Out of the roughly 3.5 billion Google searches that are done every day, an estimated 20% are related to local goods and services, according to the internet search giant. Those figures represent an incredible opportunity for local service providers, but only those who understand how to use the tools available to them.
Google Ads location extensions are an example of one powerful tool you can use to draw more patient traffic to your practice. But what are location extensions, and how can you get the most out of them? Keep reading to learn more.
What Are Location Extensions?
As you might have guessed from the name, location extensions allow you to adjust your Google Ads campaigns to include information about your office’s physical location. For no additional cost per click, you can enhance your local PPC ads with information like your facility’s address, phone number, and hours of operation. With this information, searchers looking up relevant keywords in your area can quickly see where you are and how to get in touch with you — a call to action right there in the search results.
If you’re still skeptical, you might be interested in knowing that, according to Google, “adding location extensions to your campaign has been shown to increase CTR [clickthrough rate] by 10%.” As with any marketing tool, though, location extensions can take a bit of tweaking to get the maximum effect.
Set Your Local PPC Campaign Up for Success
Before enabling location extensions, it’s important to ensure that your Google Business Profile is accurate and current. The information used for your ad is pulled from your profile, so this is a vital step. (It’s also important to note that, per Google’s reporting, consumers find businesses more reputable when their profiles and map information are complete and accurate — and are 70% more likely to visit a business with a full profile.)
Next, consider your bid adjustments. Google Ads allows you to maximize your local PPC ad budget by showing your ads more (or less) often based on certain conditions, such as where people search for your keywords. This allows you to focus your ads on the markets you’re trying to reach and stretch your budget.
Take Advantage of Location Targeting
In addition to bid adjustments, you can also use location targeting to display your local PPC ads where you want them to appear. For example, a dermatologist in Chicago can set their ads to be shown to people who live in (or who regularly visit) that city. You can also exclude specific locations that may not be as productive for advertising, ensuring that less of your PPC budget goes to clicks that aren’t likely to convert.
Monitor Your Results (and Adjust Accordingly)
A notable feature of location extensions is the ability to track campaign performance in your target areas. This can help you identify areas where you may need to adjust your campaigns to improve your results. For example, if most of your conversions come from within an established area, you can tweak your bid adjustments and location targeting to focus more on that location — maximizing your local PPC advertising potential.
Get the Most from Your Local PPC Campaigns
Location extensions can be an extremely effective way to boost clickthrough rates and drive conversions. If you’re looking to further maximize your digital marketing resources, we invite you to get in touch with the expert team at DoctorLogic. We can help you build a highly targeted approach to your PPC campaigns to bring you the greatest return on your advertising investment.