How can you use PPC to target local customers?

1 Choose the right keywords

The first step to target local customers with PPC is to choose the right keywords for your ads. You want to use keywords that are relevant to your business, your location, and your audience. For example, if you own a pizza shop in Chicago, you might use keywords like "pizza delivery Chicago", "best pizza in Chicago", or "Chicago pizza coupons". You can use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to find out what keywords your potential customers are searching for and how competitive they are.

2 Set up geo-targeting

The next step to target local customers with PPC is to set up geo-targeting for your campaigns. Geo-targeting allows you to specify the geographic areas where you want your ads to show. You can use geo-targeting to target customers by country, state, city, zip code, or radius around a location. For example, if you own a pizza shop in Chicago, you might want to target customers within a 10-mile radius of your store. You can use geo-targeting to exclude areas where you don't operate or where you face strong competition.

4 Use ad extensions

The fourth step to target local customers with PPC is to use ad extensions to enhance your ads. Ad extensions are additional features that you can add to your ads to provide more information and options to your customers. For example, if you own a pizza shop in Chicago, you might use ad extensions like call, location, sitelink, or callout. These ad extensions can help you increase your click-through rate, your quality score, and your conversions.

5 Track and measure your results

The fifth step to target local customers with PPC is to track and measure your results. You want to know how your campaigns are performing and what actions your customers are taking after clicking on your ads. You can use tracking and measurement tools like Google Analytics, Google Ads, or Facebook Pixel to monitor your key metrics, such as impressions, clicks, conversions, cost per click, return on ad spend, or customer lifetime value. You can also use these tools to set up goals, events, or conversions to measure specific actions, such as phone calls, form submissions, or purchases.

6 Test and optimize your campaigns

The sixth and final step to target local customers with PPC is to test and optimize your campaigns. You want to find out what works best for your business and your audience and what doesn't. You can use testing and optimization methods like A/B testing, split testing, or multivariate testing to compare different versions of your ads, keywords, landing pages, or ad extensions. You can also use optimization tools like Google Optimize, Optimizely, or Unbounce to create and run experiments. You can use the data and insights from your tests to improve your campaigns and increase your ROI.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?