What to Do About Google’s Policy Changes

We’re passing along some crucial information regarding a recent development from Google that directly impacts your Local Service Ads (LSAs) and could significantly affect your billing. Google has initiated what they term as “direct business search,” wherein LSAs may appear when users search for your firm’s brand name. This means you could be charged for interactions resulting from these searches, even if the user was specifically looking for your firm.

It’s essential to note that everyone is automatically opted in, and until recently, there wasn’t a clear option to opt-out of this feature. Despite Google stating that charges will apply only to new customers, there have already been reports of erroneous billing, causing potential disputes with Google.

Here’s what you need to do to safeguard against unexpected charges:

1. Check your Google Ads account for any announcements regarding this change.
2. Navigate to your “Profile & Settings” page within your Local Service Ads account.
3. Scroll down to the “Settings” section and toggle off the “Direct Business Search” option.

Source: Haskins. (2024, February 14). Google is about to Body Slam your credit card. DRIVE Law Firm Marketing. https://wedrivecases.com/google-is-about-to-body-slam-your-credit-card/