What Is the Best Targeting Option for Local Service Businesses on Google Ads?
The best targeting option for local service businesses on Google Ads is the ‘presence’ setting. This targets people who are currently in or frequently visit your targeted location. While it helps reach a local audience effectively, it may occasionally include clicks from individuals who were in the location but have since moved elsewhere.
Full Explanation
When advertising on Google Ads, local service businesses aim to connect with potential customers in their geographic area. The ‘presence’ targeting option is specifically designed to focus on people who are not just interested in the location but are physically present in or regularly come to the targeted location. This means your ads are shown to users who are actually in your area or visitors familiar with that location.
Despite its advantages, the presence setting is not entirely perfect. Some clicks may still come from users who were recently in the targeted area but have since left. This nuance means while presence-based targeting sharpens your reach, it doesn’t guarantee every click originates from someone currently in your service area.
Step-by-Step Breakdown
- Choose the ‘presence’ targeting option: Select this setting within your Google Ads location targeting to focus on people physically in the area.
- Define your geographic area: Clearly set the boundaries of your targeted location so Google can accurately recognize when users are in or frequently visit that zone.
- Launch your ads: With presence targeting in place, your ads primarily reach users who meet the presence criteria.
- Monitor for insight: Understand that some clicks might still come from users who are no longer in the targeted area but were there recently.
Real Examples
For instance, if a local service business selects presence targeting for a city, Google Ads aims to show ads to people currently in that city or who regularly visit it. Although the majority of clicks come from actual locals or frequent visitors, some users who have recently left the city might also interact with the ads.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming perfect accuracy: Believing presence targeting guarantees all clicks come only from current residents is incorrect.
- Ignoring residual clicks: Not accounting for clicks from people who were recently in the area but are now elsewhere can lead to misinterpreted campaign data.
- Failing to monitor results: Without monitoring, advertisers might miss how presence targeting impacts their click quality and costs.
FAQs
Q: Can presence targeting exclude people interested in my location but not physically present?
A: Yes, presence specifically targets people physically in or frequently visiting the targeted location rather than those just interested.
Q: Will presence targeting stop all out-of-area clicks?
A: No, some clicks may still come from individuals who were recently in the targeted location but have since left.
Key Takeaways
- Presence targeting is the best option for local service businesses on Google Ads aiming to reach users physically in or regularly visiting their targeted area.
- This option improves ad relevance by focusing on actual or frequent local presence rather than general interest.
- However, presence targeting is not flawless and may include clicks from users no longer in the area.
- Advertisers should use this setting while understanding its limitations and monitoring campaign performance carefully.