Other best practices

Another way of improving visibility is by amplifying your ad with a Location Extension. An extension may include your address, a map of the route to your location, or the distance of the route. If a user clicks or taps on the Location Extension, they will have access to essential information about you, including––if you like––a call number or dial button. Extensions also appear on Google Maps. That said, Call Extensions are incompatible with regular local search.

Local Search Ads can benefit a business by making consumers likelier to visit in person. If they are too far away or decide not to make a trip, there’s still an improved possibility of being called. Whichever way they act, Location Search ads will increase consumers’ interest in your business, and, thereby, encourage them to learn more about it. Extensions are great insofar as they answer the questions out of the gate.

Mobile vs. Desktop

Using Local Search Ads on mobile is only slightly different from desktop. With mobile, if a user does a search for a kind of nearby store, your business may be first of the local results. The same is true on a web browser or the Google Maps app. On a desktop, however, a user accesses your location from “More Places.” The cost of a Map Ad is like a regular cost-per-click (CPC) for ‘Get location detail,’ ‘Get direction,’ ‘Mobile clicks-to-call,’ and ‘Website’ clicks.

The first thing to do in setting up Local Search Ads for Google Maps is enabling extensions for your AdWords account. The next step is updating your Google My Business listing so no one ends up in a lot where your old building used to be. Once you are accurately situated on Google, use Location Targeting and and Bid By Location to ensure you’re putting everything into customers who are near you. Finally, optimize your keywords for the area.

The value of an ad in Google Maps

It may initially appear limiting for you to exclude everyone outside of a certain radius from your Local PPC ads. The reality is you’ll get most of your business from people who spend time nearer to you. Consequently, the expenses are a lot more efficient: you avoid wasted clicks. Those who do click are far more advanced leads. As searching is increasingly mobile, you have to be sure the most pertinent information is reaching mobile users who are primed to act on it.

It may be you think you’ll have a bigger effect on an affinity group or another location entirely, which are both qualifications you can target with Local PPC. Google may also show ads to customers in relevant areas, like a suburb, with inadequate data for direct Geotargeting in a campaign. One reason why the visibility for nearby customers is so important for many retailers is offline sales account for a lot of their business.

In conclusion

Researching a product on Google and buying it in a store is very common. In fact, some 50% of consumers visit a store less than a day after searching for a given item or service. According to Google, around a third of searching is connected with a location or looking for one. If your entire business revolves around getting people in your door, you have to be available for anyone who is either looking for you or something like you.