which accounts belong to the first wave of migration: those in pet care, home services, wellness, and education.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q 1: What is changing with Local Services Ads?
Google is moving Local Services Ads management out of its standalone dashboard and into the main Google Ads interface, using a new Performance Max campaign type built specifically for pay per lead goals.
Q 2: When does this rollout begin?
The phased rollout begins in early August 2026 with a small group of U.S. advertisers, and Google says it will continue in phases through 2027.
Q 3: Which industries are part of the initial rollout?
The first advertisers to migrate come from four sectors: pet care, home services, wellness, and education.
Q 4: Will Local Services Ads start appearing on more platforms?
No. Despite using the Performance Max name, these campaigns will continue to appear only on Search and Maps, not across Google’s broader advertising network.
Q 5: Do advertisers still pay per click under this new structure?
No. Advertisers will continue to pay only for valid leads, such as calls, messages, and bookings, rather than paying per click.
Q 6: Will my existing campaign settings carry over automatically?
Yes. Existing budgets, settings, and creative assets will transfer automatically into the new campaign structure.
Q 7: Will my historical performance data transfer as well?
No. Historical performance reports will not migrate to Google Ads, so Google recommends downloading past reporting data before your account transitions.
Q 8: Will campaigns still use my Google Business Profile information?
Yes, and the connection will actually improve. Changes made to a Google Business Profile, including business details and photos, will now sync to campaigns automatically in real time.
Q 9: Do I need to do anything to prepare for the migration?
The main task is exporting any historical performance data you want to keep, since that will not carry over. Otherwise, Google says it will provide advance notice before your account migrates.
Q 10: Where can I find more information about this change?
Google has published details about the transition through its official Google Ads Help documentation.
