Google Local Service Ads – Local Business Growth

In today’s digital-first world, reaching local customers at the right time and in the right place is key to business success. That’s exactly what Google Local Service Ads (also known as Local Campaigns) are designed to do. These campaigns help businesses drive foot traffic to physical locations—like retail stores, restaurants, or service centers—by showing ads across Google’s largest properties: Search, Maps, YouTube, and the Google Display Network.

In this article, we’ll break down how Google Local Ads work, why they’re valuable, and how they compare with and complement other Google Ads campaign types. You’ll learn what makes Local Ads unique, how to set them up for maximum visibility, and how to integrate them into a broader digital strategy.

If you’re a business owner or a digital marketer aiming to increase in-store visits, this guide will help you understand the full potential of Local Ads and how they can power your offline success.

Content:

• What is Google Local Service Ads?
• Setting Up Google Local Service Ads Campaign
• Comparing Google Local Service Ads With Shopping Campaigns
• Integrating Local Service Ads with Performance Max Campaigns
• How to Get Started With Google Local Ads?

What is Google Local Service Ads?

Google Local Ads are campaign types specifically designed to drive offline actions such as store visits, calls, and in-person purchases. Unlike other campaigns that primarily focus on website traffic or online conversions, Local Ads aim to get nearby potential customers into your store by showing relevant and timely ads based on location data, user intent, and proximity.

Here’s how they work: You provide your business locations via your Google Business Profile and ad creatives. Then Google uses machine learning to optimize ad placements across Search, Maps, YouTube, Gmail, and the Display Network. The system decides where and when to show your ads based on real-time data.

For example, if someone searches for “best coffee near me” while walking in your neighborhood, your cafe’s Local Ad might show up in Google Maps with directions, store hours, and a CTA button.

Unlike Search Campaigns, where you manage keywords, or Shopping Campaigns, which show product-based results, Local Ads are driven by automation and performance data. You don’t pick keywords manually. Google handles targeting and bidding based on your goals.

Setting Up Google Local Service Ads Campaign

To launch a successful Local Ads campaign, you need to connect your Google Business Profile with your Google Ads account. This step is essential because Local Ads pull store location data directly from your business profile to create compelling and informative ad formats.

You’ll then provide:

• A daily budget
• A target location radius (if you want to limit reach)
• Ad assets (headlines, descriptions, call-to-action phrases, images, and videos)

Once launched, Google automatically places these ads where they’re most likely to convert based on your goals. That means a user may see your ad while scrolling YouTube, planning a route on Google Maps, or browsing the web.

What makes Google Local Ads stand out is the automated targeting and bidding, which works much like Performance Max Campaigns. You don’t need to manage individual placements or keyword lists. The system learns over time and uses conversion data to continually optimize performance.

Although this makes campaign management simpler, it’s essential to feed the algorithm with high-quality creative assets and maintain an accurate Google Business Profile. If your location information is outdated or your visuals are poor, performance can suffer.

Comparing Google Local Service Ads With Shopping Campaigns

While both Local Ads and Shopping Campaigns appear across multiple Google networks, they serve different purposes.

Google Shopping Campaigns are product-focused. They are perfect for ecommerce stores or businesses that want to drive online sales. Shopping Ads appear when users search for specific products and showcase an image, price, store name, and a direct link to buy. In contrast, Local Ads are place-focused. They help customers discover physical store locations and take action offline.

However, these campaign types can work beautifully together. For example, a retail business might use Shopping Campaigns to boost online sales while also running Local Ads to drive foot traffic to brick-and-mortar stores. This combination supports an omnichannel marketing strategy, offering seamless shopping options both online and offline.

Moreover, Shopping Campaigns can also benefit from local inventory ads, a format that shows product availability in nearby stores. These ads bridge the gap between Shopping and Local campaigns and are a great way to promote nearby availability when users are ready to buy in person.

Integrating Local Service Ads With Performance Max Campaigns

If you’ve already run or are considering Performance Max Campaigns, it’s important to know that Local Ads functionality is now included as part of Performance Max. This means if you start a Performance Max campaign and link your Google Business Profile, it will automatically show your business location across all channels—including Maps and Search—similar to Local Ads.

However, running a dedicated Local Campaign still has its advantages for businesses focused specifically on in-store traffic. It offers more granular performance metrics related to store visits and directions, which can help you refine your location-based strategy.

Many businesses adopt a hybrid approach—using Performance Max to drive a variety of goals like purchases, leads, and store visits, while also using standalone Local Ads to double down on local discovery.

Combining Performance Max with Local Campaigns ensures you’re not missing any opportunities across Google’s ecosystem. It’s especially useful for franchises, multi-location businesses, and service providers who want to dominate local SERPs while also scaling national or global digital advertising strategies.

How to Get Started With Google Local Ads?

If your business has a physical location and you want more people walking through your doors, Google Local Ads are a must. They simplify local marketing by combining Google’s vast reach with smart automation to show the right message at the right time in the right place.

Whether you’re a retailer, restaurant, gym, or service provider, investing in Google Local Ads can be one of the smartest ways to increase visibility, build trust, and boost local sales in a competitive digital landscape.

All in all, Google Ads is a powerful advertising platform that can transform your business by connecting you with potential customers at the right time. Whether you’re aiming to boost sales, increase website traffic, or build brand awareness, Google Ads offers the tools to achieve your goals.

However, success requires a strategic approach, continuous learning, and regular optimization. With the right planning and execution, Google Ads can be a game-changer in your digital marketing strategy. And this is what we do at SS&T Digital. 👇