Google is currently investigating a concerning tactic that is causing significant loss of leads for businesses using Local Service Ads (LSA). This tactic, if used by competitors, can essentially “nuke” businesses out of existence by making their ads invisible to consumers. The issue was brought to light when a business owner shared their experience on the Google Business Profile forum.
The complaint stated that the business’s LSA was initially performing well and generating leads. However, overnight, their leads and even spam abruptly ceased, leaving them confused about the cause of the issue. Upon investigation, they discovered that their Google Business Profile had two LSAs linked to it, which was causing their ad to be invisible. The business owner claimed that they had only set up one LSA account and were the only one with access and credentials to do so. However, they were unable to unlink the unknown LSA account due to lack of credentials. Google’s solution was for the business owner to unlink their 10-year-old account with established reviews and start a new Google Business Profile from scratch, which the owner deemed as a horrible suggestion.
This tactic has been described as brutal by Ben Fisher, Co-Founder/Lead Consultant at Steady Demand. He urged Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin to investigate the loophole and described it as wrong on many levels.
Google has responded to the flagged issue and confirmed that they are looking into it. They are taking the matter seriously and hopefully, a solution will be found soon.
This issue is a cause for concern for businesses relying on LSAs to generate leads. If your Google Business Profile has unexpectedly stopped generating leads, it may be worth consulting with your Google support representative to see if this tactic has been used against you. It is important to verify your account and eliminate any LSAs that you have not approved of.
In conclusion, this detrimental LSA tactic has the potential to severely impact businesses by making their ads invisible and preventing them from reaching consumers. Google’s investigation into this issue is crucial to ensure the fairness and effectiveness of LSAs. Business owners should stay vigilant and consult with Google if they experience a sudden drop in leads through their Google Business Profile.
