Google Local Services Ads (LSA) bills advertisers for valid customer leads, not for ad clicks. A lead can arrive as a phone call, a message, a voicemail, or, in eligible markets and categories, a booking request. Whether a contact is charged depends on how it arrived, whether it meets Google’s validity rules, and whether the same customer has already been counted recently.
The rules below are Google’s own published Local Services Ads guidance, checked in October 2026. Prices, eligibility, and interface labels vary by market and category and can change, so confirm them in your Google Ads account before making budget decisions.
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How do Local Services Ads leads work?
A prospect searches for a service in an area you have selected, sees your LSA, and contacts your business through the ad. Google describes calls and message requests as the standard contact paths, with direct booking available where it is supported. Once the customer reaches you, converting that contact into a job is your responsibility.
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Check the status of each lead
- Sign in to Google Ads and open the Leads page.
- Review the status shown for each lead. The statuses are Charged, Not charged, In review, and Credited.
- If a lead you dispute is shown as Charged, use the feedback or dispute option on that lead where it is available in your market and category.
What counts as a valid lead?
Google’s examples of leads include a call you answer, a missed call during business hours, a customer text or email, a voicemail, and a booking request in supported markets. Each contact type is evaluated differently.
| Contact type | How it is assessed | Points to note |
|---|---|---|
| Answered call | Assessed on the conversation, not on ring time | Google treats an answered call as an answered call; the 20-second rule does not apply to it |
| Missed call | Chargeable during business hours if the caller stays on the line for more than 20 seconds | IVR keypresses and voicemail handling can change how the threshold is applied |
| Standard message | A customer text or email through the ad | Routed through anonymized proxy numbers and email aliases |
| Request a Quote message | A quote request submitted as a message lead | Priced separately from standard messages |
| Voicemail | Listed by Google as a valid lead example | Specific charge timing not stated in Google’s lead guidance |
| Booking request | Available only where booking is supported | Eligibility is market- and category-specific; see the booking section |
Do I get charged for missed calls?
Sometimes. A missed call can be chargeable during business hours when the caller stays on the line for more than 20 seconds. Calls that are answered are not judged by ring duration. If your phone setup uses an automated menu or voicemail, those handling steps can change when the 20-second threshold is met, so test how your number routes calls before assuming a missed call will or will not be billed.
How do message leads cost compared with calls?
Message leads are typically priced lower than the equivalent phone lead, but Google says this is not always the case. Pricing takes into account the lead type, the service requested, whether the customer also contacted other local advertisers, and the customer’s previous engagement with ads. Because of these inputs, the same channel can cost different amounts in different jobs and areas.
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When does Google charge for a lead?
Each valid lead counts toward your budget. Prices vary by location, job type, lead type, and bidding mode, so there is no single fixed cost per lead.
Your average weekly budget can be exceeded in a particular week. The monthly maximum is your weekly budget multiplied by the average number of weeks in a month. Once that monthly maximum is reached, your ads stop for the rest of the month unless you change the budget. Plan for this if demand is seasonal or spikes in certain weeks.
Are repeat contacts from the same customer charged again?
Usually not. If the same customer follows up from the same phone number or email address within 15 days of an interaction, later calls or messages are not charged again. If 15 days pass with no activity, a new contact can count as a new lead, provided it meets the valid-lead criteria.
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Can I get a credit for a bad lead?
Google continuously assesses lead quality over a 30-day period after a lead is charged. It can reassess charged leads and automatically credit some that it later finds to be poor quality, duplicate, or invalid.
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What happens when someone searches for my business name?
Google’s direct business search feature makes your LSA eligible when a customer searches for your own business name. In that result, your LSA is the only LSA shown, and only leads from new customers are charged. Callers and message users may be asked whether they are returning customers. You cannot use LSA to target another company’s brand searches.
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Where can I use booking leads?
Booking eligibility is narrower than the general lead product. Google’s booking help page says the feature is currently available only in the United States. Some verticals are available only in California and Florida, and the feature is unavailable for healthcare and tax specialists. Google’s general Local Services Ads lead guidance describes booking leads as available in the United States and Canada. Because the two statements differ, check the eligibility shown in your own account before planning around booking in Canada or elsewhere.
Booking is enabled through supported partners. Appointment details, including availability, rescheduling, and cancellation, are managed in the partner’s account rather than in Google Ads.
Which bidding mode should I choose?
Google documents three LSA bidding modes. The table compares them on the points Google’s guidance addresses directly.
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| Bidding mode | Level of automation | What you control | Google’s guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximize leads | Automated | Weekly budget | Google recommends a minimum budget of 10 leads per week for optimal results. This is a recommendation, not a guaranteed outcome. |
| Target cost per lead | Automated, with an optional target | Optional cost-per-lead target and weekly budget | Not stated beyond the general model guidance below |
| Max per lead | Manual | Maximum amount you will pay per lead | Not stated beyond the general model guidance below |
Google says its models may need about two weeks to adjust and produce accurate results. Avoid judging a new bidding setup on the first few days of data.
Can I pass LSA leads to another business?
No. Google prohibits advertisers from selling or passing LSA leads to other businesses. Leads must be fulfilled by your business or by vetted technicians who represent your company, and your listing must accurately show who will perform the work.
Why does response speed affect my ads?
Google’s US onboarding guidance states: “If you regularly fail to answer calls or respond to messages, your ad ranking may be affected.” Responding promptly to calls and messages therefore protects both lead conversion and ad position.
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Quick Recap
Key rules at a glance
- LSA bills per valid lead, with costs varying by market, job, channel, and bidding mode.
- A missed call during business hours can be charged after 20 seconds; an answered call is assessed on the conversation.
- Follow-ups from the same customer, using the same phone number or email, within 15 days are not charged again.
- Charged leads can be reassessed over 30 days, with automatic credits subject to geographic and vertical exclusions.
- Booking availability is market- and category-specific; check your account.
- Leads cannot be resold or passed to other businesses.
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