Google Ads local campaign: Introducing the Differences from local Search Ads

Google Ads local campaign

A cheff in the restaurant 

Businesses that rely on customers visiting their locations, such as restaurants and retail stores, have problems observing the results of online advertising and distributing advertisements.

Just as you might visit a convenience store or restaurant without making a reservation, you won't be able to clearly notice the benefits of your marketing even if you distribute store advertisements if there are no reservations or applications.

A "Local Campaign" is a campaign that Google Ads provides especially for brick and mortar establishments. This campaign is advantageous for businesses operating storefronts, as it allows advertisements to be distributed while partially resolving the issue of difficulty in seeing results.

When the time comes, we'll go into great detail on local campaign overviews, what constitutes a conversion, how they differ from local search advertisements, how to set them up, and some important considerations.

What is a local campaign?

A Local Campaign is a specific distribution feature within Google Ads tailored for businesses with physical stores. It enables you to disseminate advertisements aimed at enticing users to visit your store. The channels for ad delivery encompass the Google Search Network, Google Maps, YouTube, Gmail, and the Google Display Network.

Display example of “Local Campaign” on Google Maps

Image source: About Local Campaign | Google Ads Help

Products suitable for local campaigns

Local Campaign serves as an advertising distribution mechanism specifically designed for businesses with brick-and-mortar establishments. Users, depending on their circumstances or preferences, employ search or maps to locate a suitable store.

Consequently, it serves as an advertising avenue for businesses that often receive spontaneous visits without prior reservations, such as restaurants and retail stores. While hotels and upscale restaurants typically rely on advance bookings, local campaigns prove beneficial in informing users about the particulars of a store. It caters not only to establishments welcoming walk-ins but also those requiring reservations.

Local campaign distribution aspect

Local campaigns span various advertising platforms within Google, including the Google Search Network, Google Maps, YouTube, and the Google Display Network. Let's delve into how ads are showcased across each distribution platform.

Google Search Network

Ads featured on the Google Search Network come to the forefront when users search for terms aligning with your store. The specific criteria for word selection remain undisclosed. The advertisement manifests in the map results list visible on the search screen.

Google Maps

In the realm of Google Maps, your advertisements surface when individuals search for terms in proximity to your business that closely align with its nature. These ads not only appear on the search results screen but may also feature logos and text displayed directly on the map.

Display example of “Local Campaign” on Google Maps

Image source: About Local Campaign | Google Ads Help

YouTube

Display example of “Local Campaign” on Google Maps

Image source: About Local Campaign | Google Ads Help

Local campaign conversions

In the case of a store-based business, it is difficult to check the results of advertising unless you make reservations to visit the store. Local campaigns have their own conversions to solve this problem.

Sales and visits at stores

Local campaigns use two conversions by default: Store Sale and Store Visit. Both are linked to data from actual stores and measured as conversions.

"In-store sales" and "store visits" are achieved by linking customer information from point services such as apps with Google account data when a customer who is logged in to a Google account clicks on an ad and visits a store or makes a purchase. , is considered a conversion . Google Maps store visit data and survey data are also used to determine conversions.

If the usage conditions are met, "Sales in store" will be automatically generated as a conversion. It is easy to meet the requirements for nationwide chain stores, but it is almost impossible for individual stores. In that case, "local action conversions" will be used for optimization.

Local action conversion

If you can't meet the terms and conditions and can't meet the "Store Sales" and "Store Visit" conversions, use local action conversions.

Conversions for local actions are less likely to result in a store visit or purchase compared to "in-store sales" and "store visit" conversions. It is best to treat this value only as a reference value for optimization.

Local campaigns can only be distributed through P-MAX

Local campaigns can only be distributed using the bidding strategy "P-MAX". P-MAX is a campaign that automatically sets bidding, targeting, and distribution destinations according to the campaign goals.

Google will automatically adjust to maximize results, but please be aware that you can't see where or how much of your content has been delivered across multiple distribution planes.

A thorough explanation of "P-MAX," which automatically sets bidding, targeting, and distribution destinations. Introducing the setting method and points learned from distribution

Differences from local search ads

Local search ads are similar to local campaigns. Local search ads are not set on a campaign-by-campaign basis like local campaigns, but are delivered when you set the address asset for search ads.

Setting up local search ads allows you to serve ads on Google Maps. However, unlike local campaigns, it will not be distributed on YouTube or on display.

How to set up a local campaign

From here we will explain how to actually set up a local campaign. 

There are no particularly difficult settings as the process for submitting ads is almost the same as for search ads and display ads. If you haven't set up a Google Business Profile, prepare it in advance. You can set up your Google Business Profile from Google Business Profile – List your business on Google.

First, register your business by entering your business name, business category, location (country), contact information, address, etc.

Next, "owner confirmation" is carried out by phone or postcard, and finally, "business details registration" is completed. When you register your business details, you enter the information you entered during business registration, plus more detailed information such as business hours. Please refer to the specific screen shot and the detailed registration process.

A free feature called Google Business Profile (also known as Google My Business) enables you to control facility information, including stores and businesses that show up in Google search results. Businesses with physical locations should have a Google Business Profile because it offers advantages including being highlighted in search results on Google Search and Google Maps, responding to reviews, and being able to use Insights to evaluate user data. The service you wish to use is this one. 

Create a campaign

Create a campaign from the Google Ads admin screen. Select "+" from the campaign screen and proceed to "Create a new campaign".

Google Ads Management Screen > Campaigns 

If you set the campaign objective to "Improve store visits and store sales," the campaign type will be automatically set to "P-MAX."

Google Ads management screen > Campaigns > Blue plus on the left > Create a new campaign

Check the available conversion goals below the campaign type. In the campaign feed, you can see the accounts of connected business profile managers.

If you have multiple stores set up in your business profile, you can choose where to advertise. Once you've made the settings, select "Continue" and add your desired campaign name.

Google Ads management screen > Campaigns > Blue plus on the left > Create a new campaign > Increase store visits and store sales > Unit pricing

Next, set up your campaign. This is where you specify the language and choose whether to use "automatically created assets".

"Automatically created assets" is a feature that automatically generates ad headlines, etc. using landing pages and ads. I think it's easier to understand if you think of it as something like dynamic search ads.

You can choose to use "Text Assets," which combine the landing page's content and headings with uploaded assets, or "Final Page URLs," which direct users to more relevant URLs. Uncheck it if you do not want to display ads other than the specified assets or URLs.

Finally, in "Other Settings", set "Campaign URL options" such as start and end dates, parameters, etc. If there are no problems with the content, click "Next" to proceed.

Google Ads management screen > Campaigns > Blue plus on the left > Create a new campaign > Increase store visits and store sales > Campaign settings

Configure assets

Next, set up the asset group. An asset group is a set of images, videos, and headlines for your ad.

Enter the final page URL, images (up to 20), logo (up to 5), videos (up to 5), ad headline, long headline, description, company name, and call-to-action according to the management screen. .

Google Ads management screen > Campaigns > Blue plus on the left > Create a new campaign > Increase store visits and store sales > Asset groups

Next, set up the "Audience Signal" recommended by P-MAX. By setting audiences based on user demographics and interests using audience signals, you can quickly reach the optimal audience and improve targeting accuracy.

After setting your budget and ensuring there are no mistakes on the "Summary" screen, the settings are finished.

Google Ads Admin > Campaigns > Blue plus on the left > Create a new campaign > Increase store visits and store sales > Budget

Before distribution, review the campaign contents and check whether the area settings etc. are accurate before starting distribution.

Notes on local campaigns

Setting up and running a local campaign isn't particularly difficult, but there are some things to keep in mind.

Incorrect regional settings will result in wasted advertising costs.

Be sure to check the regional settings when distributing local campaigns. In a store business, the distance that users can go to the store, or in other words, the commercial area, is determined.

Your ads will be shown to users who are not likely to become customers if you make a mistake while establishing your region settings and include a region outside of your business area, wasting your advertising budget.

For instance, the likelihood that someone will visit a store in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, is really low even if you send an advertisement to Osaka Prefecture. Verify your regional settings to get the most of your advertising money.

Uncertainty exists around whether or not those who viewed the advertisement went to the store. Unless you are able to measure conversions for "in-store sales," you won't know whether the local campaigns you're running are really leading to store visits and sales.

Conversions can be measured as reference values, but we cannot guarantee that advertising effectiveness is directly linked to store visits.

It is challenging to see the effects of ad distribution, thus it is required to evaluate the effects away from the site, in contrast to menus that can measure conversions on the web. For instance, it's important to gather information that can be verified by visiting the store and asking personnel about changes in the number of customers or checking to see if the number of visits is rising over time.

Difficult to check results as it is distributed via P-MAX

Local campaigns are currently distributed only on P-MAX, so care must be taken when reporting and analyzing results.

Due to the characteristics of P-MAX, it is not possible to adjust each ad distribution aspect or check the results. Since it is difficult to analyze the results because the data cannot be confirmed, it is necessary to make sure that the nature of such campaigns is understood when reporting and explaining to superiors and clients. Also, be aware that there are fewer actions to take if the results worsen compared to other menus.