Last reviewed: October 6, 2026. Studio North is an independent publisher of DIY templates. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or partnered with Google. This checklist is general information, not advertising or legal advice.
Google LSA Missed-Call Charges: 5-Step DIY Checklist
From October 1, 2026, according to Google's "Upcoming changes to lead charge policy" email to some advertisers (as reported by trade press):
"Missed calls during business hours will now be charged as valid leads if a user stays on the line for more than 20 seconds, with a few exceptions."
"If an initial call doesn't qualify as a charged lead, any follow-up calls between your business and the user that meet the valid lead criteria will be charged."
- Press-a-key menus: the 20-second timer "will start once customers press the key". Callers who don't press a key aren't charged.
- Follow-ups: according to Search Engine Roundtable, Google's Ads Liaison said on X that advertisers are charged "1x for any follow-up calls they make to the user within 15 days of the initial interaction."
- Not yet detailed (per trade press): how voicemail, disputes and spam are handled.
Sources: Search Engine Roundtable (Aug 25, 2026) · PPC Land (Sep 25, 2026). Always confirm in your own account.
This checklist doesn't change what Google charges. Answered calls can be charged as leads too. The goal is fewer paid calls that go nowhere: answer more, and follow up faster on the ones you miss.
← Back to the full LSA missed-call overview
☐ 1. Match your LSA business hours to reality
- Open your LSA / Google Ads account and write down the business hours listed.
- Compare them to when someone can actually answer, including lunch, travel and job-site time.
- Fix any mismatch, or plan coverage for the hours you keep.
☐ 2. Find your missed-call gaps
- Export last month's call log (phone system, call tracking or carrier).
- Mark every missed or unanswered call by day and hour.
- Circle the 2–3 time blocks with the most misses. These are your gaps.
☐ 3. Put a backup answerer on every gap
- Name a primary and a backup person for each gap block.
- Set up forwarding or a ring group so a second phone rings.
- Decide the ring time before it rolls over, and test it by calling yourself.
- If you use a press-a-key menu, keep it short and test it from a mobile phone.
☐ 4. Text back and call back within 5 minutes
- Turn on an automatic missed-call text, for example: "Hi, this is [Business]. Sorry we missed your call. What can we help with? We'll call you right back."
- Assign one named person to call back missed callers within 5 minutes during business hours.
- Log each callback: time, outcome, next step. Follow-up calls may also count as leads, so make each one count.
☐ 5. Review charged leads weekly (15 minutes)
- Set a recurring calendar block, the same day every week.
- Compare charged leads to your call log.
- Flag spam, wrong numbers or anything that looks off, and use Google's own lead review or dispute options in your account where they apply.
- Write down one fix for next week, such as a new gap or a slow callback.
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