Google to charge for some missed LSA calls

Google is updating its Local Services Ads (LSA) policy once again. Beginning in October, advertisers will be charged for some missed calls during their listed business hours.

What’s happening: Google sent an email to some advertisers, according to Monday reports, notifying them of the change, which is set to roll out on October 1.

• Missed calls during listed business hours will now be charged as valid leads if the caller stays on the line for more than 20 seconds.
• If an initial call doesn’t qualify as a charged lead — for instance, if a caller is on the line for less than 20 seconds — “any follow-up calls” between the business and the caller that meet Google’s valid lead criteria will be charged.

Of note: If a business’s inbound call setup requires callers to press a key to route them to a specific department, the 20-second timer will start when the caller presses the key, according to the email. Advertisers won’t be charged if customers don’t press the key.

• The company is introducing the change across all verticals simultaneously, including home services, a Google spokesperson told Homepros.
• The spokesperson added that advertisers will only be charged once for follow-up calls that occur within 15 days of the initial call.

Between the lines: Google said the change is meant to “limit robot calls and address spam call abuse.”

• “This policy update helps ensure our platform continues to meet these customer expectations while rewarding businesses that provide excellent responsiveness,” the company wrote.

Zoom out: The move comes just one month after Google announced it will fold LSAs into its primary Google Ads platform, giving contractors a centralized view to manage campaigns and leads but requiring them to export reports to maintain historical data, which began rolling out this month.

What they’re saying: “This has been a weekly thing lately, hasn’t it?” Josh Crouch, founder of home services-focused marketing firm Relentless Digital, wrote in a Monday Facebook post.

Note: This story has been updated with information clarifying how Google will charge advertisers for follow-up calls.