What is Search?
Online searching has become a central way of everyday life. When faced with a need to find something, we turn to Google to search for our needs. We ask a range of questions to help us in our daily lives.
I want to know…what the weather will be today
I want to go…to my next appointment
I want to do…something about my car
I want to buy…or hire…a plumber, electrician, roofer, etc.
These are called micro-moments. They are intent-driven moments when you are deciding on a preference and a next action while you’re making a purchasing decision. The frequency of these moments is rapidly increasing because search behavior has completely evolved. It wasn’t long ago that someone made a phone call after looking up a business in yellow pages. Now, a prospect performs multiple online searches before deciding to inquire about a particular product or service. So that begs the question: does your business have a strong online presence?
Why Google Advertising?
Google is undoubtedly the most popular search engine, with over 70% of the search market share. However, because it’s so large, that makes advertising on Google very competitive. With a well-rounded advertising strategy, businesses can find great success. The search engine’s complexity allows for every business and every prospect to get the results they need at every stage of the buyer’s journey: the business getting the leads they want and the buyer getting the services they need.
SUGGESTED GUIDE: Local Business Guide to Google Ads
SUGGESTED READING: What are Google LSAs?
When someone performs a search query, what does Google’s first page of results look like and mean?
Let’s consider the example above. Dale is a homeowner looking for a roofing contractor. She performs a search query and got the above results. The top line shows three Local Service Ads for roofing contractors that are near her. They are businesses that have earned a verified Google Guaranteed badge and undergone a background check to ensure that they provide reliable services in the target area. Most prospects will naturally gravitate towards the businesses that appear in Local Service Ads because they are prominent and help stand out on the first page of Google.
Below the Local Service Ads, you’ll find Google search ads. Google Ads is an online advertising solution that businesses use to promote their products and services. This type of advertising makes it easy to show prospects what is unique about your business and why they need you. You may already be using it as a way to generate leads.
Following search ads, you’ll find organic listings which also include Google My Business. It’s important to note that ranking naturally is also just as ideal as your ads appearing on the first page. Ultimately, you need a complete online presence to dominate Google search results.
Connecting Google Ads and Google Local Service Ads
Google Ads can be effective and allow you to reach the right prospects. It’s an effective marketing channel to drive qualified traffic and leads who are searching for your products or services. You can reach a far larger audience and achieve more unique searches. The range of benefits include:
- Narrow targeting through keyword bidding
- Harness intent by reaching people who have the need for your service
- Getting results no matter your budget
- Faster results than just search engine optimization
- Build brand awareness
While Google Ads can bring great results, it’s very competitive and costly if you aren’t educated on the platform’s complexity. There are many techniques, strategies, and best practices that factor into a successful campaign. Thousands of companies use Google Ads to promote their businesses so even with good organic results, you could still be pushed down the page by your competitors. That’s why a comprehensive ad strategy will help you reap better results.
Local Service Ads by Google offer a new way to reach people. They appear at the top of search results and focus on services that require an immediate response, for example, roofing, HVAC, plumbers, and locksmiths. These ads are effective because they are in a less competitive area of Google search results.
Google Ads alone is great but running Local Service Ads together is even better. Leveraging the combination of the two ads provides a bigger opportunity to dominate the first page of results. Your ads are more likely to convert higher when they appear multiple times, giving your business additional credibility. It can be challenging to see the value in both methods but most companies who are able to take their leads online are going to find pairing the two services is simple enough to do. Businesses with a complete online presence are more likely to rank above their competitors.
A Complete Online Presence
If all small businesses are using Google to target new customers, how can you outshine your competitors? Connecting your Google Local Services Ads with your Google Ads strategy will give you a competitive edge over your competitors who aren’t leveraging both. This can be one of the most important investments you make to receive the high-quality leads you need. Ultimately, it’s the best way to quickly broaden your local reach.
You’ll need a complete online presence in order to dominate Google search results. This doesn’t just encompass Google advertising. Your online presence is all connected: online reviews, website, business listings, social media profiles, content. These are all marketing channels that contribute to organic search results.
If one of these aspects is lacking, your online presence will be affected. Did you know that your Google reviews flow into your Local Services Ads rating? That’s just one example to show you that if you aren’t regularly asking your customers for reviews, your Local Services Ad rating could decrease compared to your competitors.
The best way to ensure that your online presence is accurate and “connected” is by managing it with a tool like the Surefire Local Marketing Platform. The Surefire Local Marketing Platform puts you in complete control. It enables businesses of all sizes to digitize in a way that makes them more productive, create transparency of marketing spend and ROI, and manage content and customers all in one place. Don’t let any of your marketing activities fall through the cracks! Request a demo to see how you can manage your complete online presence in one place.
