Google Screened and Local Services Ads in Australia

No, not today. Google's Local Services Ads, the pay-per-lead ads that sit above search results with a badge, aren't offered in Australia: Google's list of countries for them doesn't include it (checked September 2026). And the Google Screened and Google Guaranteed badges are gone everywhere. Google replaced them with one badge, Google Verified, from October 2025.

What Local Services Ads are

In the countries that have them, Local Services Ads show a business's name, rating and a badge at the top of Google, above the normal ads. The business pays for each lead: an answered call, a voicemail, or a missed call it returns. Google ranks them on the bid, how close the business is, reviews, how quickly it answers, and the checks it has passed (Google).

Google lists the countries on its getting-started page: the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland and several European countries. Australia isn't there, and asking for the Australian page shows the American one. Google hasn't announced a date for Australia.

If you see someone offering to get your trade business "Google Screened" in Australia, be careful.

What happened to Google Screened and Google Guaranteed

In August 2025 Google said "Google Verified will replace other LSA badges and programs, like Google Guaranteed, Google Screened, License Verified by Google and the Money Back Guarantee" (Google). The rollout began in October 2025, and the money-back guarantee ended.

Google also says the new badge isn't available yet for automotive businesses, so mechanics can't get it even where the ads run.

What works in Australia instead

The spot Local Services Ads would take is the top of local results. For an Australian trade business, what reaches the same customers is the Google Business Profile, which shows in Google Maps and the local results on search.

1. Verify your profile. Nothing else works until you do. See How to verify your Google Business Profile.
2. Make it easy to book. Add a booking link or Google's Book online button, so a customer can book without calling. See How to add a booking link.
3. Get reviews steadily. Google says more reviews and better ratings help local ranking. See How to get more Google reviews.
4. Answer, or reply fast. Google counts responsiveness in its own ads for a reason: customers call the next business. A missed call that gets a text back straight away often still becomes a job.
5. Paid search, if you want to pay. Regular Google Ads work in Australia. You pay per click, not per lead, so send the clicks to a page where customers can book.

If Local Services Ads do come to Australia

Overseas, Google checks businesses before they can run the ads. Depending on the trade and the country, that can mean background, registration, insurance and licence checks, and a minimum number of reviews (Google). Google hasn't said what it would check in Australia. A verified profile with plenty of genuine reviews, and your licence and insurance paperwork up to date, puts you in the best spot either way.

TapBook works with Reserve with Google, so customers who find you on Google can tap Book online and pick a time, with no phone tag. See how it works.