How to Run Google Ads for Local Businesses

For local businesses wanting to attract new customers, Google Ads is a great tool. It can boost visibility. Google Ads helps small businesses reach users searching for local services or products. They can control their budget and track results in real-time. But, a successful Google Ads campaign for a local business needs a specific approach. It must reach the right audience and convert clicks into customers.

This guide will help you run Google Ads for a local business. It covers setup, targeting, ad creation, and optimization. Google Ads can be tailored to your needs. It works if you have a store, provide local services, or manage online orders.

1. Understanding the Benefits of Google Ads for Local Businesses

Before diving into the setup, let’s discuss why Google Ads is ideal for local businesses:

• Increased Visibility in Local Search: Google Ads allows you to appear at the top of search results when users in your area search for relevant products or services. This helps businesses like restaurants and salons that rely on local customers.

• Budget Control: You can set daily budgets, choose cost-per-click (CPC) pricing, and control how much you want to spend on your campaign. This flexibility helps local businesses work within their budgets and ensures you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.

• Targeted Reach: With Google Ads’ targeting features, you can restrict your ads to a specific radius around your business or target by ZIP code, city, or region, ensuring your ads reach people who are likely to visit.

2. Setting Up Your Google Ads Account

If you’re new to Google Ads, here’s a quick guide to get started:

• Create a Google Ads Account: Go to ads.google.com and click “Start Now.” Follow the prompts to set up your account, entering your business information, payment details, and time zone.

• Select Campaign Goal: For local businesses, you’ll typically choose goals like “Get more calls” or “Get more website visits,” as these drive direct interactions.

• Choose Campaign Type: Select “Search Network” for text ads that appear on Google search results. Search ads help local businesses the most. They target users searching for specific services.

3. Targeting the Right Audience for Your Local Business

Local businesses must target their ads. They need to reach people in their service area. Google Ads offers several options for geographic targeting:

• Set Location Targeting: In your campaign settings, select “Location Options.” Choose a specific area around your business by entering a ZIP code, city, or radius in miles or kilometers.

• Use Keyword Targeting with Local Intent: Choose keywords that reflect local intent, such as “near me,” “in [city],” or “[service] [city].” For example, if you’re a plumber in Denver, you’d target keywords like “plumber in Denver” or “emergency plumber near me.”

• Leverage Demographic Targeting: Google Ads lets you narrow your audience by age, gender, income, and more. If your product or service appeals to a specific demographic (e.g., “pet grooming for elderly dog owners”), use these settings to refine your reach.

• Location Extensions: Enable location extensions in your ad settings to show your business address, phone number, and distance from the user. It boosts click-through rates (CTR) and informs searchers of your location.

4. Choosing Keywords for Local Google Ads Campaigns

Selecting the right keywords is essential for driving relevant traffic to your business. Here’s how to approach keyword selection for a local business:

• Focus on Localized Keywords: Include your city, neighborhood, or region in your keywords to reach local searchers. Examples are “landscaping services in Miami” or “hair salon in downtown Seattle.”

• Use Long-Tail Keywords: Long-tail keywords are more specific and often less competitive, which can lead to higher conversion rates. Long-tail keywords include “affordable pet grooming in [city]” and “same-day AC repair near me.””

• Use Google’s Keyword Planner: Google Ads provides a free Keyword Planner tool to help you find relevant keywords, estimate their costs, and see search volume trends.

• Negative Keywords: Add negative keywords to exclude irrelevant searches. For example, if you’re a high-end restaurant, you might use negative keywords like “cheap” or “fast food” to avoid attracting the wrong audience.

5. Creating High-Quality Ads for Local Businesses

With a defined target and keyword list, the next step is to create compelling ads that attract clicks and conversions. Follow these steps for ad creation:

• Craft an Engaging Headline: Your headline should include your primary keyword and local relevance. For example, “Top-Rated Plumber in Austin” or “Fresh Flowers Delivered in Boston.”

• Highlight Unique Selling Points (USPs): Why should users choose your business? Use USPs like “Open 24/7,” “Family-Owned Since 1995,” or “Eco-Friendly Products” to set your business apart.

• Add a Call-to-Action (CTA): Make sure your ad includes a clear CTA, such as “Call Now,” “Book Online,” or “Visit Us Today.” This directs users to take immediate action.

• Use Ad Extensions: Google Ads offers several ad extensions that provide additional details about your business:

  • Location Extension: Shows your business location and distance.

  • Call Extension: Adds a clickable phone number to mobile ads.

  • Site Link Extension: Directs users to specific pages like “Menu” or “Book a Reservation.”

  • Review Extension: Displays positive customer reviews to boost credibility.

6. Optimizing Landing Pages for Conversions

Once users click on your ad, the landing page is where conversions happen. Here’s how to ensure your landing pages are optimized:

• Match the Message: Make sure your landing page aligns with the ad. If your ad promotes a discount on a particular service, link to a page that details the offer.

• Mobile-Friendly Design: Many local searches happen on mobile devices, so ensure your landing page loads quickly and is easy to navigate on mobile.

• Include Clear CTAs: Just as in the ad, your landing page should have clear CTAs, like “Book an Appointment” or “Contact Us Today,” along with an easy-to-use form or button.

• Display Contact Information: Include your phone number, address, and a map. Make it easy for customers to contact you directly or visit your physical location.

7. Budgeting and Bidding Strategy for Local Google Ads

Budgeting correctly is crucial to getting the best ROI from your Google Ads campaign. Here are a few tips to set up your budget and bidding:

• Set a Daily Budget: Decide how much you can spend daily, then set a budget in Google Ads. For local campaigns, you might start small and increase your budget as you refine your targeting.

• Use Manual CPC or Enhanced CPC: For new campaigns, manual CPC allows you to control costs per click. Alternatively, Enhanced CPC adjusts bids for conversions. It helps once you have conversion data.

• Adjust Bids by Location and Time: Some businesses see better results during specific times. Adjust bids to be higher during peak business hours or reduce bids during off-hours to stretch your budget.

• Monitor and Adjust Budget: Regularly review performance and reallocate the budget to higher-performing keywords, ads, or locations.

8. Measuring and Optimizing Your Google Ads Campaign

Tracking your campaign performance is essential to improving your results over time. Google Ads provides robust analytics to monitor various metrics:

• Key Metrics to Track:

  • Click-Through Rate (CTR): Indicates the effectiveness of your ads. A low CTR may signal the need for a better ad copy or targeting.

  • Conversion Rate: The percentage of clicks that lead to conversions. A high conversion rate shows your landing page aligns well with your ad.

  • Cost Per Conversion: Helps evaluate the profitability of your campaign by measuring how much each conversion costs.

• Regularly A/B Test: Test different ad copies, images, and landing pages to see what works best. Make data-driven adjustments based on these tests to continually improve your ad performance.

• Refine Keyword List: After collecting enough data, identify keywords that perform well and increase bids for those, while pausing or reducing bids on underperforming keywords.

• Optimize Based on Location Performance: If you see specific locations or areas perform better, allocate more budget to those zones to maximize ROI.

9. Conclusion

Running Google Ads for local businesses is a great way to attract customers, improve visibility, and drive visits. Use strategic targeting, the right keywords, and tailored ads. You can then connect with your local audience effectively. Regularly optimize and analyze your campaigns. This ensures they are cost-effective and keep bringing in new customers to grow your business.

With careful planning, Google Ads can help your local business thrive in today’s digital market.