According to PPC News Feed (21 October 2026), from October Google stops showing the “Featured Professionals” section in Local Services Ads; profile headshots become optional and don’t affect serving; photos and reviews can still be included. The source gives no official reason and suggests a link to platform migration efforts. Relevant Audience’s compilation indicates LSA migration reaches non-US accounts in 2027. For Portugal, LSA availability is not confirmed by the sources consulted.
What was reported
PPC News Feed recorded that Google stops presenting the “Featured Professionals” section in Local Services Ads, effective from October 2026. Profile headshots become optional and don’t affect ad serving. Advertisers can still include photos and reviews, and the rest of ad content stays.
The change was detected by Anthony Higman, who shared it on LinkedIn; the source doesn’t link to an official Google announcement.
What Local Services Ads are
Local Services Ads are local service ads that appear at the top of search for verified businesses (plumbers, lawyers, electricians and others), usually with pay per qualified lead instead of per click. They have a profile with reviews, hours and service area. They operate in specific countries and categories.
This article doesn’t claim LSA exist in Portugal: the sources consulted don’t confirm it.
Local Services Ads in October 2026
What changed
- No “Featured Professionals”
- Profile photos optional
- Photos and reviews still possible
For Portugal
- Availability not confirmed
- Non-US migration in 2027, per compilation
- Alternative: local Search and Business Profile
LSA migration, according to the compilation
Relevant Audience’s compilation indicates LSA migration began in August 2026 only for US verticals, widens to more groups in late 2026 and reaches non-US accounts and remaining categories in 2027. PPC News Feed’s source suggests the removal of featured professionals may be linked to those migration efforts, but it’s an assumption.
If your business is outside the US, the calendar is a signal to follow, not a date for Portugal.
And in Portugal? What is known
The sources consulted don’t confirm LSA in Portugal. If you have LSA access in your account, the change applies to you. If not, the equivalent local channel is Search with location extensions, the Business Profile and responsive ads with call assets.
Don’t buy “LSA packages” from anyone promising what doesn’t exist in your market.
Arriving prepared gives an advantage over those who react afterwards.
Optional photos: what to do with the profile
Even if optional, authentic, up-to-date photos help trust: the customer wants to know who is coming to their home. Keep the profile complete (area, hours, services, licences) and real reviews. Don’t use stock photographs as if they were your team.
Transparency is a decision factor in home services.
What to do in Portugal for local services
Complete, up-to-date Google Business Profile; Search with local campaigns, area and hours; responsive ads with call assets (call-only ads end in February 2027, according to the compilation); genuine reviews; call measurement through to service done; and service without lost calls.
This works with or without LSA.
How to follow LSA's arrival
Ask the Google representative whether LSA are planned for Portugal and your category; follow the Google Ads calendar; and record any communication. If LSA arrive, prepare business verification documentation, licences and insurance, which are usually required.
Arriving prepared gives an advantage over those who react afterwards.
Questions for your manager
Are LSA available to us? If not, which local alternatives do we use? Is our Business Profile complete? When do we migrate call-only ads? How do we measure calls through to service done?
If you want to build a robust local ads strategy, with or without LSA, I can help design the plan and measurement.
Summary in three lines
Local Services Ads lost the featured professionals section, according to PPC News Feed, and migration outside the US is expected for 2027, according to a compilation. There’s no confirmation for Portugal. Strengthen Business Profile, local Search, measured calls and service.
An illustrative example of an electrician in Faro
An electrician in Faro has no LSA access. They keep the Business Profile complete, with work photographs (with customers’ authorisation), service area and emergency hours. They run a local Search campaign with responsive ads with call assets and measure calls over 60 seconds. The example is hypothetical. In three months, they realise 70% of jobs come from the Profile and Search, and decide to strengthen reviews.
It worked without depending on a channel that may never arrive.
Common mistakes of local businesses facing news
Waiting for a channel that doesn’t exist in the market; paying for promises; neglecting the Business Profile; not answering reviews; not measuring calls; and not answering the phone. Each mistake costs customers who had already decided. A short weekly routine of Profile, reviews and calls is worth more than any platform novelty.
Frequently asked questions
What changed in LSA?
Google stops showing “Featured Professionals” and profile photos become optional, according to PPC News Feed.
Do LSA exist in Portugal?
The sources consulted don’t confirm it. Ask Google.
Why this change?
The source gives no official reason and suggests a link to platform migration efforts, which is assumption.
Sources consulted
Keep reading
- Ad formats in test: clickable underlined text, sitelinks with favicon, grey box in Shopping and ads at the top of Bing
- AI-guided campaign creation in Google Ads becomes the main option: advantages and risks for those doing it alone
- Google Ads account paused for suspicious payment activity: what Google explains, the steps and how to avoid surprises