Google shifts Local Service Ads reviews to Business Profiles management

Google implemented a significant structural change to its Local Service Ads platform on July 11, 2025, transferring customer review management responsibilities from individual Local Service Ads accounts to centralized Google Business Profile systems. According to Barry Schwartz's reporting on Search Engine Roundtable, the transition affects all businesses utilizing Local Service Ads for lead generation.

The consolidation represents a substantial departure from the previous system where Local Service Ads maintained separate review collection and management infrastructure. Starting July 11, 2025, customer reviews for Local Service Ads will be fully managed through Google Business Profile rather than through individual Local Service Ads accounts. This technical migration requires businesses to utilize their Google Business Profile for all review-related activities.

Summary

Who: Google Local Service Ads advertisers and businesses utilizing Google Business Profiles for local service marketing, as reported by Barry Schwartz of Search Engine Roundtable and confirmed through communications received by Anthony Higman.

What: Google consolidated customer review management from Local Service Ads accounts into Google Business Profile systems, requiring all review collection, management, and monitoring activities to occur through Business Profile interfaces rather than Local Service Ads platforms.

When: The transition took effect on July 11, 2025, as specified in Google's official email communications to affected Local Service Ads advertisers.

Where: The change applies globally to all Google Local Service Ads accounts and their associated Google Business Profile listings across all markets where Local Service Ads operate.

Why: Google implemented the consolidation to streamline local business presence management across its platforms, align review management with Google Maps Review Policies, and create unified business profile oversight while maintaining Local Service Ads functionality.

Anthony Higman received an email from Google detailing the transition parameters. The communication specified that "starting on 07/11/2025, your customer reviews will be fully managed from Google Business Profile, not your Local Services Ads account." This represents the formal announcement date for the policy change that took effect immediately.

The email outlined specific technical requirements for the transition. All existing reviews underwent verification against Google Maps Review Policies during the migration process. Reviews suspected of policy violations may no longer appear on business profiles following the consolidation. The verification process applies retroactively to all historical Local Service Ads reviews.

Star ratings and review quantities can influence Local Service Ads rankings within the platform's algorithm. Google's documentation indicates that these factors affect how businesses appear in Local Service Ads results. The consolidation potentially impacts these ranking signals by centralizing review data through Business Profile systems.

Business operators must now utilize a specific link provided by Google to collect reviews from customers. The email stated that "going forward you can use this link to collect reviews from your customers." This replaces previous Local Service Ads review collection mechanisms with Business Profile-integrated systems.

The transition timing coincides with broader Google initiatives to streamline local business presence management across multiple platforms. Local business integration efforts have been ongoing since August 2024, when Google announced booking system consolidation between Business Profiles and Local Service Ads.

Technical implications extend beyond simple administrative changes. The consolidation affects review display mechanics, customer communication pathways, and business reputation management workflows. Businesses previously managing reviews through separate Local Service Ads interfaces must now navigate Business Profile systems for equivalent functionality.

The policy change particularly impacts businesses that maintained distinct review strategies for Local Service Ads versus Google Business Profile listings. Companies utilizing different approaches for review solicitation, response management, or reputation monitoring may need to restructure their customer engagement processes.

Review verification represents a critical component of the transition. Google Maps Review Policies apply to all transferred reviews, potentially resulting in review removal if content violates current guidelines. Businesses may experience changes in review counts or average ratings following the verification process.

Local Service Ads continue operating normally despite the review management transition. According to Google's communication, "all existing reviews will be verified against Google Maps Review Policies" but ad serving remains unaffected by the consolidation. Business advertisements maintain their standard display patterns and lead generation capabilities.

The centralization aligns with Google's broader Business Profile management strategy. Recent policy updates have consistently moved toward unified business presence management across Google's local services ecosystem. Content licensing changes in March 2025 granted Google extensive rights over advertiser-submitted materials, while service area restrictions in June 2025 limited geographic targeting capabilities.

Marketing professionals working with Local Service Ads clients must adjust review management procedures to accommodate the Business Profile integration. Previous workflows involving Local Service Ads review monitoring, response management, and reputation tracking require migration to Business Profile systems.

The timing suggests coordination with other platform modifications affecting Local Service Ads advertisers. Feature removals for tax specialists in January 2025 eliminated message leads, autocrediting, and booking capabilities for specific verticals, indicating ongoing platform restructuring.

Business Profile systems offer different review management capabilities compared to previous Local Service Ads infrastructure. Review response mechanisms, customer communication tools, and analytics interfaces may function differently under the consolidated system. Businesses must familiarize themselves with Business Profile review management features.

The consolidation potentially affects review attribution and tracking methodologies. Businesses utilizing customer review data for performance analysis may experience changes in reporting capabilities or data accessibility following the transition to Business Profile management systems.

Customer experience remains largely unchanged from the end-user perspective. Review submission processes, display mechanisms, and interaction capabilities continue functioning through standard Google interfaces. The transition primarily affects business-side management rather than customer-facing functionality.

Competitive implications emerge for businesses heavily reliant on Local Service Ads review data for market positioning. Companies with sophisticated review management strategies may need to recalibrate their approaches based on Business Profile system capabilities and limitations.

The email communication included specific guidance about review collection moving forward. Google provided businesses with dedicated links for customer review solicitation, replacing previous Local Service Ads review generation mechanisms with Business Profile-integrated alternatives.

Integration with existing Google advertising infrastructure creates potential synergies between Local Service Ads performance and broader Business Profile optimization efforts. Businesses can now coordinate review management strategies across multiple Google local services platforms through unified systems.

Data consolidation benefits include centralized review analytics, unified customer communication channels, and streamlined reputation management workflows. The integration eliminates duplicate review management tasks across separate Google platforms while providing comprehensive business presence oversight.

However, the transition may create challenges for businesses with specialized Local Service Ads review strategies. Companies utilizing platform-specific review response templates, automated review monitoring systems, or custom analytics dashboards may require significant workflow adjustments.

The verification process component raises quality control considerations for affected businesses. Historical reviews that previously met Local Service Ads standards may not comply with Google Maps Review Policies, potentially resulting in review removal and rating changes.

Technical support requirements may increase during the transition period as businesses adapt to Business Profile review management interfaces. Companies unfamiliar with Business Profile systems may require additional training or consultation to maintain effective review management capabilities.

Key Terms Explained

Local Service Ads Algorithm Rankings Local Service Ads utilize sophisticated algorithmic systems to determine business placement within search results. The algorithm evaluates multiple factors including star ratings, review quantities, business verification status, and geographic proximity to search queries. These ranking signals operate independently from traditional Google Search algorithms but share similarities with Google Business Profile ranking factors. Algorithm modifications can significantly impact lead generation volume and cost-per-lead metrics for participating businesses.

Google Business Profile Integration Business Profile integration represents the technical consolidation of multiple Google business presence management systems into unified platforms. This integration enables data sharing across Google's local services ecosystem, including Maps, Search, and advertising platforms. The integration affects review management, booking systems, and business information synchronization across multiple Google properties. Marketing professionals must understand these integrations to optimize cross-platform business visibility and customer engagement.

Review Verification Against Policy Compliance Review verification involves automated and manual assessment of customer feedback content against Google's established review policies. The verification process examines review authenticity, compliance with content guidelines, and adherence to prohibited content restrictions. Failed verification can result in review removal, affecting business ratings and Local Service Ads ranking positions. The process applies retroactively to historical reviews during platform transitions, potentially altering established business reputation metrics.

Cross-Platform Data Consolidation Data consolidation refers to the technical process of merging information from separate Google business platforms into unified datasets. This consolidation affects customer reviews, business analytics, lead tracking, and performance metrics across Local Service Ads and Google Business Profiles. The process enables comprehensive business presence analysis but may disrupt existing reporting workflows and analytical frameworks utilized by marketing professionals.

Lead Generation Attribution Models Attribution models in Local Service Ads determine how customer interactions are credited to specific business listings and charged to advertiser accounts. These models track customer journey touchpoints from initial search queries through completed service bookings or phone calls. Attribution complexity increases when review management transitions between platforms, potentially affecting lead quality assessment and conversion tracking accuracy.

Geographic Proximity Ranking Factors Geographic proximity represents a critical component of local search ranking algorithms that evaluates distance between business locations and customer search origins. The ranking factor considers specified search locations, user device location data, and service area boundaries defined in business profiles. Changes to geographic targeting capabilities or service area restrictions can significantly impact business visibility and lead generation performance.

Platform-Specific Review Response Workflows Review response workflows encompass the systematic processes businesses use to monitor, analyze, and respond to customer feedback across different Google platforms. These workflows include automated monitoring systems, response template management, and escalation procedures for negative reviews. Platform consolidation requires workflow restructuring to accommodate unified Business Profile management systems rather than separate Local Service Ads interfaces.

Business Presence Management Ecosystem The business presence management ecosystem refers to the interconnected network of Google platforms and tools that control how businesses appear in search results, maps, and advertising placements. This ecosystem includes Google Business Profiles, Local Service Ads, Google Ads, and various verification systems. Understanding ecosystem interactions is essential for comprehensive local marketing strategies and optimal business visibility across Google's services.

Algorithmic Photo Selection Optimization Algorithmic photo selection involves automated systems that choose business images for display in Local Service Ads based on engagement likelihood and relevance scoring. The optimization process analyzes image quality, content relevance, and historical performance data to maximize advertisement effectiveness. Businesses must maintain high-quality visual content libraries to benefit from automated selection systems and improve ad performance metrics.

Multi-Platform Lead Quality Assessment Lead quality assessment encompasses the evaluation methodologies used to determine the value and legitimacy of customer inquiries generated through Local Service Ads. Assessment criteria include customer contact information accuracy, service request specificity, and conversion probability scoring. Platform transitions can affect assessment capabilities, requiring businesses to adapt quality control processes to maintain lead generation efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Timeline

• July 11, 2025 - Google implements Local Service Ads review management transition to Business Profiles
• March 20, 2025 - Google updates Local Services terms granting content ownership rights
• January 6, 2025 - Google removes key features for tax specialists from Local Services Ads platform
• August 30, 2024 - Google announces integration of booking systems for Business Profiles and Local Services Ads
• August 7, 2024 - Google enhances Local Services Ads with automated photo selection feature