5 Things You Need to Know about Google’s New Local Search Ads

Google is making important changes to what viewers can see when they conduct local searches. Google is describing this as “the next generation” of local search ads, which is actually as exciting as it sounds because they claim that a third of searches are local. The goal is really to make sure that businesses are visible right as customers are search with relevant keywords online.

Take for example the search below for “best coffee shops in Chicago” on the left:

This is an example of a common mobile search that someone would do while looking for a coffee shop with stopping at in the city. As of now, the most visible listing for this search would likely be the “top rated” (or the highest ranking based on ratings), but Google is rolling out many new features for local searches that are going to make advertisements and other features more visible. This is a great way to put your company at the top of a search query if you don’t yet have the ratings to back it.

For example, in the image above on the right-hand side, the first of the search results is an “ad.” This gives “Quality Smog Check” more visibility in this search, even though they also have the ratings to back their position. You will also note that their drop pin on the map is noted in a purple color, tying it to the advertisement in the search results.

Many of the changes are still in beta, and they definitely do not dominate local searches yet, but as the year progresses they are going to become more relevant and it is wise to get ahead of the game. You can learn more about local SEO here, but below are some tips to get you prepared for the new initiative:

1. Online and Physical Store Locations BOTH Remain Important

These updates in local search features are really about bridging the online and physical business world. At this year’s Search Summit Conference some statistics were addressed that really emphasized the importance in connecting online presence and physical store location. One of the most surprising is that 90% of global sales will still occur in store, even though e-commerce has become a prominent option in the modern world. Another is that 84% of consumers conduct local searches. This means that now, more than ever, it is important to have a presence online that will draw-in local buyers to your storefront.

2. Promoted Pins are Going to be Important

As mentioned in the second screenshot example, local search advertisements will be noted with a “promoted pin,” in other words, a pin that stands out with a different color from the other location pins that occur with the search. These promoted pins have not started just yet, but they will be released on Maps soon.

See the example below where Walgreens is marked with a “promoted” advertisement pin:

These promoted pins are really going to be a chance to stand out. If you look back at the first screenshot of this article, where all of the location pins are the same color, you can imagine how having a uniquely colored marker will make people more likely to check out your location. We know that Google is moving towards optimizing online to offline metrics, so it is really just a matter of launching these new tools to make measuring these trends more accessible.

3. In-Store Promotions & Eye-Catching Advertisements

With the new updates, your business is going to have the opportunity to showcase specials, promotions, or discounts right in the Maps application. In the example above you can see a banner at the bottom of the map that says “$3 off contact lens solutions” as a part of the Walgreens local search advertisement.

Imagine how beneficial this will be. If someone is doing a local search for a pizza restaurant, and they click on your advertisement to see that they are just in time for a lunch special, they are going to be even more inclined to stop at your location over others.

4. You might be wondering how ads will compete…

Since this is still in beta, and a variety of aspects of the local ad platform are still being teased out, it is hard to know exactly how ads will compete with each other for the top ranking position for a given search. This is one of the reasons you want to be one of the first businesses to implement this strategy, because ultimately in the beginning you will not nearly have as much competition. That being said, Google claims that it will make the “top ranking” advertisement position based on the following user factors:

• Location
• User Behaviors
• Time of day
• Demographics
• Query context
• Search/browsing history
• Interests

5. Getting Started and Pricing

According to the Google AdWords information pages, there are some things you should know about eligibility and pricing to get yourself started.

Getting Started:

In order to participate in showing advertisements on Google Maps, you need to do the following:

• Make sure location extensions for your AdWords account are enabled
• Check to ensure your Google My Business Listing is up-to-date!
• Set bids by location—this will make sure you are reaching those closest to the location of you’re business
• Use keywords that link your content to your location!

Pricing:

• The pricing for location ads is actually fairly simple. It utilizes standard cost-per-click (CPC). On maps this means you will be charged when a user: 1). Gets location details, 2). Clicks for directions, or 3). Mobile clicks-to-call.

These ads rank higher on maps and location based searches, so when people get more details that leads them to your storefront and the pay per click associated with it. The reason this is actually a great price is because if someone is doing a local search for something they want to find immediately, and they land on your ad, the likelihood that they will be coming to your store and getting your business is high. Further, this is all going to be measurable since it is tied to Google analytics—you can see if your in-store profit is associated with number of clicks in a given day.

The Takeaway

So far in 2016 there has been a lot of buzz about these changes to Google local searches, and the anticipated results are pretty major for small businesses and corporations alike. Since a third of searches are local, this is really going to be a way to bridge the gap between online marketing/advertisement and physical store spaces. Further, this is going to make a break-through in measuring online to offline analytics.

With Google’s emphasis on mobile users and making things optimized for mobile searches, it is going to be really interesting to see how these changes play out in the months to come!

What do you think about these updates to local searches? Do you plan to partake in advertising in this way? Let us know in the comments section below! We would love to hear from you.

About The Author

Jason Hawkins / http://www.themiamiseocompany.com

Jason Hawkins is the CEO & Co-Founder of The Miami SEO Company. He has over ten years of experience in search engine optimization, conversion rate optimization and lead generation. His core responsibilities include identifying ways to increase value of services rendered, training staff on advanced SEO topics, and A/B testing internal processes to consistently improve client return on investment.