Key Takeaways
Google stopped letting advertisers create new call-only ads in February 2026. Existing call-only ads stop showing in February 2027.
The replacement is responsive search ads with call assets. You keep the click-to-call button and gain a path to your website for people who aren’t ready to call.
Rebuild now, not in January. New ads need time to gather data before your call-only ads go dark.
Schedule your call assets to when someone actually answers, and have a plan for the calls you miss.
Count calls as conversions, with a minimum call length, so you can see which ads produce real conversations.
For plumbers, HVAC companies and restoration crews, call-only ads were the simplest way to run Google Ads: a phone number at the top of the search results, and every click was a call. That option is going away. Here’s what Google changed, what to build instead, and how to do it without losing the calls that pay your bills.
What Google changed
Google announced on October 3, 2025 that call-only ads (also called call ads) are being phased out (Google Ads Help):
February 2026: all options to create new call-only ads were removed.
February 2027: all existing call-only ads stop receiving impressions.
Google’s direction is clear: advertisers “must transition to using call assets within responsive search ads,” and Google “strongly recommend[s]” doing it now rather than waiting.
If you can’t create call-only ads anymore and your current ones are still running, you’re on borrowed time. When they stop, any campaign built only on call-only ads stops getting impressions too.
Who this hits hardest
Call-only ads made the most sense for jobs where the customer wants a person on the phone right now:
Plumbing: burst pipes, sewer backups, no hot water.
HVAC: no heat in January, no cooling in July.
Restoration: water in the basement, fire and smoke damage.
Electrical and roofing: power outages, active roof leaks after a storm.
If your emergency campaigns run on call-only ads, start with those. Planned work like remodels, landscaping installs and recurring cleaning usually runs better on regular search ads already. More on how we split emergency and planned campaigns is in our PPC targeting guide for home service businesses.
The migration checklist
1. Find every call-only ad
In Google Ads, go to Ads, filter by ad type, and list every call-only ad, the campaign and ad group it lives in, and how many calls it has produced in the last 90 days. That tells you which ones matter most.
2. Write a responsive search ad for each ad group
Responsive search ads take several headlines and descriptions and test combinations. Carry over what worked in your call-only ads, and write for the job, not the brand:
Lead with the problem and the speed: “Burst Pipe? Plumber On The Way” or “No Heat? Same-Day Furnace Repair.”
Name your area: “Serving Loveland, Fort Collins and Windsor.”
Give a reason to pick you: licensed, upfront pricing, real reviews, local crew. Only claim what’s true.
Point the final URL at a page built for that job, with the phone number at the top. If you don’t have one, that’s worth fixing (see our contractor website design work).
3. Add a call asset
A call asset puts your phone number and a call button on the ad. Google’s requirements are worth knowing before you hit a disapproval (Google Ads Help):
The number is verified to confirm it belongs to the business you’re advertising.
It must be formatted correctly, and the exact number must appear in your website’s source code, unless your domain is verified in Google Search Console.
Dynamic or third-party tracking numbers can’t be verified by scanning your site. Linking Search Console or placing the Google tag directly in your site’s HTML solves that.
4. Schedule the call asset to who answers
Google lets you set call assets to appear “only when your business can accept calls,” and to choose specific days and times (Google Ads Help). Use it. A call that rings out at 7 p.m. costs you the click and the customer.
| Trade | Typical call schedule | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing (emergency) | 24/7 if you staff on-call | Only if someone really answers overnight. |
| HVAC (no heat / no cool) | Extended hours in peak season | Widen hours during cold snaps and heat waves. |
| Restoration | 24/7 | Water damage doesn’t wait. Neither should your phone. |
| Electrical | Business hours plus on-call | Split emergency from panel and EV charger work. |
| Roofing | Business hours; extended after storms | Turn up after a hail event, back down after. |
| Remodeling, landscaping, cleaning, moving | Business hours | These customers plan ahead. Forms and booking pages matter more than calls. |
5. Track calls as conversions
Google Ads automatically creates a “Calls from ads” conversion when you use call assets (Google Ads Help). Set a minimum call length long enough to filter out hang-ups and wrong numbers, so a 10-second “sorry, wrong number” doesn’t count as a lead (Google Ads Help). Also track calls to the number on your website, since many people click through, read, and then call.
Then take it one step further: connect booked jobs back to Google Ads, so bidding learns which calls turned into work. We set this up through our tracking and reporting service.
6. Run both, then pause the old ads
Launch the new responsive search ads alongside your call-only ads while you still can, and give them a few weeks to gather data. Compare calls and cost per call. Once the new ads are carrying the load, pause the call-only ads yourself rather than waiting for February 2027.
Plan for the calls you miss
Responsive search ads send some people to your website instead of straight to your phone. That’s a good thing for people who aren’t ready to call, but it means your site and follow-up have to do their part:
A clear phone number and a short form on every landing page.
Fast follow-up on forms. Our CRM and lead nurturing setup sends the lead to your phone and starts follow-up right away.
For missed calls, an automatic text back can save the job. Do it right: the customer should have agreed to receive texts, your texting number needs an approved A2P 10DLC registration with the carriers, and anything promotional needs separate written consent.
Common disapprovals and fixes
Phone number can’t be verified: make sure the exact number appears on your website, or verify your domain in Search Console.
Number formatting: enter the number in the standard format Google asks for, with the country selected.
Calls not showing in reports: call reporting needs Google forwarding numbers turned on, and it only works on the Search Network (Google Ads Help).
FAQ
Can I still create a call-only ad?
No. Google removed the option to create new call-only ads in February 2026.
Will my existing call-only ads keep running?
Until February 2027. After that they stop receiving impressions.
Will I get fewer calls with responsive search ads?
Some people who would have called will visit your website first. That’s why the landing page and follow-up matter. Many will still tap the call button, especially on mobile.
Does this affect Local Services Ads?
No. Local Services Ads are a separate pay-per-lead product, though they’re moving into Google Ads too. See our PPC targeting guide for what’s changing there.
Running call-only ads? Don’t wait for February.
We’ll rebuild your call campaigns as responsive search ads with call assets, set the schedule to who actually answers, and set up tracking that shows which calls became jobs. Book a strategy call and we’ll walk through your account together. Our PPC management is a flat $1,600 a month with no percentage of ad spend. See our pricing. We work with plumbers, HVAC companies and restoration companies across Northern Colorado.