Google has expanded direct booking in Local Services Ads from about 20 Reserve with Google partners to more than 500, Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin said, as Search Engine Land reported. Advertisers whose Google Business Profile already has an active partner booking link get the feature on their ads automatically, with no extra linking. Customers can go from an ad on Search or Maps straight to an appointment through the business’s existing scheduling provider.
Each booking counts as a paid lead in LSA reporting and is managed in the Local Services Ads profile. Businesses that don’t want to use a particular provider can change booking settings, or turn off individual partner links, under Profile & Budget > Settings. Marvin said those preferences will carry over when Google moves LSA accounts into Google Ads over the coming months.
Because bookings are billed as leads, Search Engine Land advised advertisers to watch booking quality and cost instead of treating the feature as free conversions.
Missed calls start costing money in October
Google is also changing how it bills calls. According to an advertiser email published by Search Engine Roundtable, starting Oct. 1, a missed call during business hours counts as a valid lead if the caller stays on the line more than 20 seconds, with some exceptions. If a first call doesn’t qualify for a charge, later calls between the same business and customer that meet the lead criteria will be charged.
For businesses whose phone systems ask callers to press a key to reach a department, the 20-second timer starts after the key press, and calls that never get routed aren’t billed. Google also said it is adding protections against robocalls and spam. “This policy update helps ensure our platform continues to meet these customer expectations while rewarding businesses that provide excellent responsiveness,” the email said.
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