What are Local Services Ads (LSAs)?

Local Services Ads are a type of advertising on Google that allows businesses to promote their services to local customers. These ads appear at the top of search results and include a Google Guaranteed badge, which can increase trust and credibility.

How can businesses benefit from the expanded LSA categories?

Businesses can benefit from the expanded LSA categories by reaching a more specific and relevant audience, which can lead to higher conversion rates and more effective use of advertising budgets.

What should marketers do in response to this update?

Marketers should review the updated list of LSA categories and determine if their business or clients can benefit from the more specific targeting options. They should also familiarize themselves with the new interface and tools as LSA campaigns migrate to Google Ads.

Google adds more categories to Local Services Ads ahead of migration to Google Ads

Google has expanded the categories for Local Services Ads (LSAs), adding more specific options for restaurants, automotive services, and beauty businesses ahead of migrating LSA campaigns into Google Ads.

August 24, 2026

A geometric illustration of a magnifying glass over a map with various service icons.

Key takeaways

Google expanded LSA categories to include more specific options for restaurants, automotive services, and beauty businesses.
The underlying LSA model remains largely unchanged, but the number and specificity of supported categories have grown substantially.
This expansion provides more targeted advertising options for businesses and more relevant results for users.
SEO practitioners and marketers should review the updated list of LSA categories to leverage more specific targeting options.
As LSA campaigns migrate to Google Ads, marketers will need to familiarize themselves with the new interface and tools.

What Changed

Google has expanded the list of businesses eligible for Local Services Ads (LSAs), adding more granular categories across restaurants, automotive services, and beauty businesses. This update comes as Google prepares to migrate LSA campaigns into Google Ads. A comparison of Google’s previous and current “Getting started with Local Services Ads” documentation shows that the underlying LSA model remains largely intact, but the number and specificity of supported categories has grown substantially.

Specific Changes

The most noticeable update is Google’s eligibility list. Previously, several industries were represented by broad categories, but now there are more granular options available. For example, the automotive services category now includes specific subcategories like brake repair, oil changes, and tire services. Similarly, the beauty category has been expanded to include services like hair removal, makeup artistry, and nail services. These changes aim to provide more targeted advertising options for businesses and more relevant results for users.

Why This Matters for SEO Practitioners and Marketers

For SEO practitioners and marketers, this expansion means more opportunities to target specific services within broader industries. By leveraging these granular categories, businesses can reach potential customers who are searching for very specific services. This can lead to higher conversion rates and more effective use of advertising budgets. Additionally, as LSA campaigns migrate to Google Ads, marketers will need to familiarize themselves with the new interface and tools to maximize their campaigns' effectiveness.

Actionable Step

One concrete step that SEO practitioners and marketers can take is to review the updated list of LSA categories and determine if their business or clients can benefit from the more specific targeting options. By updating their LSA campaigns to include these new categories, they can ensure they are reaching the most relevant audience and maximizing their advertising efforts.

Frequently asked questions

What are Local Services Ads (LSAs)?: Local Services Ads are a type of advertising on Google that allows businesses to promote their services to local customers. These ads appear at the top of search results and include a Google Guaranteed badge, which can increase trust and credibility.
Why is Google expanding the categories for LSAs?: Google is expanding the categories for LSAs to provide more targeted advertising options for businesses and more relevant results for users. This update also comes as Google prepares to migrate LSA campaigns into Google Ads.
How can businesses benefit from the expanded LSA categories?: Businesses can benefit from the expanded LSA categories by reaching a more specific and relevant audience, which can lead to higher conversion rates and more effective use of advertising budgets.
What should marketers do in response to this update?: Marketers should review the updated list of LSA categories and determine if their business or clients can benefit from the more specific targeting options. They should also familiarize themselves with the new interface and tools as LSA campaigns migrate to Google Ads.

#google #local services ads #seo #digital marketing #advertising

Source: Search Engine Land

← How to Vet a Link Building Agency Without Getting Burned How a B2B SaaS Site Doubled Organic Traffic With a Content Pruning Strategy →

Related from The SEO Xpert

A geometric illustration of a mobile screen displaying a list of advertisers above search ads.

Algorithm Updates

Google tests new mobile Search ad layout with advertiser list

Google is testing a mobile Search ad layout that places a list of advertisers above the sponsored results, giving users more context before they click. The experiment includes each advertiser’s favicon and domain name at the top of the sponsored results block. If rolled out broadly, it may influence user behavior and ad performance. SEO practitioners should monitor this development and adjust strategies accordingly. One actionable step is to ensure brand consistency in favicons and domain names to improve visibility in this new layout.

August 11, 2026

A geometric illustration of interconnected nodes representing search algorithms and user interactions.

Algorithm Updates

Google Rolls Out August Spam Update, Adds Generative UI to AI Overviews

Google has launched its August 2026 spam update and introduced generative UI elements in AI Overviews. Reddit's share of ChatGPT citations has also declined.

August 23, 2026

A geometric illustration of a magnifying glass filtering out spammy content from search results.

Algorithm Updates

Google's August 2026 Spam Update Fully Rolled Out

Google confirmed the August 2026 spam update, which began on August 18, 2026, completed its rollout on August 21, 2026. The update affects all languages and regions globally. This is the third spam update this year, focusing on combating spammy content in search results.

August 22, 2026

A geometric illustration of a digital ad campaign with automated bidding controls.

Algorithm Updates

Microsoft Advertising to Remove Max CPC from New Standalone Bidding Campaigns

Microsoft Advertising will stop allowing advertisers to set Max CPC limits on new campaigns using several standalone automated bidding strategies starting October 1, 2026. Existing campaigns and certain other bidding strategies will retain the option.

August 20, 2026