How To Get Started with Google Maps Ads
Follow these seven steps:
- Set up a Google Business Profile – You can only use Google Maps ads if you have a business profile on Google. So, if you don’t have one yet, set up a Google Business Profile
- Get a Google Ads account – To run any ads, you need a Google Ads account. You can sign up for one using the same email address for the Google Business Profile and the Google Ads account. Before creating Google Maps ads, you need to run some search ads since the local search ads require location extensions.
- Add the Location Extension – Go to the left-hand menu panel and click “Ads & Extensions,” which will lead you to different ad extensions. Add the location extension to connect your Google My Business profile. Go to the Extensions menu and click the blue button with a plus sign at the top to start adding a new local extension.
- Set Up Location Targeting – Set up location targeting for your ads when you have your location extension. You can set this up by going to the locations section on the left-hand menu and clicking the blue circle at the top. Select an active search campaign from the list and enter the area you want to target. As a best practice, choose to target the same zip code as your business and then use radius targeting to target people in that area.
Make sure to set up bid adjustments for the areas around your business. This setting increases the likelihood of people physically near your business finding and seeing you on Google Maps.
Once your ad is approved and running, it’s good to track your ad’s performance. First, filter what type of clicks users receive to group everything into mobile clicks to call, location details, and driving directions interactions. Then, you understand how people interact with your local ads and how well your ads are performing.
Conclusion
Every month, 1 billion users find their destinations with the help of Google Maps. And every year, 1.5 billion destinations are being targeted by internet users worldwide. That makes it clear that Google Maps holds immense possibilities for advertising and growing a business.
As a local business owner, leveraging Google Maps is crucial to digital marketing. But more than just putting your business on the map, you can take advantage of Google Maps ads to truly stand out and attract more people to buy from you, so if you’re already using Google Maps, well done. If not, it may be a time to use our service to set up a Google Business Profile and Google Maps ads.
