Fix These 7 Mistakes That Block Local PPC Campaign Success

Local businesses need pay-per-click (PPC) to reach local customers. PPC boosts visibility and foot traffic near their locations, which helps businesses compete in search results and local listings and increases awareness and customer acquisition.

PPC is complex and needs effective management to succeed. Most San Diego companies use an experienced PPC partner to avoid these costly mistakes:

1. Ignoring location targeting.
2. Lack of localized ad copy.
3. Inadequate keyword research.
4. Poorly optimized landing pages.
5. Neglecting mobile optimization.
6. Ignoring local competitors.
7. Not tracking local metrics.

A San Diego PPC agency can help you fix these mistakes to ensure the best campaign results. Let's go!

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1. Ignoring Location Targeting

An essential aspect of local PPC is targeting customers in a specific area or community. Ignoring location targeting may result in the ads being displayed to audiences outside the business's target geographic area, which leads to irrelevant clicks and wasted ad spending.

Failing to specify the intended local market diminishes the campaign's effectiveness and limits the potential for driving foot traffic or generating leads from nearby customers. Avoid or fix location-targeting mistakes using these techniques:

• Define the specific geographic areas where the target audience is located, including cities, neighborhoods, or regions relevant to the local business.
• Use geotargeting tools provided by the PPC platform to accurately set up location targeting. Radius, ZIP code, or specific location targeting are available in some tools.
• Exclude areas where the business does not operate or where you do not want ads displayed. For example, a San Diego business operates in Carlsbad, Coronado, and Encinitas but not in Oceanside.
• Consider specific local search behavior and preferences of the target audience when setting up location targeting. Analyze local search trends and user behavior within the targeted areas to refine targeting.
• Customize ad content to include location-specific information such as the business name, address, local phone number (NAP), or references to nearby landmarks or events.

Regularly monitor the performance of location-targeted campaigns and analyze key metrics such as conversion rates, click-through rates, and engagement levels within each location. Use this data to identify high-performing areas and adjust the location-targeting strategy.

2. A Lack of Localized Ad Copy

Lacking localized ad copy hinders the ability to connect with the local audience, reducing the relevance and impact of the ad messaging. Failing to include location-specific information such as the business's NAP, or local references, diminishes the ad's appeal to local users and lower engagement and conversion rates.

Localized ad copy is an opportunity to build rapport and establish a solid presence to ensure the success of the local PPC campaign. These strategies help make compelling localized ad copy:

• Include location-specific keywords in the ad copy to enhance their relevance to the local audience. Use terms related to the targeted geographic area such as city names, neighborhoods, or regional identifiers to resonate with users searching for local businesses or services.
• In the ad copy, showcase local offerings, promotions, or services specific to the targeted location. Emphasize special deals, events, or customized solutions available to customers within the area.
• Incorporate call to actions (CTAs) that encourage users to take specific actions relevant to the targeted location. Use phrases such as, "Visit Our San Diego Store Today," or "Get Local Delivery in San Diego.”
• Reference local customer testimonials or reviews in the ad copy to build trust and credibility within the targeted location.
• Use location-specific ad extensions, such as affiliate locations, to provide additional information about the business's physical location or nearby branches.

Effective messaging aligns with relevant local events, seasons, or trends. For instance, the annual San Diego International Film Festival in autumn venues in La Jolla and Balboa Park attracts visitors from all over the country. 

Local businesses that cater to tourists and attendees, such as restaurants and hotels, include this event in their content to connect with their respective audiences.

3. Inadequate Keyword Research

Inadequate keyword research limits the ability to effectively target and reach a specific local audience, resulting in missed opportunities to connect with nearby potential customers. Not focusing on location-specific keywords relevant to the local market leads to the ads not being displayed to users searching for offerings within the business's vicinity.

This reduces the impact of the PPC campaign. Comprehensive keyword research tailored to the local market maximizes the campaign’s reach and ability to generate relevant leads from the local customer base, which boosts the overall success of the local PPC efforts. Here are some strategies for keyword research:

• Use localized long-tail keywords that reflect the local audience's needs and search queries. Target more specific, niche phrases that include local modifiers and indicate user intent.
• Utilize location-specific keyword research tools, such as Google Keyword Planner or other local search engine optimization (SEO) tools, to identify relevant keywords and search terms specific to the business's targeted location.
• Conduct thorough research on local competitors' PPC campaigns to identify the keywords that they target within the same geographic area.
• Consider local search trends and seasonality when performing keyword research for local PPC campaigns. Analyze data on regional search patterns, local events, or seasonal fluctuations to identify specific keywords that are more popular or relevant during certain times of the year.

Another strategy is to develop a detailed local customer persona that reflects the audience's preferences, needs, and search behaviors within the local market. Use this persona to guide keyword research to make sure that the selected keywords align with the local audience's interests and pain points.

4. Poorly Optimized Landing Pages

Poorly optimized landing pages disconnect the ad messaging from the user's post-click experience. This may potentially result in lower conversion rates and diminished user experience. Failing to optimize landing pages with local-specific content, relevant offers, and clear CTAs impacts effectiveness by deterring potential customers from taking the desired action.

Overlooking optimization hinders trust and credibility. Immediately fix these mistakes by using these landing page optimization best practices:

• Incorporate localized content on the landing pages and tailor the messaging to reflect the unique needs and preferences of the local audience.
• Highlight local contact information, including the business's NAP and operating hours.
• Implement local SEO on landing pages. Optimize meta tags, headers, and content with location-specific keywords to increase local search visibility.
• Provide localized promotions, deals, or incentives on the landing pages. Highlight special discounts or limited time offers available to customers within the targeted area.
• Test landing page elements to improve user experience. Perform A/B testing on landing page content, CTA, images, and messaging.

Lastly, as more people use their mobile devices to search for local businesses and content, ensure that the landing pages are fully optimized for mobile devices. More on this in the following strategy.

5. Neglecting Mobile Optimization

Neglecting mobile optimization leads to a subpar user experience for mobile users, who comprise a significant portion of local search traffic. Failing to optimize ads and landing pages for mobile devices results in slow loading times and a lack of responsiveness. This leads to lower engagement and conversion rates within the local market.

Mobile optimization is critical for businesses to compete in the mobile-driven local search landscape. Overlooking this aspect limits its visibility and reach. Optimize PPC campaigns for mobile devices using these techniques:

• Implement a mobile-responsive design that adjusts seamlessly to various screen sizes and devices.
• Use mobile-friendly ad formats, such as responsive search ads or call-only ads, to effectively reach and engage with mobile users.
• Use click-to-call ad extensions to facilitate accessible and direct communication between mobile users and the business.
• Optimize PPC campaigns for local mobile searches by incorporating location-specific keywords and ad content. Customize messaging to highlight local offerings, promotions, or directions for users searching for nearby businesses on their devices.
• Optimize websites and landing pages for fast loading times by compressing images, minimizing redirects, and leveraging browser caching.

Finally, track and analyze mobile-specific metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and bounce rates to assess the performance of mobile PPC campaigns. Use this data to refine mobile optimization strategies and adjust ad content or landing pages.

6. Ignoring Local Competitors

A local business that ignores its competitors wastes PPC effort and budgets. It prevents firms from understanding the competitive landscape and identifying potential opportunities for differentiation within the local market.

Failing to thoroughly analyze local competitors' strategies, offerings, and messaging result in missed chances to position the business effectively and stand out locally. Local companies have to monitor and adapt to the actions of local competitors to effectively target and capture the local audience's attention. These strategies improve local competitor monitoring:

• Conduct a thorough competitive analysis to understand local competitors, their strengths and weaknesses, and their strategies in PPC advertising.
• Use tools such as Google Keyword Planner to identify the most relevant and high-performing local keywords to understand competitors' target keywords.
• Utilize geotargeting features in PPC platforms, such as Google Ads or Bing Ads, to specifically target customers.
• Differentiate ad copy from competitors by highlighting unique selling points, special offers, or unique services that set the business apart. Emphasize specific advantages such as local partnerships, or community involvement.

Continuously monitor the performance of PPC campaigns and adjust as appropriate. Monitor competitors' activities and adjust bids, ad copy, and keywords based on their performance to stay competitive and relevant.

7. Not Tracking Local Metrics

Not effectively tracking local metrics keeps businesses from understanding their campaigns' specific impact and effectiveness. Failing to monitor local metrics such as store visits, local conversion rates, and engagement levels could hinder the company's ability to assess the performance of its PPC efforts in reaching and engaging the nearby customer base.

Analyzing local PPC metrics allows the business to identify areas for improvement and effectively optimize its local PPC strategy. Tracking local metrics is the key. Here are some best practices:

• Implement conversion tracking to monitor user actions on your website such as form submissions, phone calls, or purchases.
• Use location-based reporting within the PPC platform to analyze the performance of ads in specific geographical areas. This identifies locations with the most traffic and conversions and leads to effectively allocating budgets. 
• Utilize Google Business Profile insights to gain valuable data on how customers find the business listing and what actions they take after seeing it such as visiting your website, requesting directions, or making phone calls.
• Analyze the performance of local keywords to understand which ones drive the most traffic and conversions. Use Google Analytics and Google Ads for data on the performance of specific keywords in different locations.
• Implement call tracking to monitor and analyze the phone calls generated from the PPC campaigns.

By implementing these tips, you effectively track local metrics in PPC campaigns, gain valuable insights into the performance of local advertising efforts, and make data-driven decisions to optimize strategies for better results.

Summing Up

Location targeting, localized ad copy, keyword research, and optimized landing pages help local PPC campaigns stand out. Optimizing for mobile, monitoring local competition, and tracking call metrics also help create effective local PPC ads. Be aware of these factors. Work with an expert local PPC partner, such as a San Diego PPC agency. Contact Digital Authority Partners (DAP) today.