If you run Local Services Ads on Google, you probably noticed a message in your account recently. Starting October 2026, featured professionals will no longer show on your ads, and headshots are now optional. For law firms, dental clinics, home service businesses, and other local service advertisers in India, this changes how your ads look but not how they perform.
The notice, first spotted by advertiser Anthony Higman and reported by Search Engine Roundtable on October 19, 2026, is straightforward. Google said: “Starting in October, featured professionals will no longer show on your ads. Headshot is optional and won’t affect ad serving.”
For businesses that invested time in uploading professional headshots and building a roster of featured team members, this feels like a step backward. But the practical impact is smaller than it looks, and there are other LSA changes from October that deserve your attention too.
What Featured Professionals Were and Why They Are Gone
Google’s Local Services Ads previously let businesses add individual professionals to their account. For law firms, this meant individual lawyers could appear as featured professionals on the firm’s LSA, with their name, headshot, and credentials visible to potential clients. It was a way to build trust before the first phone call.
Google has not explained why the feature is being removed. One possible reason is that Google is simplifying the LSA format to align more closely with Google Business Profile photos, which already show business-level imagery rather than individual staff. Higman speculated on X that Google may “just link GBP photos to it.”
Whatever the reason, the change is now live. If your ads were showing featured professionals, they will stop. Your other ad elements, including photos, reviews, and business information, remain unchanged.
Do Headshots Still Matter for LSA?
Technically, no. Google has made headshots optional and explicitly stated they will not affect ad serving. Your ad will not rank lower or show less often just because you do not upload a headshot.
But just because something is optional does not mean you should skip it. A headshot can still influence whether someone clicks your ad over a competitor’s. People form impressions quickly, and a professional photo can build trust in a way that text alone cannot. If you already have good headshots uploaded, leave them. If you were about to invest in a photographer specifically for LSA, you can probably deprioritize that.
Other October 2026 Changes to Local Services Ads
New required fields for Performance Max campaigns
Google’s Ads API update from October 15, 2026 added two new required fields for creating Local Services Performance Max campaigns: a country code and a Google Business Profile listing ID. If you plan to launch new LSA campaigns through Performance Max, you need both pieces of information ready before setup. Existing campaigns are not affected, but any new campaign will be rejected by the API without these fields.
Local Services Ads expanded how leads work
On October 8, 2026, Google updated its help documentation for how leads work in Local Services Ads, giving advertisers more detail about lead types and tracking. If you have been confused about which leads count as billable, the updated documentation is worth reviewing.
What Happens to Photos and Reviews
One thing Google made clear in its notice is that the rest of your ad will not change. Your business photos, customer reviews, Google Guaranteed badge, and lead tracking all remain as they were. If you had a Google Guaranteed badge, it still shows. If you had accumulated dozens of reviews, they still appear prominently on your LSA.
This matters because reviews and the Google Guaranteed badge are far more influential in a potential customer’s decision than a featured professional headshot ever was. Reviews provide social proof from real customers. The Google Guaranteed badge provides a financial safety net. A headshot was a nice trust signal, but it was never the primary reason someone chose your business over a competitor’s.
So while the removal of featured professionals is a visible change, the core trust elements of your LSA are intact. Focus your energy on the things that actually drive decisions: getting more reviews, maintaining your Google Guaranteed status, and responding to leads quickly.
What This Means for Your Ad Budget
The removal of featured professionals does not change how much you pay per lead or how Google ranks your LSA. Your budget, bid strategy, and lead flow should remain the same. What changes is the visual format of your ad.
If you were paying extra to have individual professionals featured, that spend no longer makes sense. Redirect that budget toward improving your Google Business Profile photos, collecting more reviews, or testing Performance Max for local services with the new required fields.
For law firms specifically, this is a meaningful change. Legal services has been one of the most competitive LSA categories, and featured professionals were a way for firms to differentiate. Without that option, reviews and your overall Google Business Profile quality become even more important for standing out.
How to Adapt Your LSA Strategy
- Focus on reviews: With featured professionals gone, reviews are the strongest trust signal on your LSA. Ask every satisfied client for a review.
- Optimize your Google Business Profile: Your GBP photos now carry more visual weight. Make sure they are high quality and current.
- Prepare for Performance Max: If you plan to launch new LSA campaigns, have your country code and GBP listing ID ready.
- Review the updated leads documentation: Understand which lead types Google counts so you are not overpaying for low-quality leads.
- Track your cost per lead: The format change may affect click-through rates. Monitor your performance for two to four weeks after the change.
Running Local Services Ads well takes ongoing attention, especially when Google keeps changing the format. If you want help managing your LSA campaigns or figuring out where your ad budget works hardest, our paid ads services cover LSA management alongside Google Ads and Meta Ads. You can also book a call with us to review your current setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will removing featured professionals affect my LSA ranking?
No. Google explicitly stated that headshots are now optional and will not affect ad serving. Your ranking is based on your bid, review score, responsiveness, and Google Business Profile quality, not on whether you had featured professionals.
Should I remove my existing headshots from Local Services Ads?
No reason to remove them. Headshots are still visible if uploaded, just not required. A professional photo can still help your ad stand out, even if it no longer features individual professionals by name.
What are the new required fields for LSA Performance Max campaigns?
As of October 15, 2026, new Local Services Performance Max campaigns require a country code and a Google Business Profile listing ID. Existing campaigns continue running without these fields, but any new campaign creation will fail without them.
How can I make my LSA stand out without featured professionals?
Focus on collecting fresh reviews, keeping your Google Business Profile photos current, responding quickly to leads, and maintaining accurate business hours. Reviews and responsiveness are the top trust signals now that individual professional features are gone.
Are Local Services Ads still worth it for small businesses in India?
Yes, for service-based businesses. LSAs often deliver leads at a lower cost than standard Google Ads search campaigns, especially for home services, legal, and healthcare categories. The format change does not affect lead quality or cost, only how the ad looks.