Google Maps Marketing: How to Get Found (and Advertise) on Google Maps
Google Maps is where many local customers decide where to go. This guide covers how businesses appear on Maps, how Maps ads work and how to set them up and measure them.
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Huge numbers of people use Google Maps every day to find somewhere to eat, shop or get a job done. For local businesses, that makes Maps one of the most valuable places to be seen. You can appear there for free through your Google Business Profile, and you can pay to stand out with ads that show your business on the map itself, alongside the regular results.
Maps marketing is particularly useful for businesses that rely on mobile searches and want to attract customers who are nearby. In this guide we look at how businesses appear on Google Maps, how Maps ads work, and how to set them up.
What Are Google Maps Ads?
Businesses are always looking for ways to connect with local customers, and Google Maps offers exactly that. When someone nearby searches for a type of business, Maps shows a list of relevant places with ratings, opening hours and contact details, right at their fingertips.
Google Maps ads work like other pay-per-click ads: businesses can pay to appear more prominently in those Maps results, marked as sponsored. An ad can show your location on the map, driving directions, your phone number and a link to your website, along with information such as reviews, opening hours and photos. The aim is to get more people walking through your door, calling you or finding out more about your business.
How Do Google Maps Ads Work?
When people need a product or service, they often start with a search. Type in a keyword like "coffee shop" or "plumber" and Google Maps shows businesses near you, including yours and your competitors'.
Maps ads don't run as a separate product. They come from your Google Ads campaigns, which use your Google Business Profile information through location assets. When your ad is eligible and relevant to the search and the searcher's location, it can appear in Maps. That's why the foundation of any Maps strategy is an accurate, complete business profile: it supplies the address, hours, photos and reviews that make your listing, paid or organic, worth clicking.
Ways Your Business Can Appear on Google Maps
Organic listings
Your Google Business Profile is what makes your business show up on Maps in the first place, for free. Google ranks these listings based on relevance, distance and prominence, which includes things like reviews and how well known your business is. Keeping your profile complete and up to date is the single most important thing you can do for Maps visibility.
Sponsored search results
Businesses can also pay to appear at or near the top of Maps search results, labelled as sponsored. This helps you stand out when someone searches on their phone for the kind of business you run.
Promoted pins
Promoted pins make your business more noticeable on the map itself. Instead of a standard pin, your location can appear with a more prominent icon, sometimes with your logo, which draws attention as people scroll around the map.
Offers and promotions
Shoppers love a good deal. Your business profile lets you publish offers, such as discounts or coupon codes, and updates that people can see when they find you on Maps. Attractive, timely offers can help you win customers away from competitors nearby.
Benefits of Marketing on Google Maps
Share your offers and promotions
Google Maps lets you keep customers informed with photos, offers and updates that both attract and engage them. Your listing becomes a showcase for your brand, giving potential customers the information they need to decide, whether they're planning a visit or ordering online.
Drive more foot traffic
Maps is used by people who are on the move and ready to act. Reaching them at the moment they're looking for a business nearby makes it far more likely that they'll visit, call or ask for directions.
Show up in local search results
When people are looking for a product or service nearby, they usually start on Google. If your business isn't on Google Maps, you could miss out on many potential customers who are actively searching.
How to Advertise on Google Maps
1. Set up your Google Business Profile
Before you can advertise on Maps, you need a verified Google Business Profile with accurate details: your business name, address, phone number, opening hours, categories and photos.
2. Link your profile with location assets
In Google Ads, location assets (previously called location extensions) connect your ads to your Google Business Profile. Link your profile to your Google Ads account, then add location assets to your campaigns. This lets your ads show your address, a map pin and directions, and makes them eligible to appear on Google Maps.
3. Set up location targeting
To make sure your ads show in the right places, set up location targeting. Open the campaign you want to edit, go to its location settings and either choose specific places, such as countries, regions or cities, or target a radius around your business address.
4. Choose relevant keywords
Ads should match what people are searching for, so choose keywords that reflect the products and services you offer and the way local customers search for them.
Measure and Optimize
Once your ads are live, monitor their performance. In your Google Ads account, look at clicks, impressions, conversions, conversion rate, average CPC and cost per conversion to see how your campaign is doing. You can also see how your location assets perform and track actions such as calls and direction requests.
On the free side, your Google Business Profile performance data shows how people found your listing and what they did next, such as calling, visiting your website or requesting directions. Use these insights to decide where your ads or your profile need improvement.
How Does Google Decide Which Local Ads to Show?
Google uses many signals to decide which ads appear in local results:
- The searcher's query and intent
- Their location
- Other context, such as the device they're using and the time of day
- The relevance and quality of your ad and the bid you've set
The goal is to show ads that are genuinely useful to the person searching. For advertisers, that means making sure your location information, keywords and ads all closely match what local customers are looking for.
Conclusion
Google Maps is an essential channel for local businesses. A complete, accurate Google Business Profile gets you onto the map for free, and Google Ads with location assets lets you pay to stand out with sponsored results and promoted pins. Combine the two, keep your information up to date and track the results, and Maps can become a steady source of calls, visits and new customers.
