Solved: Stop LSA Notifications for Calls, Only Want Calls

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out!

That's a proper annoying issue you're having with the LSA notifications, and a classic example of Google's sometimes vague settings. Happy to give you some of my initial thoughts and guidance on this. The short answer is you're right to be cautious, but the notification issue is really just a symptom of a much bigger opportunity you're probably missing. We can talk about the toggle, for sure, but I think the real conversation is about how to turn that firehose of calls into a predictable, profitable system for your business.

We'll need to look at the immediate LSA notification problem...

Alright, let's tackle the burning question first. That warning sign on the last toggle for "message lead notifications" is a perfect example of Google being unhelpfully vague. Based on my experience and how the platform is structured, here’s my take:

Does it pertain to JUST message leads? Yes, it should. The seperation between call leads and message leads is pretty distinct within the LSA system. The toggle is specifically labelled for message leads, so logic dictates it should only control notifications for that lead type. However, I've seen Google bundle settings in weird ways before, so there's always a small element of risk that their interpertation of 'message lead notifications' is broader than it seems. It's a low risk, but not zero.

Will it impact the actual delivery of calls, or just the alerts? This is a definite one: it will absolutely NOT impact the delivery of the calls themselves. Toggling this off only affects the notification system—the emails and push alerts. Your phone will still ring, and the leads will still appear in your LSA dashboard. You won't lose any business by turning it off, you might just lose the alert for it.

So, what's the verdict? Given you don't use message leads anyway, you could probably turn it off. The worst-case scenario is that you stop getting call notifications as well, which you could quickly discover and toggle back on. It's a calculated risk. But honestly, trying to wrangle notifications inside Google's limited dashboard is like trying to fix a leaking pipe with sticky tape. It's not the right tool for the job.

A much better, more professional solution is to take control of the notifications yourself, outside of Google's system. This usually involves using a third-party call tracking service. You'd port your LSA number to the service, and then you can set up much more sophisticated rules. For instance, you could have it send a single daily summary email, or send a text message only for first-time callers, or integrate directly with a CRM so the lead is logged automatically without any manual data entry. This is how professional service businesses handle high lead volume—they build a system, they don't just rely on default email alerts. It might seem like a bit of an upfront cost and effort, but the long-term payoff in efficiency and data is huge.

You could also try contacting Google support, but be prepared for a bit of a runaround. You need to be very specific and insist on speaking to a technical specialist for Local Service Ads. The first-line support staff likely won't know the answer and will just read from a script. It can be a slow and frustrating process, which is why I generally recomend building your own systems rather than relying on theirs.

I'd say you're focusing on the wrong metric...

Here’s where I'm going to be brutally honest. The fact that you're getting so many lead notifications that they've become a problem is, on the surface, a fantastic problem to have. It means the ads are working. But it also tells me you probably don't have a robust system for handling that volume, and you might be completely blind to how profitable these leads actually are. The goal isn't to get fewer emails; it's to make more money from the calls you're already getting.

Most business owners get obsessed with the Cost Per Lead (CPL). They see a £40 charge for a phone call and panic. But that number is meaningless without its counterpart: Customer Lifetime Value (LTV). How much is a new customer actually worth to you in gross profit over the entire time they do business with you?

I remember one campaign we ran for an HVAC company in a competitive area, and they were happily paying around $60 per lead. Why? Because they knew a new boiler installation is worth thousands, and even a simple service call can lead to a long-term maintenance contract. On the other end of the spectrum, we've worked with childcare services where the CPL was closer to $10 per signup. The point is, the 'right' price for a lead is completely relative to what you can earn from it.

You need to know your numbers cold. Without them, you're flying blind. You can't make smart decisions about your ad budget, your pricing, or your growth strategy. So, before you worry about another email, let’s figure out your LTV. I’ve built a little calculator here for you to play with. Plug in your own business's numbers and see what comes out. This single figure is the foundation of a scalable advertising strategy.

Once you know that a customer is worth, say, £1,350 to you, paying £40, £60, or even £100 for a lead doesn't seem so scary, does it? It becomes a calculated investment. This is the maths that allows businesses to scale aggressively and intelligently. It frees you from the tyranny of chasing cheap, low-quality leads and allows you to focus on acquiring valuable, long-term customers.

You probably should rethink your entire lead management process...

An LSA call is not a customer. It's not even a qualified lead. It's just a raw signal of interest. What happens in the moments and days after that phone rings is what determines whether you make money or lose it. If you're just answering calls, giving quotes, and hoping for the best, you are leaving a huge amount of money on the table. You need a process. A repeatable, measurable system for turning calls into cash.

The speed at which you respond and the quality of that first interaction are paramount. Did you answer the phone professionally? If you missed the call, did you phone them back within five minutes? Did you ask the right qualifying questions to understand their actual need, or did you just jump to a price? Did you capture their name, email, and address so you can follow up?

Every single one of these raw leads should be entered into a system. This doesn't have to be a fancy, expensive CRM (though that helps). It can be a simple spreadsheet to start. You need to track the lead source (LSA), the date, customer details, the nature of the job, the quote value, and most importantly, the outcome. Did they become a customer? If not, why? Was your price too high? Was your availability not right? This data is gold. It tells you exactly where your sales process is breaking down.

Without this tracking, you're making decisions based on feelings. With it, you're making decisions based on facts. You might discover that while LSA brings in lots of calls, they are mostly for small, low-margin repair jobs. Or you might find that while the calls are expensive, they have a very high close rate for lucrative installation projects. You simply don't know until you track it properly.

To make this a bit clearer, I've mapped out what an ideal lead management process looks like for a local service business. It’s not just about getting the call; it's about the entire journey from that first ring to a happy, paying customer who leaves you a 5-star review.

You'll need to look beyond just Local Service Ads...

Local Service Ads are brilliant, but they only capture one specific type of customer: the one with an urgent, immediate need. Their boiler is broken, a pipe has burst, their electrics have gone out. They are searching for a solution *right now*. This is high-intent, bottom-of-the-funnel traffic, and it's valuable. But it's also just the tip of the iceberg.

What about the customer who is planning a kitchen renovation in six months and needs a full rewire? Or the homeowner who is curious about installing an EV charger but isn't ready to commit today? Or the person who just wants a quote for some new garden lighting? These people are not in emergency mode. They are in research mode. LSA is not designed to capture these customers. For that, you need traditional Google Search Ads.

Think of it this way:

• Local Service Ads are about trust and proximity. The customer trusts the "Google Guaranteed" badge and is looking for someone local and available now. Your reviews are your most powerful asset here.
• Google Search Ads are about information and expertise. The customer has a specific problem or project in mind and is looking for the best company to solve it. Your website and the persuasiveness of your ad copy are your most powerful assets here.

A well-rounded strategy uses both. You use LSAs to scoop up all the urgent, high-intent jobs. Then you run targeted Search campaigns for higher-value, non-emergency services. You could target keywords like "EV charger installation cost", "certified electrician for house rewire", or "outdoor security lighting installer". These searchers are often less price-sensitive and are planning bigger projects. The leads will likely cost more than an LSA call, but the job value can be ten times higher.

To run Search ads effectively, you can't just send people to your basic homepage. You need dedicated landing pages. For your EV charger campaign, you'd have a page that talks only about EV chargers: the benefits, the types you install, your certifications, testimonials from happy customers, and a clear call-to-action to "Request a Free Consultation". This focus dramatically increases the chance that a visitor will convert into a lead because the page perfectly matches their search intent.

The cost per lead will vary, of course. But having a multi-channel approach makes your business far more resilient. When you rely solely on one source of leads, you're vulnerable. By building out a second, complementary channel like Google Search, you create a more robust and scalable lead generation engine. Below is a rough idea of what you might expect cost-wise, based on what we see across different platforms for service businesses.

This is the main advice I have for you:

So, to bring this all together, moving beyond just the notification issue requires a shift in mindset from just "getting calls" to "building a lead generation system". It's a bit more work upfront, but it's the only way to build a truly scalable and predictable business. I've detailed my main recomendations for you below:

As you can see, the notification problem is really just the entry point into a much deeper strategic conversation. Implementing these systems and strategies correctly takes time, expertise, and continuous optimisation. It’s not a 'set it and forget it' task. You've got to manage keyword bidding, write compelling ad copy, design high-converting landing pages, and constantly analyse performance data to find opportunities for improvement.

This is, frankly, where having an expert partner can make a huge difference. Instead of spending your valuable time trying to become a digital marketing expert, you can focus on what you do best—running your business and serving your customers—while we build and manage the engine that brings those customers to your door.

If you'd like to have a more detailed chat about your specific business goals and how a more sophisticated advertising strategy could help you achieve them, we offer a completely free, no-obligation initial consultation. We can take a look at your current setup together and give you some more tailored advice.

Hope that helps!

Regards,

Team @ Lukas Holschuh