Attract Local Shoppers: Effective Google Ads Strategies for Local Retailers

by | Oct 13, 2024 | E-Commerce Marketing, Google Ads, Local Business Marketing

Attract Local Shoppers: Effective Google Ads Strategies for Local Retailers

If you are a local retailer and you want to create a better shopping experience for nearby shoppers, there are two services you need to know about – Google Local Shopping Ads and Google Storefront. Both Google Local Shopping Ads and Google Storefront depend on the Google Local Inventory Feed to display accurate product availability and store information. This feed is critical for synchronizing your in-store inventory with what Google shows to local shoppers online.

In this guide, we will help you understand how to set up and leverage these Google Ads channels. Google’s local shopping ads can be an incredibly powerful tool when used effectively. Let’s dive in!

What are Google Local Shopping Ads?

Local Shopping Ads are ads that promote products sold in physical stores to local customers searching for nearby items. These ads include information such as the product, price, and the distance to the nearest store carrying the item.

Purpose: The goal of Local Shopping Ads is to drive in-store traffic by showing potential customers where they can buy the advertised product in their vicinity.

What It Shows: These ads typically show the product image, price, and the nearest store’s location. When clicked, they may lead to the Google Storefront for more detailed information about the store’s offerings.

What is a Google Storefront?

A Google Storefront is a digital storefront that appears when users click on a Local Inventory Ad. It shows the inventory available at a specific store, including product details, pricing, and availability.

Purpose: It provides an online extension of a physical store, giving potential customers a detailed view of the products they can purchase at the store.

What It Shows: The Google Storefront includes information like the store’s name, address, hours, and a detailed list of in-stock products. Customers can browse the store’s inventory without leaving Google Search or Maps.

What Accounts Do I Need to Set Up?

Google My Business

Local Shopping Ads are designed to help users find products in nearby locations. GMB connects your business address with Google Ads, ensuring your products appear when users search for nearby stores or products. When you set up a Google My Business account, your shopping ads will appear in specific locations based on the user’s proximity to your store, raising the likelihood of them visiting your physical outlet. Here is where you can set up a Google My Business profile.

Google Ads

You need a Google Ads account because it serves as the central platform for managing, targeting, and tracking the performance of your Google Local Shopping Ads. It integrates with Google My Business (for location data) and Google Merchant Center (for product inventory and feed data) to ensure that your ads reach the right local audience effectively.

Google Merchant Center

Once you’ve set up a GMB and Google Ads account, it’s time to set up a Google Merchant Account. Once you open an account, the next step is to connect your Google Merchant account with Google Ads. Google Merchant Center acts as the hub for managing your product data and ensuring accurate inventory listings in both your Local Shopping Ads and Google Storefront. It’s essential for feeding all the product information into Google Ads, enabling the seamless execution of your campaigns. Keep in mind, your online store product data and local store data will be uploaded as a separate product feed. Where does this store data come from? More on this next.

Online Storefront

All of the product data sent to Google Merchant comes from your online store. Since Shopify is a popular e-commerce platform, I will use it as an example. Sending product data from Shopify to Google Merchant Center is a straightforward process thanks to Shopify’s integration with Google.

Shopify provides built-in tools that allow you to sync your product catalog directly with Google Merchant Center, making it easy to run Google Shopping and Local Shopping Ads.

So if you only carry a product online and not in store, GMC will pick this up based on your settings in Shopify. So if you use Shopify to send your product data to GMC, DO NOT EDIT PRODUCT DATA DIRECTLY IN GMC because it will automatically be overwritten by what you set up in Shopify.

Free Listings and Paid Listings

By combining both free listings and paid ads, you can maximize your product visibility on Google’s platform, driving both online and in-store traffic. To activate free listings, you must do so in Google Merchant Center. You will see “Free Listings” under marketing on the left side tab once you’re in the account.

Paid listings are created through Google Ads, and they include a variety of ad formats like Google Shopping Ads and Local Shopping Ads. These ads operate on a pay-per-click (PPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM) model, meaning you pay when users click on or view your ads.

Google Storefront is free, but Local Shopping Ads are paid. If you run paid Local Shopping Ads, the Storefront becomes a landing page for users to explore your products further.

So Why Run Paid Ads When Free Listings Are Available?

Visibility: Paid listings have premium placement, often appearing at the top of search results, while free listings are placed further down or in the Shopping tab.

Performance Tracking: Paid listings offer more detailed tracking and analytics in Google Ads, allowing you to see ROI, impressions, clicks, and conversions. Free listings provide more basic performance reports in Google Merchant Center.

Ad Customization: With paid ads, you have greater control over ad formats, targeting options, and bidding strategies. Free listings are more basic and rely on organic search results.

Tracking Your Local Marketing Efforts

To track local actions effectively in Google Ads and gain insights into your local marketing campaigns, start by setting up conversion tracking for specific local actions, such as store visits, phone calls, or direction requests. In your Google Ads account, go to the Tools & Settings icon, select Conversions, and create new conversion actions based on your defined goals. Here is a breakdown:

Store Visits: This estimates how many users visit a physical store after interacting with online ads, utilizing anonymized location data from users’ mobile devices.

Direction Requests: This tracks how many users click on the directions button in your ad to find your store location.

Website Visits: This measures the number of users who click through to your website from your ads, providing insights into online engagement that may lead to in-store visits.

Call Tracking: Provides metrics such as the number of calls, call duration, and whether the calls resulted in conversions, helping businesses evaluate the effectiveness of their phone call interactions.

Local Google Search Campaigns

Setting up Local Shopping Listings and a Google Storefront should be at the top of your priority list but opportunities to win over local shoppers doesn’t stop there. I can’t finish this article without mentioning Google Search (aka search ads). By integrating search ads with your local shopping ads, you can create a cohesive marketing strategy that enhances your online presence, drives more local traffic, and ultimately increases sales in your physical store. Here is a breakdown of the key benefits:

Increased Visibility

Search ads can complement your local shopping ads by providing additional visibility in search results. When users search for products related to your offerings, search ads can appear at the top of the page, increasing the chances of attracting potential customers.

Targeting Specific Keywords

With search ads, you can target specific keywords relevant to your products or services. This allows you to reach customers actively searching for items you sell, enhancing your ability to connect with potential buyers at the moment they express interest.

Local Targeting

You can use geo-targeting to ensure your search ads are shown to users within your local area. This helps drive foot traffic to your physical store by reaching nearby customers who are more likely to visit.

Ad Extensions for Local Engagement

Utilize ad extensions, such as location and call extensions, to provide essential information to potential customers. This can include your store’s address, phone number, and directions, making it easier for local shoppers to engage with your business.

Remarketing Opportunities

Search ads allow for remarketing campaigns targeting users who have previously interacted with your website or local shopping ads. By reminding them of your products, you can encourage them to return and complete a purchase.

Promotions and Special Offers

Use search ads to promote special offers or discounts to local customers. Highlighting limited-time promotions can create urgency and drive more traffic to your store.

Cross-Promotion of Products

If you have a range of products, search ads can allow you to promote different items that may not be included in your local shopping ads. This helps broaden your product exposure and can attract a wider audience.

Summing It All Up

Leveraging Google Local Shopping Ads and Google Storefront can significantly enhance the shopping experience for local customers and drive in-store traffic. By effectively managing your Google My Business, Google Ads, and Google Merchant Center accounts, you can ensure accurate product availability and visibility for nearby shoppers. Combining both free and paid listings maximizes your reach, while tracking local actions provides valuable insights into your marketing efforts.

Additionally, integrating search ads into your strategy allows for greater visibility, targeted engagement, and the ability to promote special offers, creating a cohesive marketing approach. By optimizing these tools, you can attract more local shoppers, increase foot traffic to your store, and ultimately boost sales. Embracing these Google Ads strategies will help your retail business thrive in today’s competitive landscape.

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Greg Morris

Written by Greg Morris

Greg Morris is a top digital marketing strategist helping businesses of all sizes ranging from service-based local business to Fortune 500 companies.

Since 2006, Greg has helped clients leverage a comprehensive range of digital channels to enhance brand visibility, engage target audiences, and build their digital footprint.