Millions of small businesses in US could be hit by Google ad change

NEW YORK CITY, New York: Google's upcoming update to its Local Services ads could significantly impact millions of small businesses that rely on them to reach local customers.

Starting November 21, only businesses with a verified Google Business Profile will be able to run Local Services ads. These ads appear at the top of Google search results and are a key marketing tool for small businesses.

The change will primarily affect businesses across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as certain businesses in the U.S. and Canada. According to Google, the new requirement aims to reduce fraud by ensuring that ads come from verified businesses.

However, there is concern that legitimate small businesses could be affected if they're unaware of the policy or if their ad information doesn't precisely match their Google Business Profile, which would cause ads to be paused.

Verification on Google requires business owners to add or claim their address on Google and then complete a verification process, which may involve phone, text, email, or video confirmation.

The exact steps vary by business type and location and may include additional checks for business registration, insurance, and licenses. The verification process can take up to seven business days, after which the business owner will receive notification of successful verification.

This change underscores the importance of small businesses ensuring their Google Business Profile is accurate and up-to-date, as failure to do so could disrupt their advertising and customer reach.