How Local PPC Can Grow Your Business

Ever wanted to target your online ads exclusively to potential customers in a specific area? 

That’s what local pay-per-click (PPC) offers. Unlike regular ads that are shown to people across the world, local PPC targets those who are in your preferred zip code. 

In this article, you’ll learn how local PPC advertising can boost your business’ local sales. In particular, you’ll learn about local PPC strategy and how to set up your first campaign. 

What Is Local Pay-Per-Click Advertising?

Broad advertising increases brand awareness but doesn’t always reach the right audience. Many viewers will never buy your products, but you still pay for them to view your ad. 

Local Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising allows you to target individuals looking for products and services like yours. 

You can run PPC ads on several platforms, such as social media and display networks. 

However, the largest ad network is Google, which allows your PPC ads to appear at the top of their search results. 

Let’s say you sell secondhand computer parts. You can set up a PPC advertisement on Google that targets local PPC keywords, such as “used mouse”. If someone searches for this—or similar keywords—your ad will appear. 

Here’s a real-life example of what this might look like: 

PPC ads are cost-effective, as you're billed only for the number of clicks on your ad, not for how many times it's shown in search results. 

But what if your audience is only based in a certain region? As a global entity, Amazon can deliver goods worldwide. However, for a business operating exclusively in Worthington, Ohio, advertising in distant regions like New York or Indiana would be pointless.

Local PPC allows you to narrow your audience based on geography. Instead of using online advertising to showcase your PC parts to the whole world, you may choose to show your ads only to customers who can visit your computer store. 

Here’s another real-life example: 

See how this local business highlights that it’s in Worthington, Ohio, and encourages its community to visit its store. 

Where Do You Find Local PPC Ads?

You can find local PPC platforms all over the internet. 

These are the most popular ad networks that display local PPC advertising: 

🔍 Google Ads

Just like the local search ads we looked at in the previous section, Google allows you to promote your brand at the top of its search results. 

Google Ads allows you to target specific locations and show ads on the company’s various platforms, including Google Maps and Google Shopping. 

With its vast user base, Google is ideal for businesses, including local retailers, service providers, and restaurants.

📦 Amazon Ads

Amazon also has a PPC ads service. This allows sellers to promote their products within the Amazon Marketplace. 

Amazon PPC campaigns allow you to place video ads, as well as static ones. This helps your products stand out above those of your competitors.

Amazon’s local ads allow you to target customers in your region.

👥 Facebook Ads

Unlike the other two options, Facebook Ads allow you to target users based on demographics and interests. This lets you connect with users based on who they are, and not just what they’re looking for. 

For example, if you’re promoting your ice rink through Facebook Ads, you can send out event ads to local consumers who have shown an interest in winter sports, figure skating, or ice hockey. 

Facebook offers proximity ads, which allow you to target potential customers nearby using their postcode. This allows you to engage local customers.

Here’s an example of a proximity ad: 

Which Businesses Can Benefit from Local PPC?

A local PPC ad can be effective for businesses that rely on local customers. 

In general, this includes businesses that serve certain geographical markets, such as local stores, service providers, and professionals. 

Local Service Ads

Google Local Service Ads (LSAs) are a very specific type of advert that Google has released only for local service businesses.

These adverts show up at the very top of Google searches, and you only pay for leads rather than clicks.

This is a type of advert we strongly recommend local businesses testing, although they don't offer as much control as traditional Google ads.

How to Create the Best Local PPC Strategy

When it comes to local PPC, you need unique strategies to capture your target market. 

Here are some of the best options:

📌 Localized keywords and strategic ad copy

When you create your local PPC ads, be sure to use location-specific keywords so that your ads are visible to the right audience. 

Let's say you run a pizza restaurant in New York City. Instead of a generic keyword like "pizza delivery," you might use local keywords, such as: 

🍕 NYC pizza delivery

🍕 Manhattan pizzeria

🍕 Brooklyn pizza specials

This is what it might look like: 

The ad copy you choose should speak directly to your local audience, mentioning specific location-based benefits, promotions, or events. This includes using local language and slang. 

Returning to our pizza example, you might include the following local references in your ad copy: "Craving a slice of the Big Apple's best pizza? Order now from our Manhattan pizzeria and enjoy free delivery within the city.” 

This ad speaks directly to New Yorkers, helping them connect with your ad and your brand, while increasing the chances of them clicking through to your landing page.

📌 Mobile optimization

By the end of 2022, nearly 60% of global website traffic was generated by mobile phones. 

This is specifically relevant for Facebook which is accessed via mobile by more than 98% of its users.  

People are likelier to view your local PPC ads on mobile than desktop, so ensure that your campaigns are mobile-optimized with fast-loading, user-friendly landing pages.

The click-to-call extension is a Google Ads feature. It puts a button on your ad allowing customers to call you immediately. 

Here’s an example of what it looks like: 

📌 Local ad extensions

At the bottom of local PPC ads on Google Search, you’ll notice a list of links that offer additional information to your target market. 

This allows customers to go directly to a page telling them about the specific service they need. It also allows one ad to direct people to multiple landing pages. 

📌 Negative keywords for exclusion

Let’s say you own a jewelry store in Wichita and participate in local Saturday markets to boost sales. You could use local PPC advertising to increase brand awareness and foot traffic on market days. 

When you set up these ads, make sure that you don’t accidentally target the wrong audience. Include the right keywords by filtering out negative keywords or exclusion keywords. 

You can use exclusion keywords to filter out irrelevant traffic and avoid wasting your budget on clicks that are unlikely to lead to conversations for your local business. 

📌 Hyperlocal targeting

Besides targeting specific locations, you can also try hyperlocal targeting options. These allow your ad to appear in searches for specific landmarks, neighborhoods, or even events happening in your locality.

The ad emphasizes the Derby theme, and the call-to-action encourages engagement and conversions from people planning Derby-related events in the area.

Set Up Local PPC Campaigns Using Google Ads

Now that you have a good understanding of the strategies you can use with local PPC, let’s go through the local PPC management process from start to finish. 

To demonstrate this, let’s assume you’re running a flower shop in Denton, Maryland called Blooms & Petals.

Now that you’ve taken over, you want to run local PPC campaigns to breathe new life into the business and draw in the next generation of customers. 

This is how you can kickstart one of your first local campaigns:

1️⃣ Pre-campaign considerations

Before you start your campaign, you need to outline your goals to measure success later on. 

You know Blooms & Petals is a beloved local brand, but it hasn’t seen any growth in years. You decide that, if you can increase your sales by 15%, you’ll be able to expand. 

Next, you do keyword research to see which kinds of terms are most appropriate for your target market. As a flower store, you know that you need to capitalize on events, such as Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. 

You also realize that you need to create relevant landing pages for your local campaigns to give customers information about your products and encourage them to convert. 

Finally you choose a platform. Since most people search for flowers online using Google search you decide to use Google Ads. 

Setting up an account is easy. Simply go to https://ads.google.com/ and follow the instructions.

2️⃣ Ad content and optimization

Now that you have an idea of what you’d like to achieve, you can start to formulate your campaign. Considering the local PPC strategy we went through earlier, you decide that the following is most relevant to Blooms & Petals:

💐 Mobile optimization: Ensure that the Blooms & Petals website and ad content are mobile-friendly for customers searching for flowers on their phones. 

💐 Utilize ad extensions: Enhance your ad with location extensions ("Visit Blooms & Petals at 123 Main St., Denton, MD"), callout extensions ("Fresh Flowers for Every Occasion"), or site link extensions ("Explore Our Mother's Day Bouquets”). 

💐 Implement negative keywords: Exclude terms like "cheap flowers" or "artificial arrangements" to only attract customers interested in high-quality, fresh flowers. 

💐 Hyperlocal targeting: Optimize the campaign to specifically target users in Denton, Maryland, ensuring your ads reach those near Blooms & Petals.

3️⃣ Create a local PPC campaign

Now that you know what you want to achieve and you have a good strategy in mind, you can start creating a successful local PPC campaign. 

If you get stuck on any of these steps, reference this Google guide on how to set up ad campaigns.

Once this is done, you’ll have a customized campaign that enhances Blooms & Petals' local visibility.

4️⃣ Post-launch monitoring and optimization

After you launch your first local PPC campaign, monitor how things progress. You can do this using Google Analytics.

Check regularly to see if people are clicking on the ad campaigns and if they are buying flowers. If something isn't working, adjust and optimize the campaigns.

At the end of your campaign, compare your results to the goal you set at the start of your campaign. In this case, if Blooms & Petals managed to increase sales by more than 15%, it would have been considered a successful PPC campaign. 

As a result, you can take on more help, and maybe even open a new branch in a neighboring town. 

Get a Partner to Set Up Your Campaigns

Local PPC campaigns can transform your local business, and partnering with a specialized company can help you reap the benefits of local PPC. 

That's where PPC.io comes in. We have a proven history of boosting sales for various local businesses by connecting them with their local audience. 

If you're ready to elevate your next local PPC campaign, reach out to us today for an all-inclusive quote.