Updates to Local campaigns: the future of advertising on Google

Google’s local campaigns will become increasingly retailer-oriented.

Local campaigns are part of Google’s “Smart Campaigns” and are almost entirely automated. Their main function, in line with the goals of those who use them to advertise their stores locally, is to generate more in-store visits. In other words, to drive online-to-offline conversions: RetailTune’s very own mission!

Within these campaigns, ads can appear across a variety of platforms belonging to Google’s network, including the first page of search results, the Local Three-Pack (the top three highlighted results), Google Maps and even YouTube.

Google has revealed the results of a study it recently carried out involving various advertisers who use Local campaigns. This showed that, on average, Local campaigns have helped the brands that use them achieve five times more compared with the standard.

Google intends to keep expanding Local campaigns in order to help more and more businesses with their local digital marketing strategies. And certainly also to offer an ever-better service to the millions of Google users around the world. Plans include making “call-to-action” features such as direct calling or an immediate link to Maps even more usable. As well as enhancing ads to let brands highlight information specific to certain products, or feature special offers.

In addition, Google has announced the introduction of a very interesting new feature that will let businesses show a store’s location on Google Maps when a user who has previously shown interest in the brand or in the products/services it offers is planning a route or browsing nearby.

In short, Google is going out of its way to boost the effectiveness of Local campaigns, and to offer the best possible service both to its users and to those who use its services to advertise their stores. The effectiveness of Local campaigns is beyond question: consumers are eagerly seeking personalized experiences and purchasing opportunities tailored to them or to their local community.

Given the enhancements planned for Local campaigns, they look set to become only more advantageous for businesses with multiple stores.

RetailTune and its team are your allies in shaping successful Local Digital Marketing strategies.

Claudio Agazzi, Founder & MD at RetailTune.ai