Google Local Service Ads to Move Into Performance Max Campaigns by 2026

Google is consolidating its "Google Guaranteed" and "Google Screened" badges into a single "Google Verified" badge and adding Google Business Profile reviews to its Local Services Ads (LSAs). These changes aim to improve ad rankings for local businesses. By 2026, LSAs will be migrated into Google Ads as a new Performance Max campaign type, shifting how advertisers manage and optimize local lead generation.

The updates include a checklist for service providers seeking eligibility: confirming category and ZIP code, preparing business licenses, insurance certificates, and technician IDs, and creating a Local Services account. Companies such as Ignite Visibility and Webtechs offer setup and optimization services, citing significant return‑on‑ad‑spend improvements for franchisees in the home‑services sector.