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Hi ,
Search rankings are moving more than usual right now (phase two of Google's September 2026 spam update hit on Sept 30 and we're still in the middle of that fun rollout). Google's letting random Maps users suggest edits to your business listing. And as of October 1st, missed calls on Local Services Ads are going to cost you money, not just the job.
None of that means something's broken on your end. It's just where things are right now.
This edition covers what's changing with Google, why not answering the phone just got more expensive, plus a couple of ways we can help you head into 2027 with a plan. There's also a team spotlight, a storm season reminder, and a heads-up on our next podcast episode
Keep reading for what's changing out there, and what still matters no matter what Google does next.
If you're no longer interested in receiving the GROWth Report, please use this link to unsubscribe - no hard feelings 😊. NOTE: Clients will continue to receive update emails.
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LOCAL SERVICES ADS (LSAs) |
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LSA Leads: Why Answering the Phone Matters More Than Your Budget |
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By Pani Gushkova Bojkovska, Sr. Paid Search Specialist |
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Pani looked at 6,922 LSA leads across 20 of our tree care clients between June and September. Only 60% of the calls got answered. But of the ones that did, about 56% turned into quotable work. Of the ones that didn't connect: roughly 2%.
Companies that answered 90% or more of their calls saw a 56.5% quotable rate. Companies below that threshold saw closer to 38%, not because their leads were worse, but because fewer of them ever got the chance to become a job.
In dollar terms, unanswered LSA calls cost the companies in our dataset over $1 million in booked work they'd already paid to generate. Read the full breakdown in this edition's Quick Read: LSA Leads: Why Answering LSA Calls Matters More Than Budget.
➡️ The cost of an unanswered call is about to get more expensive.
As of October 1st, Google started charging Local Services Ads customers for calls missed during business hours (if the caller stays on the line for more than 20 seconds), plus certain follow-up calls from someone who's already connected with you.
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| READ THE FULL BREAKDOWN HERE |
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LSA Phone Numbers Are Now Hidden - Except When They're Not...
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LSAs changed things up last week - phone numbers are now hidden until you hover/click on the ad or click on the big button. But, with Google always testing new things, sometimes the phone number does show up, so who knows if numbers will stay hidden. If they do, keep a close eye on your LSA lead volume and tracking numbers.
By making it more difficult to call (seriously, who's going to click a QR code just to phone a tree service company?), it looks like Google is pushing for more people to request a quote through 'Get quote' messages. If you don't have messages turned on, you could see your LSA lead numbers drop significantly.
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NOT GETTING ENOUGH REPEAT BUSINESS AFTER A STORM ROLLS THROUGH? |
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Our Storm Response Customer Care service allows you to send timely, personalized emails to your past customers in specific ZIP codes before and/or after a storm event, so you're the first call they make when a tree comes down. Everything is written with tree care companies in mind, so you spend less time on outreach and more time on the jobs it brings in. At only $99/month, it's a small investment with a huge return.
👉 Learn more about Storm Response Customer Care
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Panajota (Pani) Gushkova
Sr. Paid Search Specialist
Pani has a real knack for turning search data into smarter ad strategy. She loves digging into keyword trends and homeowner search behavior, and she's at her best when she's pruning wasted spend, sharpening campaigns, and keeping our clients' phones ringing.
Pani works with our tree care clients from her home base in Skopje, North Macedonia, proving that great search strategy knows no borders.
Pani’s favorite tree is the willow, which she loves for its strength, grace, and ability to adapt through every season.
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LOCAL SEO / GOOGLE REVIEWS |
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LOCAL SEARCH IS HAVING A MOMENT |
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Google Search Results Are Bouncing Around More Than Usual. Here's Why
Google's May 2026 core update caused a big jump in how much search rankings shift day to day, with rank volatility up nearly 50% in one analysis of over 8 million location searches. Mobile was hit hardest. Two people searching the exact same term may now see very different results depending on location, even with zero changes on your end.
Then, a second wave of the September spam update hit last week, with big drops reported and more phases expected to follow through the two-week rollout window. Sites with thin, templated or AI-heavy city and service pages are most exposed with this update (that's one of the reasons why we never create pages like that).
If your rankings look like they're jumping around, that's expected right now, not a sign something's broken - unless your site is full of AI slop and pages with no useful content...
👉 Rankings can change from minute-to-minute; watching them can drive you crazy! Focus on what really matters: is the phone ringing and are quality leads coming in?
Google Now Lets Anyone "Tell" Maps to Change a Business Listing
Google just launched a feature called Tell Maps that lets any of its 500+ million Maps contributors easily suggest edits to a business listing. Things like hours, address, and even open/closed status can now be updated simply by typing a few words instead of filling out a form. Google's AI reviews these suggestions before they go live, but we've seen that the system is far from foolproof (one client's status was recently changed to "Permanently Closed"!). It's very possible that a random user (or a competitor) could submit a false edit about your business.
👉 Take a quick look at your Google listing regularly (hours, address, open/closed status) and pay attention to update notices from Google; let us know right away if anything looks off. We're also building extra checks for this into our regular Google profile reviews. Catching a bad edit early protects the calls and leads that come from your listing.
Heads Up: Suspect Your LSA Account Is Disconnected From Your Business Profile?
Last month, we noticed online complaints about LSA–GBP disconnections, slow loading, and account-access errors. Google confirmed there was a bug (they didn't say exactly what it was, or even that it had to do with this issue) and that they were working to fix it.
Bottom line: This may be a non-issue today but it's a good reminder that your LSA and your Google Business Profile are closely connected. If your GBP is suspended or disconnected from your LSA profile, your Local Services Ads stop running.
👉 If your LSA account looks disconnected from your Google listing, open a support ticket with Google right away. Changing your account settings won't help; you'll likely need a professional to get it done. |
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