Maximize Your Local Target with Google Ads
Offering some of my very best Google Ad tips for local services/businesses.
In my 12+ years working with Google Ads, I've discovered that location bidding and targeting are often overlooked and underutilized.
Typically overshadowed by keywords and ad copy, location targeting is a secondary asset to most people running their ads. However, it's a powerful tool that, when used effectively, can significantly improve your ad performance and ROI.
Bid adjustments on locations can help boost a new customer base.
Bid Adjustments on Locations Can Help Boost a New Customer Base
Just like keywords, locations can be used to zero in on your audience, more specifically, to target the right audience. Using targeted and negative locations (just like keywords) allows local businesses to maximize their budget for the right people.
Basics of Setting Up Locations for Targeting
Google typically asks users "where" they want to target their ads, but it usually stops after they select a town, county, or radius region. This is where most people stop with any location settings, missing out on the potential to save money with advanced settings.
SAVE MONEY WITH ADVANCED SETTINGS
When targeting an audience, it's important to target where you don't want to make sales just as much as where you do.
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Steps for Advanced Location Settings Per Campaign:
Select Locations: Choose locations you want to target for a campaign, including radius locations, towns, counties, states, or countries. You will also want to use excluded locations (more on that later), which you can change here.
Location Options: A "Location options" dropdown is below these settings. Click that, and you will be presented with two options:
Option 1 (Recommended by Google): Presence or Interest. This means your ads will show to those in your area AND people who may have been passing through or doing a quick search.
Option 2: Presence. People located in your included locations.
After considering these options, most local businesses do not need to target people outside their immediate area, which means Google's "recommendation" could serve your ads to people who will never buy from you.
When to Use Option 1: Hotels or Destinations
If you're advertising a hotel or destination that people are searching for outside of your immediate area - then option 1 makes sense.
When to Use Option 2: Local & Service Businesses
If you're advertising local businesses that rely on foot traffic or a service-based company traveling locally to customers - then option 2 makes sense.
Remember to regularly review and adjust your location settings based on performance data to optimize your strategy continuously.
Choosing Your Excluded Areas
Like negative keywords, having "negative locations" or excluded locations for your campaign is important to omit audiences you don't want to bid on. But how do you choose what locations to exclude?
Consider These Factors When Excluding Locations:
Expensive Bidding Areas: Maybe competitors in a specific region are also bidding but are a bit out of your budget.
Highly Competitive Areas: Local businesses may be so established that it's difficult to penetrate their territory, so you can exclude those areas.
Irrelevant Traffic: Exclude areas where your products or services are irrelevant or needed.
Low Conversion Rates: Identify regions where your ads get clicks but rarely convert, and consider excluding them.
Geographic Nuances: Some areas might have specific geographic or cultural nuances that make them less ideal for your business.
Additional Points for Choosing Excluded Locations:
Analyze Historical Data: Use your Google Ads data to identify areas with low-performance metrics.
Customer Demographics: Understand where your target customers are and exclude areas that don't match these demographics.
Competitor Analysis: Exclude locations where competitors dominate the market unless you have a unique value proposition that can compete effectively.
Effective location targeting in Google Ads involves more than just selecting where you want your ads to appear. By using advanced settings and carefully choosing excluded locations, you can ensure your ads reach the most relevant audience, save money, and improve your campaign's performance
Layering Your Location Targeting
Layering location targeting allows you to refine your audience further by setting different bid adjustments for various radii around your business. This method helps you focus your budget on the most valuable areas and potential customers.
Steps for Layering Location Targeting:
Set Up Multiple Radii: Instead of just one radius, I recommend setting up multiple radii around your business location, such as 5 miles, 10 miles, and 20 miles. This helps create a more granular targeting strategy.
Bid Adjustments for Radii: Assign different bid adjustments for each radius. For instance, I might increase bids for the area within 5 miles, set a lower bid for the 10-mile radius, and an even lower bid for the 20-mile radius. This ensures you’re spending more on areas likely to bring in more business.
Evaluate Performance: Monitor each radius's performance regularly. Adjust your bids based on the performance data to maximize your ROI.
Targeting Specific Towns and Counties
In addition to using radii, targeting specific towns and counties can be incredibly effective, especially if you know certain areas have a higher demand for your services or products.
Steps for Targeting Towns and Counties:
Identify Key Areas: Use your customer data to identify towns and counties where your business has a strong presence or where you see growth potential.
Set Up Location Targets: Add these towns and counties as specific location targets in Google Ads.
Adjust Bids Accordingly: Assign higher bids to areas with higher potential. For example, if a nearby town has shown higher conversion rates, increase your bids for that town to capture more traffic.
Regular Review and Adjustment: Continuously review the performance of these targeted areas and adjust your bids based on the data.
Combining Strategies for Maximum Impact
Combining these advanced strategies can create a highly targeted and efficient ad campaign. Here’s how I do it:
Layering with Specific Locations: I use radius and specific town/county targeting. This allows me to cast a wide net while focusing on high-value areas.
Segmenting Campaigns: I create separate campaigns for different regions or radii. This way, I can tailor the ad copy, bids, and budgets to each segment.
Monitoring and Optimizing: I use Google Ads’ reporting tools to track the performance of each layer and location. I adjust my strategies based on what the data tells me.
Advanced location targeting in Google Ads, such as layering and targeting specific towns and counties, can significantly enhance your campaign’s performance. By implementing these strategies, you can ensure your ads reach the most valuable audience segments, maximize your ad spend, and drive more conversions.
Remember, effective advertising requires continuous optimization. Regularly review your performance data, experiment with different strategies, and stay informed about new features and best practices in Google Ads. You can maximize your advertising budget and achieve your business goals with the right approach.