Google now automatically finds your booking link in your Google business profile with your Google local service advertisements. And when a explorer fills that booking link, it will be charged to the account of your advertisements as Google will charge you for phone calls or messages within local service advertisements.
What has changed Google said that tomorrow, from February 25, 2025, if Google detects booking links related to your Google business profile, Google will start showing those booking links on your local service advertisements.
Google said that you will be charged for those booking, such as you will be charged for calls or messages through local service advertisements.
why is it bad. I mean, if you want it, of course, it's a good thing. But this can be bad for advertisers for some reasons:
(1) Google has automatically included you, and you need to exit manually. So some advertisers may not have any clue in which they were selected (although the email went out informing them).
(2) Often, booking links are automatically attached to a commercial profile and they go where no one is. Meaning, there is no clue in the business that they have a booking link and they book in some blackhole that the business is unknown to check them.
(3) You are being charged for them as if you will be charged for phone calls, which is much less valuable than filling a form.
More information. Anthony haman Posted Shared more emails about it on social media, here is the email:
Why do we care? If you advertise Google local service, it will be intelligent to ensure that you are not being charged for these booking links, which go to your profile and budget page in your settings section and feature Is shutting down
Otherwise, make sure that you treat those booking links like you will lead any LSA, as LSA leads can be very expensive.