How to Advertise on Google Maps Using Local Campaigns

Introduction to Google Local Ads

What Are Local Campaigns on Google Ads?

So, here’s the lowdown on Google Ads for local campaigns: they’re all about getting foot traffic to your physical spots. Google smartens up your ads so they pop up on Google Search, Google Maps, YouTube, and Google’s display doo-dads. How? Some spooky clever automation works its magic to get your ads in front of folks who’re likely to nose around your shops.

Setting these up isn’t rocket science. You toss Google some ad text, eye-catching pics, and a budget, then hit play. Google takes over and dishes out your ads to the right people when they’re on the hunt for local ways to drop cash.

Want the nitty-gritty details? Check out our Google Ads Guide for all the goods.

Benefits of Advertising on Google Maps

So what’s in it for you with Google Maps ads? Let’s lay it out:

Increased Visibility

When peeps hit up Google Maps searching for stuff you offer, your ads can stick out like a sore thumb—in a good way. It’s a win-win, especially if your business banks on locals walking through the door.

Targeted Reach

Google Maps ads let your business hone in on nearby users. Basically, your ad lands in the laps of folks close enough to drop by. Perfect for grabbing local foot traffic.

Benefit	What it Means
Increased Visibility	You’re the main attraction on Google Maps
Targeted Reach	Ads find folks right in your neck of the woods

Performance Metrics

With Google’s geeky insights, you get a handle on how your local ads are faring. Unlock stats like views, clicks, and store drop-ins, empowering you to tweak the game plan based on hard-figured truths.

Metric	What it Means
Impressions	Times your ad showed up
Clicks	Times folks tapped on your ad
Store Visits	Visits tied to your ad’s charm

Enhanced User Experience

Google Maps ads are user-friendly—think clickable numbers and step-by-step directions—which makes it easier for customers to ring you or head over straight from the map.

Got more strategies under your belt? Otherwise, mosey on over to our Google Ads Strategies piece and milk these tools for all they’ve got.

By tapping into these features, you’re priming your Google local ads to rustle up the right crowd and hit those business bullseyes.

Setting Up Your Local Campaign

Kicking off your local campaign with Google Ads is pretty straightforward. Let’s break it down so you can get your account up and running, set that budget, and nail those goals.

Creating Your Google Ads Account

You’re gearing up for some serious Google local ads action. Here’s how to get your account ready:

1. Sign Up: Head over to the Google Ads site and look for the ‘Start Now’ button. Give it a good old click.
2. Business Information: Fill in your business details—name, website, the whole shebang.
3. Create Campaign: Time to set up your campaign. Pick an aim that rings true with what you’re after, like getting more folks to walk through your door or dial your number.
4. Billing Information: Enter your payment details to get things rolling.

You want more nitty-gritty details? Flip through our handy google ads guide.

Setting Your Advertising Budget and Goals

Your money and aims matter. Here’s the lowdown on getting it right for your Google local ads crusade.

Budget

1. Daily Budget: Decide your daily spend cap—it’s like setting a leash on your spending.
2. Campaign Duration: Plan if you’re going hard for the short-term or playing the long game.

Campaign Type	Suggested Daily Budget
Small Business	$10 – $50
Medium Business	$50 – $200
Large Business	$200+

Need more insights? Drop by our piece on google ads budgeting.

Goals

1. Visits: Want more feet in your store? Aim for it.
2. Calls: Crave more phone buzz? Make it happen.
3. Website Actions: Get specific with those online actions—forms, sales, and the like.

Goal Type	Examples
Visits	Store visits, Event attendance
Calls	Inquiries, Bookings
Website Actions	Form submissions, Purchases

Nailing down your goals means you can keep an eye on how things are going and tweak as needed. For more wisdom on nailing those goals and understanding your stats, take a peek at our google ads metrics.

Once you’ve got your account set, funds in place, and aims all squared away, you’re ready to connect with the folks nearby. Want more on reaching your peeps? Check out our article on google ads audience targeting.

Targeting Your Local Audience

When you’re ready to kick off your Google local ads, nailing your audience is what takes your ad game from “meh” to magic. Getting your locations and keywords just right is your golden ticket.

Choosing the Right Locations

Launching a local campaign means you gotta know where you’re aiming. Google Ads lets you decide exactly where your ads pop up, making sure they land right where your potential customers are hanging out.

1. Define Your Service Area: Figure out where exactly your business is doing its thing. Stick to city limits, a bunch of cities, or even narrow it down by zip codes. Make sure these spots line up with what you’re trying to achieve.
2. Use Location Grouping: Combine similar areas to make handling your campaigns less of a headache. This might be by cities, regions, or how close they are to somewhere specific.
3. Exclude Irrelevant Areas: Don’t throw money down the drain by letting ads float in places you don’t operate. Keep it sharp by confining them to where the real action is.
4. Analyze Location Performance: Keep an eye on which places are crushing it. Modify your strategy based on the engagement you get. More clicks and more conversions mean more success.

Location	Clicks	Impressions	Conversions
City A	150	1,200	20
City B	100	900	15
City C	50	600	10

Check out our guide on Google Ads location targeting to get more smarty-pants insights.

Selecting Relevant Keywords for Local Ads

Picking the right keywords is like Adam-the good stuff lands you a step closer to winning over your peeps. Keywords make sure you’re popping up when and where it matters most.

1. Use Location-Specific Keywords: Pepper in keywords that shout out your location. They get you seen when locals are on the hunt.
2. Mix Broad and Specific Terms: Use wide-net wording to catch a larger group and zoomed-in terms for those niche folks.
3. Incorporate Local Intent Keywords: Go for keywords that suggest local intent like “near me” or shout-outs to local spots, boosting your ad’s chance for relevance.
4. Utilize Keyword Tools: Tools like Google Keyword Planner are your secret weapon for digging up relevant words. Peek at our article on Google Ads keyword research for broader tactics.

Keyword	Search Volume	Competition
“coffee shop near me”	8,000	High
“local coffee shop”	5,000	Medium
“best coffee in [City]”	2,000	Low

Nailing the right areas and keywords can supercharge your Google local ads performance. For even more pro tips and tricks, swing by our Google Ads guide and Google Ads best practices.

Crafting Effective Ad Campaigns

Crafting a great local ad on Google Maps isn’t a walk in the park. You’ll need a smart plan for both the ad itself and all the extra tools at your disposal. This section’s your roadmap to writing ad copy that grabs eyeballs and making the most of ad extensions to boost your visibility.

Writing Compelling Ad Copy

The words in your ad are the key to grabbing attention and getting folks to take action. Here are a few nuggets of wisdom:

1. Show Off Your Best Bits: What makes your joint unique? Got a killer deal? Is your customer service top-notch? Make sure it’s front and center.
2. Strong Calls-to-Action (CTAs) are a Must: Urge people to act with phrases like “Swing By Today,” “Ring Us Up,” or “Find Your Way Here.”
3. Keep in Touch with Local Talk: Bring in local flavor with place names or lingo. It makes your ad hit home with the locals.
4. Short and Sweet: Remember, space is limited, so pack a punch with fewer words.

For a deeper dive into writing ad copy, peek at our handy google ads ad copy guide.

Utilizing Ad Extensions for Local Campaigns

Ad extensions are like those handy extras that make your ad pop and make info more useful. Here’s the lowdown on some valuable extensions for local campaigns:

1. Location Extensions: They show your address or how far folks are from you, so it’s perfect for physical stores.
2. Call Extensions: Let users dial straight from the ad, which is golden for businesses that thrive on phone calls.
3. Sitelink Extensions: Toss in extra links so users can jump right to details they want.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet on the main ad extension types:

Ad Extension Type	What’s It Do?
Location Extension	Flashes your address and map
Call Extension	Slaps a call button onto the ad
Sitelink Extension	Links to key pages on your site

For more ways to jazz up ad extensions, dive into our google ads extensions guide.

Blend snappy ad copy with smart use of ad extensions, and you’re set to create killer local ad campaigns on Google Maps. Keep an eye on your ads and tweak them to hit your targets. Want to squeeze the most out of your data? Check our optimize google ads article for tips.

Monitoring and Optimizing Your Local Campaign

Keeping an eye on and tweaking your Google Local Ads campaign is super important to hitting your advertising goals and getting the most bang for your buck. Here’s a rundown on how to keep your campaign in shipshape.

Tracking Your Campaign Performance

Check out the numbers! Google Ads has all these useful stats that show off how well your ads are doing and where you could do better. The ones you wanna watch are:

• Clicks: How many folks are tapping on your ads.
• Impressions: The number of times your ads show up on screens.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): How many of those views turn into clicks.
• Conversion Rate: How many clicks lead to exactly what you wanted—like a sale or a form fill.
• Cost Per Click (CPC): What each little click is costing you on average.
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): How much dough you’re raking in for every buck put on the line.

This quick table sums up those vital stats:

Metric	Definition
Clicks	Number of clicks on your ads
Impressions	Number of times your ads are shown
CTR (Click-Through Rate)	(Clicks / Impressions) x 100
Conversion Rate	(Conversions / Clicks) x 100
CPC (Cost Per Click)	Total Cost / Clicks
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)	Revenue / Ad Spend

For more intel, see what folks are doing after they click with Google Ads conversion tracking.

Making Data-Driven Decisions to Optimize Results

After you’ve scoped out your campaign’s performance, it’s time to turn that know-how into action. Here’s how to juice up those results:

1. Adjust Bids and Budgets: If certain words or visuals are hitting all the right notes, maybe toss a few more bucks that way for even more eyes on your stuff. If they’re not, maybe it’s time to save a bit and scale back. For more on money moves, check our google ads budgeting page.
2. Refine Keywords: See which buzzwords are getting the best results and trim your keyword list down to only the winners. You can dive deeper into the nitty-gritty with google ads keyword research.
3. Improve Ad Copy: Test out new lines and see which catchphrases get the most action. Your ad text should speak directly to who you’re aiming for. Get the low-down on crafting killer ads at google ads ad copy.
4. Utilize Ad Extensions: Boost your ad’s swag with extensions like spots, calls, and shortcuts to other parts of your digital digs. Get the scoop on featuring your A-game with google ads extensions.
5. Optimize Landing Pages: Make sure your landing spots don’t just look awesome but also do what they’re supposed to—convert! They need to vibe well with your ads and give users what they came for. Walk through a better conversion path with google ads landing page optimization.
6. Monitor Competitors: Peek over the fence to see what’s working for others in your field, then tweak your strategy to outdo theirs. For a deep dive into competitors’ secrets, catch google ads competitor analysis.

By keeping tabs on those key stats and making smarter choices based on what you see, you’ll keep making your Google Local Ads campaign stronger. For more strategies and killer tips, visit google ads strategies and google ads best practices.

Best Practices for Successful Google Local Ads

Testing and Tweaking Your Ads

Testing and tweaking your Google Local Ads are essential steps to get the best results. Trying out different ad versions lets you see what clicks with your crowd. Play around with different headlines, descriptions, and calls to action to find out which mix hits the jackpot.

Keep an eye on numbers like Click-Through Rate (CTR), Conversion Rate (CVR), and Cost-Per-Click (CPC) to see how well your ads are doing. Keep an eye on these stats and shake things up if they’re not working out.

Metric	What It Means	Why It Matters
CTR (Click-Through Rate)	How many folks click your ad after seeing it	A higher CTR shows your ad is catching eyes
CVR (Conversion Rate)	How many clicks end in a desired action	A better CVR means your ad’s doing its job
CPC (Cost-Per-Click)	What each ad click costs you on average	Lower CPC stretches your budget further

Keep it fresh by updating your ads often to dodge ad fatigue. This keeps them interesting and doing their thing over time. Want more tips on making your Google Ads shine? Check out our article on optimize google ads.

Getting the Scoop with Google Analytics

Google Analytics is your go-to for checking how your ads and site visitors are behaving. Hook it up with your Google Ads account to see the real story behind your campaigns and make smart decisions.

Look out for these key things:

• Acquisition: How people find your website through ads.
• Behavior: What folks do on your site after clicking an ad.
• Conversions: How many complete the actions you want, like buying something or filling a form.

Set goals in Google Analytics to track actions that matter to your business. Use these insights to tweak how you target and create ads.

For example, if some landing pages have high bounce rates, they might need a makeover for a smoother user journey. Check out more tips on landing page strategies in our piece on google ads landing page optimization.

Regularly checking your Analytics data helps you catch trends and find areas to work on. This ongoing information loop lets you make smart tweaks to your campaigns, keeping success rolling in.

For more on using Google Analytics for your ads, dive into our guides on google ads metrics and google ads competitor analysis.

Stick to these best practices and use the resources at your disposal to boost the power of your Google Local Ads and hit those marketing goals out of the park.