Quick answer
How LSA lead feedback and credits work
Google has removed the manual lead-dispute flow. Advertisers now rate good and bad leads, select the reasons that apply, and submit that feedback for Google's review. Google decides whether a credit is issued. A credit usually changes the account balance rather than removing the original invoice charge.
What this covers
- Lead feedbackRate good and bad leads, then select the reasons that match the actual outcome.
- Google decidesSubmitting feedback does not issue a credit automatically. Google reviews the lead and decides.
- Billing outcomeNot charged, charged, in review, and credited describe different billing outcomes.
An LSA credit is not always an invoice refund
Use the word credit carefully. Google says the original lead charge can remain on the invoice while a later credit appears in the account balance. That differs from deleting the charge or returning money to the original payment method immediately.
For monthly review, keep the lead record, invoice, and account-balance activity together. A screenshot of only one screen can make the outcome look incomplete.
| Term | What it means | Where to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Lead charge | The amount billed for a lead Google treated as valid at the time. | Lead details, Reports, and invoice. |
| Account credit | A later amount applied to the Google Ads account balance. | Lead status, credit report, and billing activity. |
| Invoice | The billing document can retain the original lead charge. | Google Ads billing documents. |
| Refund | Money returned through a payment method; do not use this word unless the billing record shows it. | Payment activity and support confirmation. |
How Google reviews Local Services Ads leads
Google's current automated lead credits guidance explains initial assessment, reassessment, the 30-day expectation, status labels, feedback, and current exclusions.
The broader How leads work page confirms that advertisers pay for valid leads and that charged leads can be reassessed over time.
What each LSA lead-credit status means
The lead status tells you where the billing process stands. Preserve the status date because a charged or in-review lead can change later.
| Status | Meaning | Business action |
|---|---|---|
| Not charged | Google sent the lead without charging it from the start, possibly because of low quality or duplication. | Keep it in lead-quality reporting but do not add it to paid CPL. |
| Charged | Google charged the lead at initial assessment. | Review fit, handling, booking, and feedback; watch for later status changes. |
| In review | Google is reassessing the lead. | Record the review date and wait for the result before closing the billing record. |
| Credited | The lead was charged and later received an account credit. | Match the credit to the lead, invoice period, and account balance. |
Poor lead quality versus credit eligibility
Bad lead and credit-eligible lead are not synonyms. A legitimate customer may ask for work the business selected in its job types or come from an area the account chose to serve, even when the business does not want that job in practice.
Outside the service area and service the business does not provide are available feedback reasons. Selecting either reason records the advertiser's assessment, but it does not guarantee a credit. Google decides the credit outcome, while the business remains responsible for correcting repeated job-type or service-area mismatches.
| Lead pattern | Credit conclusion | Operational next step |
|---|---|---|
| Google leaves the lead not charged | No paid lead charge was applied. | Record the quality pattern and exclude it from paid CPL. |
| Charged lead enters review | Outcome is pending. | Preserve the lead record and wait for the status update. |
| Service the business does not provide | Submit that exact feedback reason; Google decides the credit outcome. | Review selected job types and customer expectations. |
| Lead outside the practical service area | Submit that exact feedback reason; Google decides the credit outcome. | Review city and ZIP coverage against practical dispatch limits. |
| Good-fit customer who did not book | Non-booking alone does not prove invalidity. | Review qualification, price, availability, and follow-up. |
| Spam, duplicate, or irrelevant contact | Google may leave it uncharged or credit it, but no outcome is guaranteed. | Submit accurate feedback and monitor status. |
Use the Lead Feedback Survey accurately
Use the PrimeLSA Google LSA lead feedback workflow to keep evidence and outcomes consistent across the team.
- Open the lead from the Local Services Ads lead inbox.
- Use Rate this lead and open the Lead Feedback Survey.
- Choose the satisfaction level, then select every factual reason that applies.
- Keep call notes, message context, customer location, requested service, booking status, and charge status in the business record.
- Review repeated unwanted-lead patterns before changing service areas, job types, or categories.
Satisfaction rating
Choose one response before the reason screen opens.
- Very satisfied
- Somewhat satisfied
- Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
- Somewhat dissatisfied
- Very dissatisfied
Why you are satisfied
Select every reason that applies.
- It converted into a booked customer or client
- It could convert into a booked customer or client soon
- It is relevant to the services the business provides
- It is for a service that generates high value for the business
- Other (please specify)
Why you are not satisfied
Select every reason that applies.
- It is not located in the service area(s) for the business
- It is for a service the business does not provide
- The person calling was not ready to book services
- It is spam (e.g., unwanted robocall or message, silent caller, scam)
- It is a duplicate lead (i.e., a person contacted the business more than once)
- It is a person seeking employment or trying to sell a product or service
- Other (please specify)
Reconcile lead status, invoices, and account credits
Reconcile credits on a rolling schedule because a lead charged in one period can receive a credit later. Agencies and multi-location teams need one row per lead, not only a monthly total.
| Field | Record |
|---|---|
| Lead identity | Lead ID, date, account, location, call/message/booking type. |
| Lead fit | Requested service, customer location, qualification, and intake notes. |
| Billing | Original charge, invoice date, and billing document. |
| Status | Not charged, charged, in review, or credited with status date. |
| Feedback | Survey date, rating, and factual note. |
| Credit | Credit date, value, and account-balance entry. |
| Business outcome | Booked, completed, revenue, gross profit, or lost reason. |
Manual disputes were replaced by lead feedback
Use Google's automated lead credits guidance with the PrimeLSA lead feedback workflow to keep rating choices, reasons, charge status, and business outcomes consistent.
What to do when a poor lead stays charged
A charged lead can still expose a fix even after feedback is submitted. Decide whether the pattern belongs to settings, intake, customer expectation, or measurement while Google decides the credit outcome.
| Pattern | Review | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Repeated wrong-service requests | Job types, category, bio, and intake language. | Tighten the smallest proven mismatch. |
| Repeated weak geography | City, ZIP, travel, margin, and service-area settings. | Narrow the weak cluster only after the pattern repeats. |
| Missed or mishandled calls | Routing, answer rate, voicemail, callback, and qualification. | Fix the contact path before blaming lead validity. |
| Messages go quiet | First reply, customer question, handoff, and follow-up. | Use a useful acknowledgement and assign an owner. |
| Valid leads do not book | Price, availability, estimate path, sales process, and capacity. | Measure cost per booked and completed job. |
| Billing status remains unclear | Lead record, invoice, balance, feedback, and support case. | Keep the case evidence together until resolved. |
Review lead and credit context with Advantage
Use Advantage by PrimeLSA with the LSA report guide when lead feedback, charge status, and booked outcomes need one review path.
Final takeaways
Manual lead disputes have been replaced by feedback on good and bad leads. Rate the lead, choose the factual reasons that apply, preserve the account record, and let Google decide whether a credit is issued.
The original invoice charge can remain visible even when a later account credit is applied. Track each lead through feedback, status, invoice, account balance, and business outcome, then fix repeated setting or intake problems separately.
Editorial note
Written by Arthur Z and last updated July 16, 2026. PrimeLSA keeps public guidance practical, Google Local Services Ads-specific, and connected to real account review.