Advertising on Google Maps: How to Become a Leader in Your Region

How Advertising Works on Google Maps

Google Maps is the new “billboard.” But instead of random driver glances, you get targeted customers who are already searching for your product or service. And here’s the key question: how do you make your business appear first?

Ad Display Algorithm

Google Maps is advertised through Google Ads, but with unique settings. When a user searches for, for example, “barbershop nearby,” Google:

1. Analyzes their location.
2. Takes into account their search history.
3. Assesses the relevance of businesses in the query area.
4. Determines which companies are using ads.

And if your business has active advertising on Google Maps, you will get a priority spot in the top search results.

Types of Advertising Available on Google Maps

Google offers several ad formats:

• Promoted Pins — your point appears at the top, highlighted with an icon.
• Local Search Ads — ads in the search results on Google Maps.
• Advertising in Google Business Profile — promotion through your profile on Google.

Ready to figure out how to do it right? Next, we will talk about the key benefits of advertising on Google Maps.

Is Advertising on Google Maps Really More Effective Than Regular Search?

According to Google, 82% of users call or visit a business within a day after searching on maps. And local ads have double the CTR compared to regular contextual ads. It’s also worth noting that 70% of mobile queries on Google are local searches (“cafe near me,” “auto repair nearby”).

The conclusion is only one: if you have a local business, advertising on maps is a must-have, not just “another advertising channel.”

Key Advantages of Advertising on Google Maps

If you are still unsure whether to invest in advertising on Google Maps, here are three rock-solid arguments why this decision could be the best investment for your business.

You Advertise to Those Who Already Want to Buy

Regular online advertising works on the principle: “let’s show this ad to a user — maybe they will be interested?” But advertising on maps works differently. It is shown to those who are already searching for your product or service.

Imagine that a person is googling “car wash nearby.” Obviously, they want to wash their car right now. And if your car wash appears in Google Maps advertising, the chance of gaining a customer increases significantly.

You Don’t Waste Budget on an Irrelevant Audience

Advertising on social media is cool, but sometimes it’s like fishing with a net: you cast your ads to a wide audience, but whether someone bites is unknown.

Google Maps is a precise hit on the target. You show ads only to those who are already interested. No random views, no displays “for company.”

You Automatically Gain Trust from Clients

People trust businesses more when they are present on Google Maps. Here’s what happens at a subconscious level:

1. Have a profile on Google? It means the business is real.
2. Have reviews? It means someone has already purchased and been satisfied.
3. Have ads? It means the company is active and ready for new clients.

What’s next? Now that you know how powerful advertising on Google Maps can be, it’s time to learn how to set it up correctly. In the next section, we’ll look at key steps to launching a successful campaign.

How to Set Up Advertising on Google Maps

So, you’ve already realized that advertising on Google Maps is not just a trend, but a real way to attract clients. But how do you set it up correctly so as not to waste your budget on empty impressions? Let’s explore a clear step-by-step plan.

Step 1: Ensure You Have a Google Business Profile

Google will not show you on the maps if you don’t have a properly filled-out profile. What you need to do:

1. Register on Google Business Profile.
2. Provide up-to-date information: address, phone number, working hours.
3. Add quality photos (yes, photos affect CTR).
4. Gather initial reviews (bonus tip: offer a discount for an honest review).

Step 2: Launch Ads in Google Ads

Now you need to set up advertising so that your business appears at the top of the results. How to do it:

1. Log in to Google Ads.
2. Select “Local campaigns”.
3. Choose geo-targeting (set a radius, for example, 5 km around your establishment).
4. Add an ad with a photo and a unique offer.
5. Set the budget (a minimum of $5/day is recommended).

Step 3: Use “smart” bidding strategies

There are two main strategies that work best:

• Maximize visits — the algorithm optimizes the budget itself to attract more customers.
• Target Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) — suitable for businesses that want to spend every dollar with maximum return.

You’ve got the settings figured out. But how do you know your ad is working? Here are some real cases that have proven that advertising really works.

Real cases of successful advertising on Google Maps

Theory is good, but let’s move on to real business stories that are already using Google Maps advertising and getting results.

Case 1: How a coffee shop in Kyiv increased its traffic by 40%

The “Black Coffee” chain of coffee shops had three locations in Kyiv. The competition was enormous, with hundreds of establishments within a 2 km radius. Organically making it to the top of Google Maps was difficult, so they decided to test advertising.

What they did:

• Set up Google Maps advertising with a 2 km radius from each location.
• Used “Promoted Pins” to ensure their establishment was always at the top of the map.
• Added a special offer: “-20% on your first coffee if you click “Get Directions”.
• Actively engaged with reviews (responded to all comments).

Result:

• +40% new clients in the first month.
• +300% more directions requests on Google Maps.
• Campaign ROI – 5:1 (for every $1 spent, $5 in revenue).

Case 2: The car repair shop that surpassed competitors with a 5x ROI

The car repair shop “Fix & Go” in Dnipro faced a challenge: competitors were massively launching Facebook ads, and their ads were everywhere. However, clients were still searching for service through Google Maps.

What they did:

• Launched local advertising targeting men aged 25-45.
• Used the “Maximize Visits” bidding strategy.
• Added “First Inspection Free” in the ad headline.

Result:

• ROI 5x – spent $800, earned over $4000.
• 85% of clients mentioned they found them through Google Maps.
• Competitors continued to waste budgets on Facebook, while they kept acquiring hot leads.

Case 3: How an electronics store became No.1 in its area

The tech store “GadgetCity” in Lviv had many visitors, but conversion to sales was weak. They suspected their location was simply getting lost among competitors on Google Maps.

What they did:

• Updated Google Business Profile — added detailed product information.
• Implemented advertising on Google Maps with a 3 km radius.
• Used ROAS bid optimization (target return).

Result:

• Ad CTR — 8.2% (compared to 3% in regular Google Ads).
• Store foot traffic increased by 28% over 2 months.
• Sales via Google Maps generated 47% more revenue than advertising on Instagram.

Now you see that Google Maps is not just a convenient map, but a powerful marketing tool. But even perfect advertising requires monitoring and analysis.

How to check the effectiveness of advertising and not waste the budget

Advertising is not magic, but a clear mechanism. If you do not analyze the results, you are just shooting blindly. How do you know the ad is working and you are not wasting money?

Here are the key metrics to track in Google Ads and Google Business Profile.

Number of route requests and calls

If you launched an ad, but there are no more customers, the first thing to check is whether people are clicking “Get directions” or “Call”.

How to check:

1. Open Google Business Profile.
2. Go to the “Overview” → “Directions requests” section.
3. Check the change dynamics after launching the ad.

What to do if there is no growth:

1. Ensure your address is correct.
2. Add a special offer in the ad (e.g., “10% discount when clicking ‘Get Directions’”).
3. Check if the display radius is too wide (people just don’t want to travel that far).

CTR (Click-Through Rate) of ads

CTR (Click-Through Rate) — це відсоток людей, які побачили рекламу і натиснули на неї. How to check:

1. Go to Google Ads → Campaigns.
2. Look at the CTR metric.

What is considered a good result:

• CTR of 6% or higher — the ad is engaging.
• CTR of 10% — excellent result.
• CTR less than 3% — something is not right.

What to do if CTR is low:

1. Check the ad text (is there a clear offer?).
2. Add an emotional call to action (“Book a table with one click!”).
3. Change the image (e.g., show the venue itself, not the logo).

Expenses vs. Profit (ROI)

The main question for the business: are we earning more than we’re spending? How to check:

1. Look at the total advertising costs in Google Ads.
2. Calculate the revenue from customers who came from Google Maps.
3. Calculate ROI using the formula:

ROI = ((revenue — expenses) ⁄ expenses) × 100%

What is considered a good ROI:

• ROI of 300% — every $1 spent brings $3.
• ROI of 500% — excellent result.
• ROI less than 200% — should optimize the campaign.

What to do if ROI is low:

• Narrow targeting (reduce display radius so the ad works for your real audience).
• Optimize the ad quality checklist (ensure your business card is perfectly filled out).
• Test different ad formats (sometimes changing the headline is enough).

You already know how to set up ads, which formats work, and how to assess effectiveness. The next step is implementing the strategy in your business.

Conclusions and Practical Recommendations

So, we’ve covered Google Maps advertising from A to Z. What is important to remember? First, Google Maps is a powerful tool for attracting local clients. If you’re not at the top of the maps, you’re losing part of the market. But advertising here works differently than on social networks or in search results. You’re not just showing ads—you’re bringing in people who are already looking for your product or service. To achieve success—analysis is everything. Without numbers and tests, any advertising campaign is a game of roulette.

The checklist for launching successful advertising on Google Maps looks like this:

1. Create and properly fill out a Google Business Profile (address, phone, operating hours, photos).
2. Gather initial reviews (this is critically important for trust).
3. Launch ads through Google Ads, selecting “Local campaigns”.
4. Test different ads (with various calls to action).
5. Analyze results (CTR, route requests, calls, ROI).
6. Optimize the campaign: reduce the radius, change offers, test new texts.

Do not postpone launching your ads. Even if you’re not ready to invest a budget yet, start with the free option by updating your Google Business Profile with a detailed description and high-quality photos, and adding reviews. At this stage, you’ll notice changes: more impressions, more inquiries, more clients.

Now a question for you: are you already using Google Maps ads? Are there any difficulties? Leave a request — we’ll figure it out together!

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