Nowadays having an online presence is key for any business. For local businesses, Google Maps is a must-have, helping to get more visibility and attract more customers.

Creating Google Maps ads is a great way to maximize your presence on top of organic map search.

In this article, we’ll share valuable insights and actionable tips on how to run successful Google Maps ad campaigns to supercharge your local sales.

Why Google Maps?

As businesses are realizing that Google is the modern-day Yellow Pages, the importance of being on Google Maps cannot be overemphasized. Google Maps is often the first point of contact between a business and a potential customer, making it a vital part of any local marketing strategy.

When someone searches for a service or product near their location, businesses that show up top on Google Maps have a higher chance of getting those potential customers.

Local search ads play a significant role in this by helping businesses connect with potential customers when they are actively searching for nearby products or services, thereby increasing local visibility and driving foot traffic.

Besides visibility, being on Google Maps can also increase your business’s credibility. When users see a well-maintained profile with good reviews and accurate info, they are more likely to trust your business and choose you over competitors.

How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile

One of the most common questions businesses ask is how to optimize their Google Business Profile.

Franklin, a client success manager at StubGroup shared some tips and best practices:

  1. Claim and Verify Your Google Business Profile: Make sure your business is listed and verified on Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). This is the first step to get on Google Maps. Claiming your profile means verifying you are the owner of the business. Google will send a verification code via mail, phone or email.
  2. Link Profile to Google Ads: Linking your Google Business Profile to your Google Ads account will boost your ad’s performance and visibility. This will allow your ads to use the information from your business profile to be more relevant to local searches.

Google My Business Profile Best Practices:

  • Reviews: Ask happy customers to leave a review. Reviews are a ranking factor for local search and can influence potential customers’ decisions.
  • Photos: Make your profile look good with high-quality images. Images of your storefront, products, and services will give customers an idea of what to expect.
  • Keep Info Accurate: Keep your business name, address, phone number, and other details up-to-date and consistent with your website. Inconsistent info will confuse customers and hurt your local SEO.
  • Location Targeting: Properly set up location targeting to target specific areas, optimize ad campaigns and drive more customers to your physical location.
  1. Regular Updates: Update your Google Business Profile with new photos, posts about offers or events and respond to reviews. This will keep your profile active and show potential customers that your business is engaged and responsive.

How to Create Google Maps Ads

Both organic and paid strategies are important to get the most out of Google Maps. They support each other. So how do you create ads to show up on Google Maps?

  1. Create a Campaign: Start by setting up a campaign through ads.google.com, select goals such as driving traffic, generating leads, or increasing sales. Google Ads has various campaign types but for local businesses, local campaigns and Performance Max campaigns are most effective.
  2. Keyword Research: Focus on location-specific keywords like “near me” and target your Google Maps ad to specific geographic areas. Tools like Google Keyword Planner can help you find the most relevant keywords for your business.
  3. Ad Copy: Emphasise your local presence in your headlines and descriptions and clarify which areas you serve. For example, a headline like “Best Pizza Delivery in Downtown Chicago” will attract more local searchers than a generic one. Google Maps ads connect businesses with nearby customers through increased visibility in Google Maps searches.
  4. Use Google Ads Features: Add a location asset — a link to your Business Profile with Google Ads— and images and site links. Use Performance Max campaigns to expand your reach across Google’s platforms, including Maps, Display, Gmail, and YouTube. These features will make your search ads more engaging and informative.
  5. Monitor and Adjust: Monitor your ad performance using Google Ads analytics. Look at metrics like CTR, conversion rate and cost per conversion. Use this data to make informed decisions on your campaigns.

Local Service Ads

Local Service Ads (LSAs) are another great tool for local businesses. Let’s get into the benefits and requirements of LSAs:

Pay Per Lead: Unlike traditional ads where you pay per click, LSAs charge you for leads, which could be phone calls or form submissions. This model is more cost-effective for businesses looking to generate direct customer inquiries.

Verification Process: To run LSAs, businesses must prove their legitimacy by providing necessary documentation such as insurance, background checks and business licenses. This verification process builds trust with potential customers.

Visibility: LSAs show up at the top of search results with a Google Guaranteed badge, making them super visible and trustworthy. This badge means Google has verified your business, an extra layer of credibility.

Local Service Ads are great for service-based businesses like plumbers, electricians, and lawyers. They give you a direct line to potential customers who are searching for your services.

Is Google Maps Advertising Right for Your Business?

Not all businesses need to be on Google Maps. While local businesses like plumbers, CPAs, or any service provider will benefit greatly from being on Maps, e-commerce businesses that ship nationwide may not need to be as much. However, having a Google Business Profile is still useful for collecting and showcasing reviews.

For local businesses being on Google Maps is almost a requirement. The Google Maps app is a key player in local search ads, helping businesses connect with nearby customers through targeted marketing.

For e-commerce businesses, Google Maps may not drive direct sales but having a well-maintained Google Business Profile can still boost your online presence. It gives customers a place to leave reviews which can influence other potential buyers. And having a verified profile can also improve your overall SEO performance.

Advanced Tips for Google Maps Advertising

To really stand out on Google Maps businesses should consider going beyond the basics. Here are some extra tips:

  1. Leverage Local Guides and Reviews: Engage with local guides who frequently leave reviews on Google Maps. Positive reviews from these guides can boost your profile’s credibility. Consider offering incentives for customers to leave reviews but make sure this complies with Google’s review policies.
  2. Use Google Posts: Use the Google Posts feature to share updates, offers, events and news directly on your Google Business Profile. These posts will show up on your profile on Maps and search results giving you extra information and engagement opportunities for potential customers.
  3. Don’t Forget the Q&A: Manage the Q&A section of your Google Business Profile. Answering questions promptly can provide valuable information to potential customers and show your business is responsive and helpful.
  4. Keep Your Hours & Business Details Up to Date: Keeping hours updated shows Google that you are active and, therefore, trustworthy. It will also prevent customers from making the trip out to your store only to find that it’s closed or closing—which can sometimes spark a negative review (which hurts your rankings).
  5. Always Use a Local Phone Number: Make sure your phone number is the same area code of your location. This will help your searchers verify that your business is located in that area, and boost your ranking.
  6. Run In-store Promotions: Use in-store promotions to feature ongoing discounts and special offers within your ads on Google Maps. This will attract customers and drive foot traffic to your physical locations.
  7. Track and Analyze: Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track traffic and engagement from Google Maps. Analyze this data to see how users are interacting with your profile and ads and adjust your strategies accordingly.
  8. Ad Extensions: Google Ads has various ad extensions like call extensions, location extensions and callout extensions. Experiment with these to provide extra information and boost your ads.
  9. Google Display Network: Integrate the Google Display Network into your digital marketing strategy to reach beyond immediate search. This can target users who may not be actively searching for specific products and increase visibility across multiple Google properties.
  10. Mobile Optimise: Make sure your website and ads are mobile-friendly. Many people use Google Maps on their smartphones so a mobile-friendly experience will lead to higher engagement and conversions.
  11. Local Keywords are Gold: Where it makes sense, add location-based keywords to pages on your site, like your homepage, about & contact, products and services page, and even blog posts. This could be in the title of the pages, headings, body text, image tags, captions, and URLs.
  12. Embed a Map Directly on Your Site: Another way to rank higher on Maps is to embed a Google map directly on your website. Most businesses do this on the Contact Us page, but you can add it wherever it makes sense.

Wrapping it up

Advertising on Google Maps can boost your local business’s visibility and drive more customers to your doorstep.

Follow the tips from our experts—claim and optimize your Google Business Profile, create effective ad campaigns, and use Local Service Ads and you’ll get the most out of this powerful tool.

Google Maps is not just a navigation tool; it’s a discovery and engagement platform.

Whether you’re a local business looking to attract nearby customers or an e-commerce business looking to boost your online presence Google Maps has features to help you achieve your goals.

If all this seems too much to manage StubGroup can help. Our team will walk you through the process and get your business set up for success!

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