Today’s consumers rely on their smartphones for information about stores in their neighbourhood. Google has a vibrant online presence in every local community, which means that business owners can leverage it to promote their stores.
Not only can Google Ads help businesses reach customers who are searching for what they want online, but it can target customers in a precise location, increasing the likelihood of conversion. In this article, we’ll show you five simple ways to leverage the power of Google Ads to boost the online presence of your local business. With these tricks, you’ll be able to establish a strong local marketing campaign and reach out to your community.
- Pick a local campaign
Create a local campaign on Google Ads by zeroing in on your location preferences. This lets Google show your ads to people near your location. Local ads are highly intuitive – all you need to input is the location of your store, text, images, and a budget. Google does the rest and creates a custom ad campaign complete with ad combinations and potential placements. With tools like Performance Mac, you can also display your ads across Google platforms, giving you maximum visibility.
When you create a local campaign, schedule ads to cater to the needs of your local clientele. For instance, if most members of your community are likely to go shopping for a particular holiday, you may want to tweak timings to maximise impact. Don’t forget to schedule your ads during open business hours, otherwise, you might lose out on customer interest.
- Have a Business profile
Having a well-maintained business profile boosts trust and reliability in your business. Your ‘My Business’ page is what visitors will be able to see when they search for your company online. Claim your business so that you can write custom content and add appealing images. Add updated information (like timings, contact information, a website link, and special announcements) to your page, and add bright, attractive images to encourage customers to visit your store.
The more appealing your business page, the more likely customers are to visit. To add to this, ask existing customers to review your business, and incentivise them with rewards/gift coupons!
- Use relevant keywords and strategies
Your Google Ads campaign must include location tracking so that people looking for services in your area are shown your ads first. Additionally, use keywords that are bound to stand out among the locals – for instance, you can use references and puns that your location is known for. For example, Google Ads in Melbourne could reference coffee or other local interests. Draw attention to the fact that yours is a locally owned small business.
People want to see highly personalised information – use automated location and call extensions so customers know exactly where you are and how to reach you. If most people in your community speak a particular language, use a few phrases in your content to entice the locals to visit your store.
- Track calls
The goal of local marketing is to get customers to engage with your store in person. Track this engagement by examining call conversion metrics. First, use a prominent ‘Call now’ button accompanied by a compelling CTA.
Record and score your calls to see which where you can improve. A phone call conversion tracking mechanism will let you see how often people click the ‘Call Now’ button, and what information they’re looking for.
- Use Google Display ads
Take your ads beyond the search results page with Google Display ads. Display places your banner ads on other websites, drawing the attention of visitors across platforms. With customised Display ads, you will be able to entice customers who are looking for other products in your area. Use images lifted from your business page and combine them with locally appealing ad copy to encourage customers to click on the ads. You could also offer in-person discounts to people who mention a discount code they saw on the Display ad.
The Bottom Line
Google Ads can be a great asset in helping your local business gain traction. With these tips, you’ll be able to see how effective online ads can be. Create a strong online presence to reach your community in the best ways, and watch your business grow!
