Google has increased the horizons of its advertising arena for quite some time now. With featured listings on Google Maps, businesses can now claim a distinct identity of their own. This will help them garner traction the next time someone hits the search button after typing “__ store near me” on Google or Google Maps. If this sounds like an intriguing opportunity to you, then this detailed blog is for you as it unveils what is Google Maps Advertising, how to do it, and how it can benefit local businesses.
What Is Google Maps Advertising?
Google Maps advertising will make your business listing appear in front of relevant and nearby audiences with Google ads. With Maps serving over 1 billion users from across the globe, businesses have a fantastic opportunity to attract customers from their local area. Advertising on Google Maps can be done in more than one way and that’s the best part because based on the budget and audience relevance, businesses can connect to the global marketplace.
Google Maps ads work like PPC wherein advertisers pay for each click when a user lands on their ad. One thing that people often overlook about Maps advertising is that it isn’t any mere promotional strategy for location-based searches in Google Maps, but can also elevate their digital marketing strategy.
How Do Google Maps Ads Work?
Google Maps Ads work wonderfully on both desktop and mobile devices, which gives users a robust mechanism. Once an ad is created for Google, it comes into users’ sight when they use the Maps app on mobile, or desktop or run a search on Google. So the next time you want to publicize your business on Google, you know where to go for triple exposure.
Features Of Google Maps Advertising
Here are the features of Google Maps ads that set apart Sponsored listings from standard business listings:
1. Sponsored Local Search Results
Search result adverts appear when a user searches for a particular business on their mobile device. Usually, businesses with paid local ads appear on top with a highlighted tag of “Sponsored.” Such ads provide optimum exposure to businesses who don’t want to lose their grip on the market even by a bit and establish themselves as a notable identity in their respective industry.
Although these ads work on a location-based premise showcasing the nearest business spot on the top, some paid listings can influence the search results in some areas.
2. Promoted Pins
Promoted pins work like a wonder in Google Maps as they display as a separate eye-catching square pop-out or brand logo even if someone is not searching for your business primarily. In other words, these pins captivate users’ attention while they are searching for any place or business. This elevates the chances of people coming across the existence of your business in an impactful manner.
They also feature a landing page redirection and improve website traffic as well as local foot traffic.
As you can see in this image, Singh Physiotherapy Center has invested in paid promoted pins on Google Maps.
3. Promoted Pins along the Route
These appear when a user searches for a route on Google Maps providing their current map location and the final destination. The only difference is that such ads show an option of “Add Stop” which when tapped/clicked on adds the place as a stop in users’ route.
4. In-store Promotions
With Google Maps ads, businesses can promote offers, discounts, and special arrivals. This helps them attract customers to new deals, and escalate their store traffic and revenue.
The image shows how Godrej Interio’s ad on Maps shows 35% off on furniture sales. People interested in the deal can visit the link and discover more about the same.
5. Featured Customer Reviews
Google Map advertising allows businesses to display their customers’ feedback and reviews while on the app. This is a critical part of fostering brand credibility and search engine rankings because your online reputation in front of your audience can be boosted with genuine, authentic, and positive appreciation.
6. Customizable Business Page
Google search ads returns a landing page with a Visit Site tab, Directions button, Website button, location sharing options, overview, reviews, and about.
The online information on your Google Business Profile and ads automatically updates the key changes on the Maps sponsored pins and also allows people to chat using the new Google Business Messages feature.
7. Local Search Inventory
Local search inventory when integrated with Google Maps, allows businesses to display their stock to the interested audience, pickup/delivery options, and triggers them for purchase action.
These ads when enabled display the storefront to users and help make them land on the desired page. This can be done by updating either GBP or Google Merchant Center and then integrating it with Google Maps. Here is the link if you want to know how to start local search inventory ads on Google Maps.
Benefits Of Google Maps Advertising
- Capture More Foot Traffic: With Google Maps local search advertising, businesses get to leverage the opportunity to attract clients from places near their palace of operations. This increases the foot traffic and helps establish prominence and credibility among the local audience. Sharing business details like place, operation hours and days, website links, etc. can help get essential information in front of the audience in an effective manner.
- Book Leads Online/Over a Call: Today where people book most of their appointments online, Google Maps attracts a varied audience by displaying both contact numbers and website details for customers. This eases the process, reduces delays, and promotes a feeling of direct contact with businesses in just a few taps/clicks.
- Display Your Reviews: Have you been using your ORM strategy right? If not, then Google Maps ads are the right choice to invest in as they flail satisfactory remarks in front of people, establishing trust in your business name.
- Attract With Images: Businesses have a wonderful option to add images of their place of operations, store, or products to attract their audience and create awareness about the location, products, and ambiance.
How Much Does Google Maps Advertising Cost?
This is not easy maths, the reason being, that most advertisers invest in Google Ads which have an impact in uplifting overall Search Engine Marketing (SEM) strategy and Google Maps is a part of it. So to assess this, you first need to know that Google advertising can range anywhere between $1000 to $10000 a month. However, this cost can go high or low due to the influence of several factors which include:
1. Industry
Not on your nelly is the cost of Google Maps advertising because this depends on the industry your business operates in. For instance, competitive and highly searched industries are difficult to rank due to high competition and hence can escalate the cost of implementing Google Ads. Such industries have a higher Cost-Per-Click (CPC) and Cost-Per-Lead (CPL).
2. Market Trends
One of the key intricacies of Google Maps advertising comes from fluctuations and shifts in the market demand. Consumer behavior in any industry is unstable and can shift due to any unforeseen reason that affects bidding strategy. That’s why one must assess the market demand timely and accordingly decide the keyword bids.
3. Keywords
Keywords are of utmost importance in any ad campaign’s cost and determining its success. Usually, keywords with competitive ranking and high search volume attract more cost in the form of bids. Whereas, low-competition keywords have more chances of ranking and lesser bid cost.
4. Bid & Budget
Bid and budget are two such factors that go hand in hand. For one thing, every person or organization has a different budget for running Google Maps Ads. As a consequence, their bidding strategy and amount differs which is set after considering the goal of advertising.
5. Quality Score
Quality Score is a number between 1 to 10 that Google allots to an ad based on its keyword and landing page relevance to the keyword and experience, and expected CTR. A higher Quality Score means your ad has a better chance of performing in the online competition and vice-versa. CPC is determined based on the Quality Score of your ad.
How To Set Up & Optimize Google Maps Advertising Strategy?
To begin with Google Maps Ads, you first need to have a GBP listing and a Google Ads Account with the same mail ID. If you have them already, you can proceed with the 3rd Step, otherwise, start your Maps advertising journey with Mind Mingles.
1. Setup & Optimize Your GBP Listing
Willing to expand your business online without a GBP listing is not at all possible. With an updated and optimized Google Business Profile listing you can leverage the benefits of both worlds, by targeting local audiences and improving search visibility in Google Maps.
2. Create a Google Ads Account
Another important thing that you must have is a Google Ads Account for activating local extensions. This helps handle ad campaigns and integrate them with Google Maps effectively. You can follow the instructions given on this Google help page for setting up a Google Ads Account.
3. Add Location Asset/Extension To Ad Campaigns
Activating Local Extensions for Google Maps advertising is a brilliant way to showcase your business listing in location-based searches. Follow the below-stated steps for integrating local extensions with Google Maps:
- Once your Ads account is set up, stay logged in and go to the Google Ads dashboard.
- On the left-side panel, find the “Assets” option in the menu.
- Now under “Ads & Assets,” click on the “+” and choose Location Extension from the given alternatives.
- Select the options as per your preference and follow the prompt actions on the screen to add the location asset.
4. Set Up Location Targeting
Geotargeting or location targeting enables the potential of your campaign by emphasizing on specific geographical places This not only saves your money but also improves targeting based on an area. That’s why once you’ve added a location asset, you must enable location targeting for your Google Ads.
5. Optimize Your Bids
Bid optimization is a splendid way to lower your cost-per-click (CPC) for Google Maps Advertising. By making a suitable percentage increase or decrease in bid adjustments, you can transform your bid price for specific locations. This will affect how frequently people in a certain city, country, or region, will come across your ad.
6. Review & Revamp The Campaign Performance
This is the most important phase because after running your ad, you must assess what ROI is it reaping for your business, and this can be ascertained by focusing on the number of impressions, clicks, and conversions. Keeping track of these performance metrics will help you identify the shortcomings of your ad campaign and boost it accordingly for over-the-top performance.
Conclusion
Google Maps advertising is a diligent way to attract traffic from your nearby locations and garner limelight in the tough online marketing. Its features and ability to transform a location-based sharing with an intuitive premise elevates the level of local digital marketing strategy.
With an updated GBP listing, creating a Google Ads account, adding location assets, optimizing bids, using geo-targeting, and reviewing campaign performance, one can utilize Google Maps ads to the fullest. So as per your business requirements and budget, you can use promoted pins, sponsored search results, promoted pins along the route, featured customer reviews, and in-store promotions.
