By Ryan Redding
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December 16, 2024
2024 was insane (for a lot of reasons).
If you’re in the plumbing, HVAC, electrical, roofing, or garage door industry, you already know how critical Google is for driving leads. With more than 90% of people using Google as their go-to source for finding local services, the platform holds immense power over how customers discover and choose businesses like yours. But what worked last year—or even six months ago—might not work today.
In 2024, Google introduced a series of significant updates across its ecosystem, including Google Search, Google Ads, Local Services Ads (LSA), and Google Business Profile (GBP). They’ve also launched their advanced Gemini AI platform, marking one of the biggest shifts in how businesses engage with customers online.
Our goal with this article is to help you understand these updates. We’ll explore how things used to work (“what life was like before”), explain the new landscape (“what’s changed”), and offer clear, actionable steps so you can stay ahead in this increasingly co