Google officially announced that it’s sunsetting Call Ads, the ad format built specifically to drive direct phone calls from search results.
Here’s the timeline overview:
- February 2026: You’ll no longer be able to create new Call Ads.
- February 2027: Existing Call Ads will stop serving completely.
The days of “click to call” ads are numbered.
What’s Changing
Google isn’t getting rid of phone calls entirely. They’re just changing how we drive them.
Instead of standalone Call Ads, advertisers will now use Call Assets within Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) to generate calls.
In other words:
- Call Ad format is going away
- Calls will now live inside your existing search ads
- You’ll need at least one active RSA per ad group and a connected call asset to keep driving calls
If your campaigns depend on direct calls, this change will definitely shake things up.
For years, Call Ads gave legal advertisers a frictionless path to high-intent leads. Someone searched, clicked, and instantly called your firm. No website visit. No extra steps.
Once this change kicks in, that simplicity is gone. You’ll need to rely on ads with multiple assets and more layers before a call happens. That might mean:
- Fewer instant phone leads
- More form fills or web visits
- Extra steps for potential clients to connect
It’s a shift from “pure lead generation” to a more blended experience and while it may work fine for e-commerce or B2B, it’s not ideal for law firms where every call counts.
Our take: This one stings.
Call Ads have been a go-to for driving real conversations, especially for firms that measure success by phone calls, not clicks. Removing that direct path to conversion means we’ll have to adjust fast.
A little silver lining is you can still drive calls. You just need to build them into your broader search campaigns using call assets, but don’t wait until 2026 to start.
What To Do Now
Here’s how to stay ahead of the change:
- Audit your current campaigns.
Find out where you’re using Call Ads and how much of your lead flow they drive. - Start transitioning to RSAs.
Set up RSAs in every ad group that currently uses Call Ads, and attach call assets to them. - Check your tracking setup.
Make sure you’re still capturing phone conversions accurately through call tracking tools or Google’s built-in metrics. - Monitor and optimize.
Keep a close eye on performance during the transition. Adjust headlines and extensions to make “Call Now” actions stand out.
Bottom line: By February 2027, standalone Call Ads will be gone for good.
For law firms and other service-based businesses, this means planning ahead isn’t optional. The sooner you move to Responsive Search Ads with Call Assets, the smoother your transition and the less likely you are to see a dip in call volume.
