PPC (Pay-per-click) advertising is a digital marketing tool. Advertisers create ads and bid on keywords relevant to their target audience. The ads get displayed on search engine results pages (SERPs), websites, or social media platforms. This type of advertising targets specific audiences and can effectively drive traffic to a website or landing page.
The advertiser pays each time a user clicks on one of their online ads. They track metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost per conversion to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns.
Targeting local customers through PPC advertising is vital for local businesses. It helps them reach a highly relevant and engaged audience. This type of advertising also allows for more precise targeting options, resulting in a higher click-through rate and conversion rate. Let’s look at how PPC for local business can help companies target local customers.
Setting up a Local PPC Campaign
To start, you need to create a Google My Business account to help increase your online visibility and reach local customers. Google My Business (GMB) is one of Google’s free tools to help businesses who want to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps.
When creating an account, fill out your business information, including the business name, address, and phone number. This information will be displayed on Google Maps and in local search results, making it easier for local customers to find you.
While setting up local PPC campaigns, organizations must utilize location-based keywords in their pay-per-click campaigns. By including specific geographic locations in their keywords, they ensure that their ads get displayed to users in their target areas.
You can also use location modifiers such as “near me” or “close by” to reach customers actively searching for businesses in their area. By doing so, you can increase the relevance of your ads to local customers and improve your chances of attracting clicks and conversions.
Businesses can also consider creating ad groups for specific areas in their pay-per-click advertising campaigns. An ad group is a set of related ads and keywords that share the same target audience, budget, and bid amount. It tailors your advertising message and targeting to each site and ensures your ads get displayed to users in your target locations.
Optimizing a Local PPC Campaign
There are many ways to optimize a PPC campaign, one of them being to use negative keywords to exclude non-local traffic. Identifying and excluding keywords unrelated to the local business saves money on clicks from users who are not likely to convert into customers.
Another way to optimize a local PPC campaign is by utilizing call tracking to measure local phone leads. Call tracking allows businesses to track phone calls generated from local PPC ads. It provides valuable data on the source of the ring, the duration, and even the content of the conversation.
The information gets used to optimize the local PPC campaign by making data-driven decisions. Businesses can adjust their local PPC strategies by measuring and analyzing call data to improve their targeting, messaging, and overall performance. This method provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of advertising efforts.
Firms can also optimize a local PPC campaign by creating location-specific landing pages. They enhance the user experience, making it easier for local customers to find the information they need and take action, such as making a purchase or calling the business.
Additionally, location-specific landing pages can improve the relevance and quality scores of the local PPC ads, leading to lower cost per click and higher ad rankings. By providing a more relevant and personalized experience, location-specific landing pages can increase the likelihood of local customers converting into paying customers.
Advanced Local PPC Techniques
Businesses can use retargeting to target local customers in PPC advertising by combining retargeting with location-based targeting technology. It involves tracking and collecting data on the visitors’ behavior and location on the business website. The collected data gets used to show targeted ads to visitors as they browse the web in their specific geographic area.
Retargeting allows businesses to reach potential customers who have previously shown interest and are likely to convert, specifically in their local area. By using retargeting and location-based targeting, companies can increase the chances of a successful conversion and maximize the return on investment for their PPC for local business advertising campaigns.
Local inventory ads are another advanced technique of PPC advertising designed for brick-and-mortar businesses to reach local customers. They appear in search engine results when users search for related products in their area. This advertising allows companies to effectively target their local audience, providing them with a cost-effective way to reach potential customers and drive sales.
Service-based businesses can use local service ads to showcase their services in PPC advertising. By utilizing local service ads, service-based companies can effectively target their local audience and increase service visibility.
Measuring the Success of a Local PPC Campaign
Organizations must measure the progress and success rate of their Local PPC campaign strategies. Measuring the success will help firms get insights into the effect of the campaign of their local business on the local customers.
By tracking conversions, you can see which marketing campaigns and advertising channels drive the most sales by tracking conversions. Phone leads allow you to converse directly with potential customers, helping them understand their needs and determine the best way to meet them.
Analyzing geographical data in Google Analytics is another way to measure the success of your local PPC campaign. Geographical data shows your website visitors’ location and other information, helping you understand your local customers and create more personalized and compelling marketing messages.
Using customer feedback to measure the success of your PPC Campaign is an effective way of reaching local customers. By actively seeking and considering input from your local customers, you can gain valuable insights into what they are looking for and what they need from your business.
Wrapping up
Pay-per-click advertising can be highly effective for local businesses targeting local customers. Strategies to effectively target local customers through PPC include targeting location-based keywords, using location extensions and location targeting, and utilizing customer demographic information.
Using these resources and considering the key points, PPC for local businesses can help companies increase their visibility and drive more qualified traffic to their website. Need help with a PPC campaign for your business? Contact the E-Mod Marketing team for support today.
