To date, in October 2024, Google has made several important updates to Local Services Ads (LSA), giving businesses more control over their profiles, lead management, and verification processes. These changes aim to simplify how service area businesses manage their presence on Google. Let’s take a look at the key updates.
1. Google Business Profile (GBP) Link Added to Business Verification
For brand-new LSAs, linking your Google Business Profile (GBP) is now a mandatory step in the Business Verification process. This update reflects an earlier announcement by Google about the growing importance of the GBP for businesses using LSA. Having a verified and optimized GBP is essential to ensure your business information is consistent across platforms.
Google’s move to integrate GBP linking into the verification process ties back to their broader strategy to promote a unified online presence for businesses. For more details on why your GBP matters more than ever, check out this blog on the topic.
What this means for you:
Make sure your GBP is fully claimed, verified, and optimized. Any inconsistencies could delay your LSA verification, affecting your ability to start generating leads. Additionally, reviews must come through your GBP rather than to your LSA directly. So when asking your customers for reviews, make sure you request them using your GBP’s – Ask For Reviews link, and ensure you monitor them through your GBP dashboard.
2. Editing Your Website on the LSA Dashboard
Another significant update is that businesses can now edit their website directly in the LSA dashboard, without needing to contact Google support. This change allows for quicker updates, giving you the flexibility to make sure your website link is always correct and up-to-date.
What this means for you:
If you’ve recently made changes to your website or rebranded, you can update the link instantly. This helps avoid any potential loss of leads due to outdated information.
3. Update to Lead Management Interface
Google has also made changes to how lead reporting is handled within the LSA platform. The Reports screen no longer shows the lead list but instead features a clickable button that redirects you to the Leads tab. From there, you can filter your lead report through several metrics and view and rate each lead, helping you track and manage them more effectively.
What this means for you:
This updated interface allows you to stay organized and evaluate the quality of your leads in real time. By rating leads directly, you help Google better refine your future lead flow, increasing the chances of receiving more relevant inquiries.
These October 2024 updates simplify managing your LSA profile and leads, giving you more control over your business’s online presence. Make sure to watch for more enhancements Google rolls out.