Step-by-Step Guide to Advertising on Google (Maps) Maps

Today, many users have searched for a location on Google Maps at least once. During these searches, sometimes our goal was to get directions, sometimes just to view the location of a place. However, Google Maps is an important platform that provides us with much more than our needs. So what is it that Google Maps provides that makes it so important? It is that Google Maps is the perfect platform for advertising. In this article, I will explain step by step how to advertise on Google Maps, why advertising on Google Maps is so important and its advantages.

What is Google Maps

Google Maps, as the name suggests, is a map application developed by Google. It is a free service that provides users with many locations around the world. Google Maps, which has many tools compared to conventional map applications, is also one of the most suitable platforms where you can publish your ads. I must say that this feature of Google Maps is a great privilege for local businesses. It is only a matter of time for local businesses to reach potential customers by gaining visibility with the ads they publish on Google Maps.

If you have a local business, we can say that being on Google Maps is a must for you. In these days when today's users frequently use their mobile devices to get directions, one of the fastest ways for your business to reach your target audience is to be on Google Maps.

What are Google Maps Ads?

Now that we've covered the basics, we can get to the meat of the matter.

It is an advertising model delivered through Google ADS on Google Maps. This ad model is usually published in two ways.

• Search Ads
• Maximum Performance Ads

In both of the above ad models, the Google algorithm uses a specific auction principle. Your ads get a ranking based on certain factors (search interest, landing page quality, your bid amount, etc.) and are placed in a position on the page according to this ranking. In this way, even if you do not have any SEO work, you can appear at the top of the search results thanks to your ads. In this way, you can appear in the first place in front of a user who is researching about your sector on the maps and add the user to your potential customer list.

Ads appear differently on Google Maps compared to regular businesses.

• Special Pins (Special square-shaped pins, pins with your logo, etc.)
• In-Store Promotions
• More Detailed Business Lists
• Local Inventory Ads

How to Place Google Maps Ads?

“The answer to the question"How to advertise on Google Maps?" involves a comprehensive step-by-step process. Although advertising on Google Ads is technically simple, there are strategic considerations. Let's examine this process step by step:

1. Create a Google My Business Account and Link it with Google Ads

Step 1: Create a Google My Business Account

To be visible on Google Maps, your business must first have a Google My Business account. To do this:

1. Go to Google My Business Page: Google My Business and click on the "Manage now" button.

2. Add Your Business: Add your business name, address, phone number, category and hours of service.

3. Verification: After completing the business information, Google will ask for verification. You can verify via postcard, phone or email.

Step 2: Link Google My Business Account to Google Ads

By linking your Google My Business account with Google Ads, you can have your ads displayed on Google Maps:

1. Sign in to your Google Ads Account: Google Ads log in to your account.

2. Go to the Extensions Menu: In the Google Ads dashboard, click on the "Campaigns" tab in the left column and then switch to the "Items" section.

3. Add Location Extension: Select "Location Extension" from the "Extension Type" tab. Then click the blue "+" button to link your Google My Business account. This will allow your business location information to appear in your Google ADS campaigns. A permission/confirmation link will be sent to the e-mail address to which your Google My Business account is linked. Grant/confirm this permission.

2. Creating a Campaign via Google Ads

The campaign creation process may vary depending on the ad type. First, let's go through the basic steps, followed by search and maximum performance campaigns.

A) How to Place Search Ads on Google Maps?

Step 1: Create a Campaign

1. Create New Campaign: Once you are logged into your Google Ads account, click on the "+" button in the "Campaigns" tab on the left side and select the "New Campaign" option.

2. Select Campaign Objective: Select one of the goals such as "Website Traffic", "Sales" or "Create a campaign without a Goal Guide".

3. Campaign Type: Select Search Network (Search Network).

Step 2: Bid Strategy Selection

There are different bidding strategies in search campaigns:

1. Maximizing Conversions: Targets the most conversions within your budget, automatically bids.
   • Target CPA (Target Cost Per Conversion): Optimizes the campaign according to the conversion cost target you set.
2. Maximizing Conversion Value: Aims to increase the total value generated per conversion.
   • Target ROAS (Target Return on Advertising Spend): A strategy that maximizes the return on every advertising budget you spend.
3. Maximize Clicks: Get the most clicks for your budget.
4. Target Impression Share: Optimizes how often your ads appear.
5. Manuel CPC: This strategy is not visible in the initial ad setup. You can change it later in the campaign settings. You can manually adjust the maximum price you set for each click. You can then develop this strategy as eCPC.
   • Enhanced CPC (eCPC): A strategy that automatically increases and decreases the bid for clicks that are likely to convert. (This bidding strategy will be completely phased out by March 2025)

Step 3: Location Settings and Other Settings

1. Campaign Settings: Set the networks where your ads will be displayed, your language options, target audiences and other campaign settings such as ad scheduling.
2. Location Targeting: In the "Location" tab, select which regions your ads will be shown in. If you want to target locally in Turkey, you can target by cities or regions. However, there is one thing you should pay attention to. If you want to run your ads in a local area, narrow down your location settings.
   You can target a specific circular area using the Radius position option.

Step 4: Keyword Selection

For search ads, you need to choose which keywords your ads will appear with:

1. Keyword Research: Identify keywords that fit your business' services. You can find popular searches using Google's keyword planner, or you can do a more detailed search for a fee with sites like SEMrush, Ahrefs, etc.
   
   In the image below, I have included the "Google Keyword Planner" tool. To access this tool, click on the "Tools" tab in the left column, expand the "Planning" section and click on the "Keyword Planner" section. Then click on the "Discover new keywords" button to get keyword ideas, either by adding a site link or by words.

2. Keyword Types: Set keywords with broad match, exact match and sequential match types. Match types play a key role in determining the breadth of audience your keywords will be shown to.

Step 5: Creating Ad Texts

Title and Description: Create compelling headlines and succinct descriptions. It is crucial that your ad offers a value proposition to users.

Ad Preview: Check how the ad looks with a preview and then go live. Remember to preview for both phone and computer.

Location Extension: Check if your "Location" extension is added by clicking on the "Other item types" button. If no location link appears, check if you have approved the Google ADS link in your Google My Business profile. If you skipped the step to link accounts, open a new tab, add this link and continue with the ad serving process.

B) How to Advertise Maximum Performance on Google Maps?

Step 1: Create a Campaign

1. Create New Campaign: Click on the "+New Campaign" button from the Google Ads panel.

2. Select Campaign Objective: Select the target of local store visits and promotions.

3. Campaign Type: Select the Performance Max campaign.

Step 2: Bid Strategy Selection

Automatic bidding strategies are used in Maximum Performance campaigns:

1. Maximizing Conversions: Targets the most conversions within your budget, automatically bids.
   • Target CPA (Target Cost Per Conversion): Optimizes the campaign according to the conversion cost target you set.
2. Maximizing Conversion Value: Aims to increase the total value generated per conversion.
   • Target ROAS (Target Return on Advertising Spend): A strategy that maximizes the return on every advertising budget you spend.

Step 3: Location and Audience Settings

1. Location Targeting: Your location settings will be provided through Google My Business.

Step 4: Creating Creatives and Content

1. Add Creatives: Add images, videos and text. The Max Performance campaign is visible on all Google platforms, so you can use a wide variety of ad formats.

2. Target Audience: Maximum Performance campaigns use audiences instead of keywords. You can set relevant audiences or remarketing audiences. If you want to add your target audiences from the Audience Signal section, you can add them.

3. Search Themes: It's still in Beta, but search themes allow you to provide Google's AI with valuable insights into what your customers are buying and which topics result in conversions for your business. In fact, keyword themes are the keywords for maximum performance ads.

Google Haritalar Reklamlarının Avantajları

Advertising on Google Maps puts your business one step ahead. The main reason for this is that Google algorithms, which are based on location, do local targeting and show you to nearby users who search, above the organic results. In this way, you increase the visibility of your brand. Google Maps users can see images of your store directly through your pin on the map, access your contact information and become potential customers.

Google Maps Adsis a powerful tool that enables local businesses to reach their target audiences faster and more effectively. Nowadays, local searches play a big part in the daily lives of internet users, and making your business stand out in these searches gives you a significant competitive advantage. Advertising on Google Mapsincreases the visibility of your business by making it easy for potential customers to find you.

Local Targeting:

Since Google Maps ads are targeted to a specific region, your business directly reaches people who search in the location it serves. This advertising model is extremely effective as local searches have high conversion rates for businesses.

Increased Visibility:

Ads appear at the top of local search results. This allows your business to attract more attention than your competitors. Especially in sectors with intense competition, it is possible stand out thanks to Google Maps ads.

Direct Routing:

Google Maps ads provide direct referrals to your business. When users click on the pin on the map, they can learn more about your business and reach you easily.

Customer Acquisition:

With Google Maps ads, your business becomes more visible in search results, which increases new customer acquisition. In addition, customer relations are strengthened by providing easy access to information such as your business' phone number, address, relationships and working hours.

Google Haritalar Reklamlarının Maliyetleri

The costs of advertising on Google Maps are based on an advertising model that varies according to the bidding strategy you use. If you are using the “Maximize Clicks” bidding strategy. You will be charged when a user clicks on one of the advertiser's ads, or if you use the “Cost per target conversion (CPA)” bidding strategy and users perform a selected conversion action after clicking on your ad, you will be charged your selected CPA.These costs may vary depending on your business location, the intensity of competition in your industry and your target audience.

In densely populated areas or in highly competitive industries, Google maps advertising However, you can set your daily budget so that you can keep your spending under control.

What is Google The main factors that determine the cost of advertising include your industry, market dynamics, your quality score, the keywords you use, the amount of bids you set and your budget. Let's take a closer look at these factors:

• Sector: When determining advertising costs, the level of competition in your industry plays an important role. Some industries face higher cost per click or conversion due to high demand and intense competition. For example, advertising in sectors such as finance or law can be more costly.
• Market Trends: Changes in consumer habits, increased demand for certain products or services, or seasonal fluctuations can affect advertising costs. For example, the cost of advertising in the tourism sector may increase during the summer months.
• Quality Score: Google assigns a score based on the quality of your ads and landing page. The better the user experience, the higher your quality score. A high quality score can lower your CPC and CPAs and allow you to advertise in better positions at a lower cost.
• Proposal Strategy: If you want your ads to be seen more on Google Maps, you can increase your bid. However, high bids also increase your advertising costs. Therefore, bid management should be done carefully. The right bidding strategy ensures you get the best performance with your budget.
• Budget Management: What is Google The budget you allocate for ads directly determines the costs. A larger budget allows your ads to get more impressions and reach a wider audience. However, it is also important to use your advertising budget efficiently. By carefully planning your budget, you can keep costs under control.

When all these factors come together, Google it is impossible to predict the cost of Google Maps ads. You need to carefully configure your campaign settings so that the costs do not exceed your budget and will vary from sector to sector.

You should note that costs can vary significantly depending on factors such as your industry and bidding strategy. You can get clearer results by using the Google ADS Keyword Planner tool for cost estimates that best suit your business needs.

Google Haritalar Reklamlarında Ödeme Modelleri

There are several different payment models for Google Maps ads. It is important to choose the model that best suits your business goals and budget.

Cost Per Click (CPC)

Cost Per Click (CPC) means the cost you pay each time your ads are clicked. This model is particularly effective for businesses looking to increase website traffic and drive users to action. Here are some important elements of the CPC model:

Targeting and Optimization: In CPC-driven campaigns, it is very important to correctly identify your target audience. By reaching the right audience, you can increase the click-through rate of your ads and optimize CPC.

Budget and Bid Strategy: The CPC cost can vary depending on your bidding strategy and daily budget. Higher bids can get your ads ranked higher, but they also increase your costs. Therefore, a balanced budget management is required.

Performance Measurement: The CPC model allows you to track how many clicks your ads receive and the cost of those clicks. By tracking the cost per click, you can analyze the performance of your campaigns and make strategic improvements.

This model is an ideal choice for traffic-driven campaigns and allows you to easily measure user interactions.

Cost Per Conversion (CPA)

Cost Per Conversion (CPA) refers to the cost you pay for each conversion (purchase, form fill, registration, etc.) of your ads. CPA is very effective in measuring ad performance and running conversion-oriented campaigns. There are some key elements of the CPA model.

• Targeting and Optimization: CPA is a conversion-driven approach, so you need to correctly identify your target audience and optimize your ads. Accurate targeting and high conversion rates allow you to manage CPA more effectively.
• Budget and Bid Strategy: CPA cost is directly related to your bid strategy and budget. Higher bids can increase conversion rates, but they also raise your costs. So, it is important to manage your budget carefully.
• Performance Measurement: The CPA model allows you to measure how efficient your ads are. By tracking the cost you pay for each conversion, you can evaluate your campaigns and make strategic changes when necessary.

This model is ideal for businesses that want to measure direct results and create conversion-focused campaigns.

Cost per Mile (CPM)

Cost Per Thousand Impressions (CPM) refers to the amount you pay for 1000 views of your ads. This model is particularly effective for campaigns that aim to build brand awareness and reach large audiences. Some of the prominent features of the CPM model are as follows:

Targeting and Optimization: Reaching a wide audience is at the forefront of CPM campaigns. Having your ads appear to the right audience and in the right places is important for creating brand awareness. Therefore, targeting and optimization strategies also play a critical role in CPM campaigns.

Budget and Bid Strategy: CPM cost can affect your budget depending on how often your ads are displayed. With higher bids, you can get your ads shown more often and increase your brand awareness. However, this can also cause your budget to run out quickly.

Performance Measurement: The CPM model measures how much your ads are viewed by large audiences. By tracking the cost per view, you can assess the reach of your campaigns and make optimizations if necessary.

This model is a viable option for businesses aiming to increase brand awareness and is a powerful tool for reaching large audiences.

What is Google Factors to Consider When Placing Ads

When advertising on Google Maps, there are several strategic factors you need to consider for your campaign to be successful. These factors ensure that your ads reach the right target audience and help you use your budget efficiently. During the Google map advertising process, many details from location targeting to the right keyword choices, from budget planning to ad performance tracking can directly affect the success of your campaign.

Correct Keyword Usage:

You should choose the right keywords to make your advertising campaigns successful. For example, by using targeted keywords such asBest digital marketing agencyyou can ensure that your ads are shown more often in search results.

Location Targeting:

Google Maps ads work with geo-targeting. Accurately targeting the region where your business is located and serves increases the impact of your ad. If you want to target a large area, you should optimize your budget and ad text accordingly.

Budget Planning:

Setting and managing your budget correctly ensures that your campaign is successful. When planning your daily and total budget, you should consider the size of your target audience.

Ad Tracking and Optimization:

Monitoring your ads regularly and optimizing their performance guarantees the success of your campaign. Google Ads allows you to measure your ad performance. By analyzing click-through rates, conversion rates and advertising costs, you can improve your campaigns.

By following the Google map advertising process step by step, you can increase the visibility of your business, gain new customers and stand out from the competition in the local market. With the right targeting, appropriate budget management and strategic keyword usage, you can benefit from all the advantages of Google Maps ads. Remember, success in the digital marketing world starts with the right steps and is reinforced with a well-planned strategy.