Local Services Ads are moving to Performance Max: what to save

Dated October 25, 2026. Google is moving Local Services Ads into the main Google Ads platform. The ads become a campaign type called Performance Max with pay-per-lead goals. This note covers what Google has published, and what a law firm using Local Services should do before its account moves.

When will an account move?

Google moves accounts in phases. Per its help page, the first phase of the migration begins for select home and storefront service advertisers in the United States (Google Ads Help). Later, the migration expands to broader advertiser groups, including service-area businesses without physical storefronts (same source). Then 2027: Non-U.S. accounts, and all remaining business categories that were not migrated in 2026 will transition to Google Ads (same source).

Google’s page does not name legal categories in any phase. We cannot say when a law firm’s account moves. Google emails the account administrator before it happens: an advance notification email 14 days before your migration date (same source). Make sure that email goes to a person who reads it.

What stays the same?

Google says you still only pay for valid leads (such as phone calls and messages) rather than ad clicks. It also says ads keep showing on Google Search and Google Maps, and the campaign stays keywordless, meaning you pick service types and areas instead of search terms. Your verified status carries over: your verified status and your Google Verified badge will transfer to Google Ads automatically.

What is lost or changed?

• Reports are lost. Google says that previous performance reports will no longer be accessible. Save them first.
• The old dashboard goes away. After the move, you will no longer be able to access your original Local Services Ads dashboard.
• Budgets are re-set. Your historical average weekly budget is automatically divided by 7 to determine your daily average budget. Google adds that it is capped at a monthly figure: monthly spend, which is capped at your daily average budget multiplied by 30.4.
• Manual bidding ends. Manual bidding (such as setting a maximum cost-per-lead) is no longer supported in Google Ads.
• Hours and address live in your profile. Google says these are Managed directly in your Google Business Profile. The missed-call billing rule we covered in our earlier note depends on those hours.

What this means for your firm

• Save every Local Services report you rely on now, and keep a plain log of leads, answered calls and signed cases that does not depend on Google.
• Give whoever runs your ads, and one partner, access to the Google Ads account so the move does not leave you locked out of the budget.
• Check the hours on your Google Business Profile. Staff the hours you list, as our Local Services guide explains.

Probative Growth manages Local Services and Google Ads together with getting your firm found in Google and AI answers. Get my free review.

Reviewed by our ads lead. Marketing information, not legal advice. Local Services ads for lawyers are lawyer advertising under your state’s rules.