We know that since 50% of consumers who conduct mobile searches visit a store within a day, your current and future ad targeting strategies should cater to mobile searchers. But before you begin increasing bids on your mobile advertisements, you must ensure that your location data is accessible and accurate for searchers. With the Google My Business (GMB) API opening up to authorized representatives, the real-time opportunity of managing and spreading your location information is bigger than ever.
Your local data now has the potential to direct customers to appropriate locations off the bat, leading less room for misguidance and a boosted ROI. You’ve heard us discuss the importance of creating online advertisements with local intent, so below we have listed two strategies you can implement for mobile audiences with these GMB updates in mind.
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Getting local with non-branded searches
Bidding on non-branded keywords is critical to ensuring your business is targeting customers in the beginning stages of their path-to-purchase. With GMB determining proximity of your customer's location, smart advertisers bid more aggressively for users near local stores to outrank local competitors. You are competing against your local competition, so it is crucial that you are always bidding on the right keywords and locations.
With the new GMB API integration, store managers will have the ability to update their improve ad relevancy with the appropriate location data in real-time. Below is an example of businesses that have targeted the term “tire repair” for local audiences. By bidding on this keyword in a geo-fenced area they are able to provide nearby customers immediate access to directions to their locations.
2. Show your customers your closest locations with branded search queries
Bidding on branded keywords ensures consumers who make searches with strong purchase intent are directed to your nearest local store. By bidding on your branded keywords you secure your business ranks in the top positions on Google’s search results and not your competition. Once your branded keywords have been protected your advertisements, Google will then show the most relevant local ads based on your business’s GMB data.
As an example we’ve searched the term “ampm” on Google and received the following results.
*Note: notice how Arco, an ampm competitor, is bidding on their competition’s branded term.
Conclusion
By optimizing your business’s branded and non-branded advertisements with location information you ensure your local-mobile customers find the intel needed to drive them to your store location (literally). Local advertising with the most up to date location information leads to Higher CTR , improved Quality Score, increased conversion rate, more engaged customers and a better overall ad campaign performance.
Need more proof that Local Advertising is the way to go? Check out our latest Case Study on how we increased a national ice cream retail brand’s ROI.
