A big new update to Google Local Service Ads launched in July 2024! Why should you care? Well, we wouldn’t bother you if it weren’t important. There are some game-changers in this update.
Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) are an important tool for law firms that want to use the Internet to reach potential clients. When Google makes changes, law firm marketers jump! Google’s recent July 2024 LSA update includes crucial changes to the lead dispute system for LSAs, marking a significant shift in how law firms can control and optimize their ad spend. Here’s what you need to know about these important changes.
Understanding the LSA Update
Google has rolled out an AI-driven rating process for its Local Services Ads, marking a pivotal move designed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of disputing low-quality leads. Until now, the process has been somewhat manual and, at times, challenging to navigate for busy law practices. With this update, Google says it aims to streamline operations, ensuring you only pay for leads that genuinely matter to your firm.
Here’s what’s new:
- AI-driven dispute resolution—leveraging AI technology to review and rate lead quality more rapidly and effectively; and
- Integration with Google Maps—enhanced visibility and potential reach for your law firm through integration between LSAs and Google Maps.
The good news is that these adjustments aim to drastically reduce the time and effort law firms spend on managing their Google LSAs, thereby increasing the return on investment (ROI) these ads provide. The slightly less good news is that this update will require adjusting your marketing plans a bit before you can take advantage of it.
What Has Changed With the LSA Dashboard Update?
The recent update insists that businesses rate their leads to assist AI’s understanding of a qualified versus unqualified lead. The lead dashboard has been updated to replace the “Dispute” option with a “Rate this lead” button. This new feature allows you to provide feedback on lead quality through a pop-up window with the following satisfaction options:
- Very satisfied,
- Somewhat satisfied,
- Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied,
- Somewhat dissatisfied, and
- Very dissatisfied.
Since the original launch at the beginning of July, we’ve also noticed some issues with AI’s ability to accurately distinguish a qualified from an unqualified lead. This feedback helps in improving lead quality over time through machine learning. However, it’s important to note that feedback is used to enhance lead quality and is not meant for disputing charges. Occasionally, leads rated as poor quality may still be credited within 24 hours.


What happens if your firm receives an unqualified lead? Well, in the past, if you received a bad lead (the wrong city or area of practice), you could dispute any charges made by Google. Now, however, if your firm is charged for an unqualified lead, the dispute option has been replaced by a “Rate this lead” button.
So what goes on behind the scenes after you rate the lead? Currently, Google doesn’t have a definitive answer on that, and when we asked, support had this to say:
“As of now, we have the same information that we have in public shared by the Google Local Services Ads higher ups. Rest assured [we] will raise this as well for proper understanding in our article.”
Additionally, we asked what the process would be to receive credit if we poorly rated a lead and they said this:
“The ratings or reviews you submitted indicate that you are not agreeing with the charges. If the lead was found to be invalid, you will have the results within 24 hours instead of 1 week, and the credit will be posted within 30 days instead of 40 days. It is faster than before.”
However, this is just mostly quoting current support documentation. For now, they are asking businesses to rate every lead they can. Unfortunately, that seems to be the only recourse if you receive a poor quality lead while Google seemingly irons out this feature.
Why The LSA Update Is Important
For attorneys and marketing professionals in the legal industry, the significance of this update is measured in dollars. High-quality leads are the lifeblood of any successful law firm, and ensuring your marketing budget is spent on leads with genuine potential is crucial. The July 2024 update could assist law firms in:
- Eliminating wasteful spending on low-quality leads, and
- Focusing their budget on high-intent prospects.
The only catch is that you now need to make changes to your LSAs with intention. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone.
How Juris Digital Is Responding
At Juris Digital, we know very well that digital marketing is always evolving. Here’s how we’re adapting our strategies in light of the July 2024 LSA update:
- Concentrated service areas. Limiting LSA targeting to a specific postal code and adjacent areas will significantly heighten the relevance of leads. It helps ensure we capture leads that are not only more likely to convert but also logistically feasible.
- Optimized business hours. Adjustments to campaign targeting hours can reduce off-peak, unqualified leads. Juris Digital might optimize your campaign to capitalize on this change in a couple different ways:
- An after-hours pause, which means excluding ad runs when intake isn’t available to vet leads; and
- Availability scheduling, which means removing ads during staff downtimes like lunch hours and weekends. Basically, optimizing business hours prevents leads from piling up while no one is around to work them!
- Selective service focus. This involves removing your underperforming services from LSA advertisements so they are no longer a drag on your campaign budget. If a particular service or practice area isn’t converting, we will shift its budget to services that are strengths to improve the number of quality leads.
- Lead performance review. A regular assessment of the leads we’re charged for will reveal any that fail to meet the LSA’s automatic rating/credit criteria. Swiftly addressing any such issues safeguards against inaccurate charges.
We’ll continue to adapt our strategy as we monitor LSA performance following these changes. In short, we’re taking this update seriously to get the best results. You should, too.
Tips for Managing Your Law Firm’s LSA Budget
To make the most of these updates, consider the following tips:
- Regularly review lead quality. Stay on top of the leads you receive and rate any that don’t meet your criteria through the new AI-powered process.
- Adjust your bidding strategy. Take advantage of Google Maps’ enhanced integration and adjust your bids to capture high-intent local searches.
- Monitor your spending. Keep an eye on your ad spend and the quality of leads it generates. The update aims to provide better ROI, allowing for more efficient budget allocation.
By understanding the new changes, actively engaging in the rating process, and adjusting your strategies accordingly, your firm can look forward to attracting better-qualified leads, optimizing ad spend, and ultimately securing a more substantial market presence.
Let’s Get Updated!
The July 2024 Google LSA update has made drastic changes to the lead dispute process. While this may eventually serve as a boon for law firms looking to maximize their online marketing efforts, make sure to adjust your bids and ad targeting accordingly.
At Juris Digital, we’re dedicated to ensuring these updates are handled efficiently for your practice. We aim to harness these new features with strategic adjustments and ongoing optimization to propel your law firm to new heights. Stay ahead of the curve, and let’s navigate these changes together to unlock the full potential of Google LSAs for your law firm. Contact us today to get started!