Small business owners need to be aware of a significant change coming to Google Local Services Ads. Starting on November 21, these ads will only show up in search results if they are linked to the business’ Google Business Profile. If not, the ads will be paused and will not appear at all. These ads are crucial for small businesses to connect with local customers, as studies have shown that 98% of U.S. consumers look for local businesses online, with over 80% of these searches leading to sales.
A Google Business Profile allows businesses to control how they appear on Google Search and Maps, helping them attract new customers through local searches. Verification is needed to prove the legitimacy of a business, which can be done through video or phone verification or receiving a postcard from Google. This verification process helps prevent lead generation hijacking, where fake businesses are set up to redirect potential customers to another business.
The change was implemented to increase consistency and security by adding another layer of verification to prevent bad actors from exploiting the Local Services Ads ecosystem. Ben Fisher, founder of Steady Demand and a Google Business Profile Product Expert, states that spamming and hijacking of Local Services Ads has become a significant issue for Google. It can take months to get fake profiles removed, making it challenging for Google to combat this problem.
Fisher estimates that roughly half of all businesses advertising locally on Google will be affected by this change. While there may be some false positives, he supports the move to curb abuses in the system, such as companies boosting their reviews by pulling in feedback from unrelated businesses. He advises business owners to ensure they can log in to both their Local Services Ads and Google Business Profile accounts under the same email and not to create a new profile if prompted by a message on the Local Services Ads platform.
Despite the inconvenience, Fisher emphasizes that small businesses should continue to use Local Services Ads, calling business owners “crazy, absolutely crazy” if they don’t. These ads are highly effective in attracting new customers and generating sales, making them essential for small businesses looking to grow their customer base. The change to link Local Services Ads with Google Business Profiles aims to improve the consistency and security of the system, ultimately benefiting legitimate businesses and customers. Business owners should take the necessary steps to ensure their accounts are linked and verified to continue utilizing the benefits of Local Services Ads.
