Posts

Balancing business deadlines with school runs and sick days is no small feat — yet for many self-employed mothers, it’s simply part of daily life. In a recent episode of The Salt Sessions, host Bev Salt sat down with two fellow mums in marketing — Hannah Strong, a Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads specialist from Newcastle, and Lucy Rigley, a York-based brand and web designer — to talk about the messy, magical art of running a business while raising a family.

Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD6lxot9uaU&t=9s

From Agency Life to Autonomy

For both women, self-employment began as a blend of necessity and ambition.
Hannah had climbed the agency ladder to become Head of PPC, but the very week she earned the title, she discovered she was pregnant. “It was a plan,” she laughs, “but it made me reassess everything.” Missing hands-on client work and craving flexibility, she began freelancing after maternity leave. Her first client arrived while she was still pregnant — a low-maintenance account she could manage “around naps, weaning and breastfeeding.”

Lucy’s freelance journey began after redundancy from her London agency job — and a surprise pregnancy soon after. “My husband was already freelancing as a web developer, so it just made sense,” she says. “I never really had a job to go back to.” Moving to York, she built her business from scratch and has now freelanced for 15 years.

Both stories echo a familiar theme: motherhood didn’t end their careers — it reshaped them.

When the Kids Crash the Zoom Call

Every working mum knows chaos can strike mid-meeting. “It never stops,” says Hannah. “Just last week my son refused to go to bed during a client Zoom call, so he ended up on my knee waving at everyone.” Thankfully, clients are generally understanding — especially those with children themselves.

Lucy recalls the lockdown years as her toughest test: “I was home-schooling two kids while working part-time for the council. My parents would FaceTime one child to keep him on track while the other… wasn’t doing quite as much as I thought!” Since then, she says, there’s been a huge shift towards empathy and flexibility.

Finding the Elusive Work-Life Balance

Both women agree that boundaries are a constant battle. Lucy’s husband often scolds her for “checking emails after hours,” but she admits that’s when she feels most productive. “I like the flexibility — if I go to the gym one morning, I don’t mind working in the evening.”

Hannah, meanwhile, works from a garage-turned-office that also doubles as a playroom. “It doesn’t have a radiator or a window, so I’m campaigning for a garden office with natural light by 2025,” she jokes. Her goal: a space that signals “Mum’s at work — do not enter (unless it’s an emergency or biscuits are involved).”

Time Management, Tools, and Staying Sane

When it comes to productivity, their styles differ. Lucy admits she’s “a go-with-the-flow creative,” relying on a fleet of notebooks and spreadsheets instead of rigid time blocking. Hannah, on the other hand, is a self-confessed time-tracking nerd. “I log everything — even toilet breaks,” she laughs. “It helps me see where I’m under-servicing clients or overworking myself.”

Both champion virtual co-working for accountability and connection — something that’s especially valuable when the “colleagues” at home are under five and sticky-fingered.

Building a Support Network

Freelancing can feel lonely, but community makes all the difference. Lucy credits Mums in Marketing for providing support and referrals: “It’s brilliant being around women who just get it.” Hannah agrees — and says partnerships with agencies have been key to steady income: “They handle contracts and reporting; I just plug in my PPC expertise. It’s a great balance.”

Both women also rely on their husbands, who work in the same industry, for daily debriefs and reality checks. “It’s like having an in-house business coach,” says Hannah.

The Downsides: Holidays, Hustle and Headaches

Flexibility doesn’t mean freedom. Holidays, for example, are rare luxuries. “If I take two weeks off, I’m basically paying to be on holiday,” admits Be. Hannah’s solution? A working holiday with her daughter through Boundless Life, a digital-nomad programme offering school, co-working space and accommodation abroad. “It gave us the best of both worlds — I worked while she made pasta in class. Win-win!”

Lucy’s biggest challenge is unpredictable income: “I work project-to-project, so I can’t rely on monthly retainers. You don’t want to turn down work before a holiday in case nothing’s waiting when you get back.”

Lessons from the Freelance Frontline

Hannah’s top tip? “Say yes to everything at first — then learn what to say no to. You only find your niche through experience.” She also recommends raising rates annually and using job alerts to pitch yourself as a stopgap consultant for companies hiring full-time roles.

Lucy adds: “Surround yourself with cheerleaders who understand your world. And collect LinkedIn recommendations — they’re digital gold.” Her final word of wisdom? “Don’t chase perfection. You’ll always feel guilty about something — so just do your best and go with the flow.”

Small Habits, Big Impact

For Hannah, a daily walk doubles as a “lunch-and-learn” session, combining fresh air with podcasts about Google Ads. Lucy swears by regular gym trips to clear her head: “You come back energised — and slightly smug.”

Both prove that freelancing and motherhood might be chaotic, but with creativity, community and caffeine, it’s entirely possible to thrive in both worlds.

For web design support > find Lucy at: https://www.lucyrigley.co.uk/ 

And for Google Ads management > contact Hannah here

Prefer to watch this interview? Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD6lxot9uaU&t=9s

 

Hannah Zora Strong, PPC specialist and founder of Zora Marketing, joined the We Built This Business podcast to share how small businesses can use Google Ads to attract local customers and turn clicks into loyal buyers. Watch the full interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOWVjWvDsNU

Here’s what she had to say.

About Zora Marketing

After leading PPC teams at several North East digital agencies, Hannah launched Zora Marketing to help brands take a smarter, more strategic approach to paid advertising.

“When I became a manager, I realised how much I missed being hands-on — working directly with clients, running campaigns, and seeing the numbers move. That’s what inspired me to start my own business.”

Zora Marketing now works with e-commerce stores, local retailers, service-based businesses, and councils to deliver high-performing Google Ads campaigns that increase leads, sales, and brand visibility.

Building a Local Google Ads Strategy

If you run a High Street shop, e-commerce business, or service-based company, Google Ads can help you attract customers both locally and nationally.

“A lot of my clients have a physical store but also trade online. The key is to combine different Google Ads campaign types so you’re visible wherever your customers are searching.”

1. Optimise Your Product Feed

For retailers running Shopping or Performance Max campaigns, Hannah stresses the importance of an optimised feed:

• Use clear, keyword-rich titles and product descriptions.

   

• Include all product attributes: colour, size, brand, material.

   

• Add high-quality images (your own photos work best).

   

“Think of it like giving Google ammunition — the better your data, the better your visibility.”

2. Use Local Inventory Ads to Drive Footfall

Want to get people off their phones and into your shop? Try Local Inventory Ads.

“If someone nearby searches for ‘vinyl flooring’ and you have it in stock, your ad can appear with a tag like ‘1.1 miles away’. It’s an amazing way to turn local intent into in-store visits.”

These ads link your real-time stock levels with Google Merchant Centre so customers can see what’s available before they visit.

3. Adapt to Changing Search Behaviour

Google’s become a mind reader.

“You no longer have to type ‘coffee shop near me’. Just search ‘coffee shop’ and Google automatically shows local options based on your GPS.”

That means you can bid on broader terms while still reaching local customers. Tools like Keyword Planner can help you identify search volumes in your town, city, or postcode.

Targeting the Right People in the Right Places

Local campaigns can target customers:

• Within a specific radius (e.g. 5 miles around your store)

   

• By postcode (perfect for councils or community marketing)

   

• By town, city, or county for wider catchments

   

“We work with opticians where people are happy to travel further, so we widen the targeting. But for cafés, salons or gyms, a small radius often performs better.”

Measuring Success: ROAS, CPA and Lifetime Value

One of the biggest questions small business owners ask is: “How do I know if my Google Ads are working?”

“Understand your margins. High-margin and low-margin products should have different ROAS targets. The smartest retailers set different campaigns for each.”

She also highlights the importance of customer lifetime value (CLV):

“You might lose £2 on a first sale, but if that customer spends £500 with you over five years, that’s a brilliant return. Sometimes it’s worth accepting a short-term loss for long-term gain.”

Case Study: A National Opticians Group

Hannah managed campaigns for a UK-wide opticians chain with 50+ practices.

“We use a cookie-cutter structure across all locations but tailor copy, radius size and budgets for each. If one branch expands or adds capacity, we can increase ad spend to drive more appointments right away.”

This approach keeps campaigns agile — scaling up or down based on real-time business needs.

AI in Google Ads: Friend, Not Foe

Artificial Intelligence has been in Google Ads for years — from smart bidding to automated ad copy.

“AI makes setup faster, but not perfect. You still need human oversight to make sure your money’s being spent wisely.”

Tools like Google Product Studio can now generate or enhance product images automatically — ideal for testing different visuals.

“AI helps speed things up, but strategy still needs a human brain behind it Product Studio is great for small retailers who don’t have the time, budget or energy to spend on seasonal re-shoots. For example, I work with a Candle client, and we easily swap background images between a snowy festive scene, love-heart confetti, sandy beaches and autumn leaves depending on the holiday season.”

Common DIY Mistakes

“Within campaign settings > Location options you’ll find a choice between “Presence” targeting (this shows ads based on where the searcher is) or “Presence and Interest” (showing ads based on where the user is PLUS locations they’re recently interested in). The former is usually recommended, otherwise you’ll gain clicks from users interested in visiting your location in the short-term, as opposed to those who live and work there. Great for tourism and hospitality brands. Poor for local services such as plumbers, opticians, gardeners.

If you’re managing your own Google Ads, get an expert audit. It’s far cheaper than fixing a blown budget later.

Final Thoughts

“Google Ads is one of the most measurable and flexible ways to grow your business — but it’s not set-and-forget. The best results come from refining, testing, and learning continuously.”

With the right targeting, data, and creativity, Google Ads can help you generate more leads, boost revenue, and drive loyal customers both online and offline.

 

Prefer to watch this interview? View on YouTube

Ready to Grow Your Business with Google Ads?

If you’re a marketing manager or small business owner looking to:
✅ Attract more local customers
✅ Improve your Google Ads ROI
✅ Drive more sales and footfall

Get in touch with Zora Marketing for a free consultation or connect with Hannah Zora on LinkedIn.

 

Running local PPC campaigns can feel like juggling fire. Each city behaves differently, budgets are tight, and clients want results fast. For Hannah Zora Strong, founder of Zora Marketing and a Google Ads specialist in the UK, success is about strategy, not luck.

With more than twelve years in paid media, Hannah has managed budgets from £2,000 to £100,000 across e-commerce, retail, and lead generation. Her mission is simple: help local and multi-location businesses grow with smarter advertising. In a recent interview with Aarti Bhanushali from Swydo, she shared how to win at local PPC without burning through the budget.

Local isn’t copy and paste

One of the biggest mistakes in local marketing is assuming what works in one city will work everywhere.

“You can’t just copy campaigns between locations,” Hannah explains. “London behaves differently to Northumberland. Demographics, competition, even travel habits change everything.”

When managing 50 branches for an opticians group, Hannah focused on the 20 stores that struggled most. By adjusting radius targeting, ad copy, and bidding for each area, she uncovered what clicked locally. Inner-city stores thrived with family-focused messaging. Rural branches needed wider targeting to reach people willing to travel.

The lesson? Test, tailor, repeat. Local PPC success lives in the details.

Start with your Google Business Profile

Before you run a single ad, Hannah says to check your Google Business Profile.

“Your business profile and Google Ads work hand in hand. Keep it updated with strong reviews, quality photos, accurate hours, and the right categories,” she says.

Linking your profile to Google Ads unlocks extra insights. You can track store visits, impressions, and even how ads drive footfall. That data helps businesses understand the real-world impact of online campaigns.

How to stretch smaller budgets

Smaller budgets can still get big results if you plan carefully.

“We don’t need to do everything at once,” Hannah says. “Start small, find what works, and scale from there.”

Her advice: test one service across multiple locations or one location across multiple services. Use the data to find the best performer, then invest more there. It’s simple, safe, and efficient.

Hannah also champions Local Services Ads (LSAs) for trades, health, and service businesses. “Wherever LSAs are available, use them,” she says. “You pay per lead, not per click, and they often sit at the very top of Google results.”

She adds a warning, though. “Make sure your conversion rate supports the cost per lead. Otherwise, you could end up paying more than you earn.”

Balancing quick wins and brand building

Every business owner wants fast results. Hannah understands that pressure but insists the long game matters too.

“I always start with revenue-driving campaigns first. Once clients see consistent profit, we set aside a small part of the budget for creative or brand-building ads.”

Tracking tools like view-through and assisted conversions help prove the value of awareness campaigns. “They may not drive sales immediately, but they keep your brand front of mind. That’s what pushes people back to buy later.”

Staying ahead of Google’s constant changes

Google Ads changes every week, but Hannah doesn’t panic.

“The fundamentals don’t change. Strategy, targeting, and intent always come first. The new tools are just extras.”

She keeps up through industry podcasts, newsletters, and a strong LinkedIn network. Her top picks include Inside Google Ads by Jyll Saskin Gales, and Jeremy Young’s Google Ads Unleashed.

“I only test new features if they help my clients. Shiny new tools are exciting, but not always useful.”

Hannah’s rapid-fire tips for better local PPC

• Fix slow campaigns: Check your location settings. Always choose “presence” instead of “presence and interest”.

   

• Best for local leads: Retargeting beats cold traffic every time.

   

• Lesson as a solo agency owner: Growth doesn’t always mean hiring. “I like working one-to-one with clients. They get my expertise directly.”

   

The next big opportunity in local marketing

Hannah believes Local Services Ads are still underused. Many agencies focus on large accounts and overlook smaller trades or one-person businesses.

“LSAs are perfect for local service providers like plumbers, roofers, and electricians,” she says. “The setup is simple, and you only pay when someone contacts you. It’s a huge opportunity.”

Watch the full interview

Hannah’s full chat with Aarti Bhanushali from Swydo goes even deeper. They discuss tracking offline conversions, optimising for store visits, and managing campaigns across multiple regions.

Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/nYGLADsriq0

If you run local or multi-location campaigns, this conversation is packed with insights from one of the UK’s most experienced PPC specialists. Grab a brew, tune in, and learn how to make every click count. Or if you’re seeking support with your local ad campaigns, contact Hannah.

 

Google Ads lead generation local tips

Want better results from local lead generation? This guide shows how to set up Google Ads campaigns that bring in local leads, track results, and target only the areas that matter.

When it comes to Google Ads for local lead generation, the biggest question I get asked is: should I structure my campaigns by location or by keywords?

Naturally, I’m going to say location, and here’s why it works so well for lead generation campaigns.

Why Location-Based Campaign Structure Works for Lead Gen

If you’re running a service-based business with multiple locations, structuring by location gives you complete control over where your budget goes. 

Let’s say you’re running dental practices across three cities. One location might have higher capacity for new patients, while another might be fully booked for months. With location-based campaigns, you can allocate more budget to the practice that actually needs new patients.

The same applies if you’re a solicitor with offices in different areas. Competition levels vary wildly between inner city locations and rural areas, so your cost-per-acquisition will be completely different. 

Location-based structure lets you set realistic expectations and budgets for each area.

Campaign Setup Essentials

Location Settings Start with presence-only targeting. If you run cooking classes in Manchester, you don’t want to show ads to someone in London who once searched for “things to do in Manchester.” You want people who are actually in Manchester and can attend your classes.

For service-based businesses, set a radius around each location. If you know your customers typically travel 15 miles to reach you, set that radius to optimise your campaigns accordingly.

Location Assets (Extensions) Connect your Google Ads account to your Google Business Profile. This is non-negotiable for local lead generation. Once connected, you’ll get your address featured in Search ads to local Googlers.

The data you get back is incredibly valuable too. You can see clicks, impressions, click-through rates, and conversions broken down by each location, so you know exactly which areas are performing best.

If you’re aiming to get more Google Ads local leads, this structure gives you full control over spend by area.

Dynamic Location Insertion: Your Secret Weapon

This is my personal favorite feature that I don’t see used enough. Dynamic location insertion uses GPS data to automatically insert the user’s city or town name directly into your ad copy.

Instead of creating separate campaigns for “Plumber in Newcastle,” “Plumber in Gateshead,” and “Plumber in Sunderland,” you can create one campaign with dynamic insertion. Google will automatically show “Plumber in Newcastle” to someone in Newcastle and “Plumber in Gateshead” to someone in Gateshead.

The click-through rate improvement is remarkable because people see hyper-local relevance without you managing dozens of campaigns.

Testing Landing Pages for Better Conversions

Here’s where location-based structure really shines for lead generation. You can A/B test whether to send users to:

• A location-specific page with opening times, local staff, and contact details
• A service-specific page focused on the service they searched for

I’ve got one client where we tested exactly this. The location-specific landing page had a 23% higher conversion rate because people could immediately see local information and felt more confident about contacting a local business.

Local Services Ads: The Game-Changer

For service-based businesses, Local Services Ads are revolutionary because you pay per lead, not per click.

These appear at the very top of search results with “Google Guaranteed” badges. Users can contact you via email, WhatsApp, or text message directly from the ad.

Setup Requirements:

• Insurance documents (Google needs to verify you’re legitimate)
• Business registration
• Connected Google Business Profile
• Customer reviews (automatically pulled from your profile)
• Weekly budget (not monthly)

Optimisation Tips:

• Add high-quality photos of your work
• Set realistic working hours (your ads only show when you’re available)
• If you’re an emergency service like a locksmith, consider 24/7 availability
• Use your existing search campaign CPA as a benchmark for target cost-per-lead

The beauty of Local Services Ads is the simplicity. There are no keywords to manage, no bid adjustments to make. You tell Google what services you offer and where you cover, and they handle the rest.

Search ads: Measuring Success Beyond Conversions

Don’t forget to look at assisted conversions and view-through conversions. Someone might click your ad on mobile while they’re out, then call you later from their landline at home. That phone call won’t show up as a direct conversion, but your ad still influenced it.

If you’re tracking phone calls, make sure you’re using Google’s call tracking or Google forwarding numbers so you can properly attribute phone leads back to your campaigns.

Budget Allocation Strategy

Start with equal budgets across locations, then adjust based on performance and capacity. If your Birmingham location is converting at £45 per lead while your London location is at £85 per lead, but Birmingham is fully booked, shift the budget to London.

Also consider seasonality by location. A coastal tourist area might need higher budgets in summer, while a business district might perform better during term time.

Real-World Google Ads for Local Lead Generation Success

I worked with a nationwide Opticians group who had over 50 practices around the UK. 

Strategy:

• Used live appointment data to fluctuate budgets according to practice capacity
• Restructured campaigns for local lead gen by location (instead of by keyword) 
• Campaigns optimised for appointment bookings

Results after six months:

• 872% more conversions
• 79% lower CPA
• Became the most-visible opticians in target neighbourhoods

The key was consistent messaging about appointment availability, backed by sustained investment in the right geographic areas.

Then, the best way to scale your Google Ads campaigns is to understand your target CPA per location – which may be based on capacity, store costs (i.e. rent, staffing, etc), services offered, and competition levels.

This approach works across sectors. If you’re looking to scale using Google Ads for local lead generation, it’s the fastest way to match demand with real capacity on the ground.

 

For more insights, visit our Knowledge Hub for practical digital marketing tips.

Further reading: Google Ads Support

Getting people through your door is often more valuable than online conversions, especially for restaurants, retail stores, and service businesses where the real magic happens face-to-face.

Google’s store visit tracking and footfall optimisation tools have transformed how we measure and optimise for physical visits. Here’s how to set up campaigns that actually get people to your location.

Understanding Store Visit Tracking

Store visits are tracked when someone clicks your ad or views your video, then visits your physical location. This uses GPS data from users who have location services enabled and have visited Google Maps.

The attribution is crucial to understand: visits are attributed to when the click happened, not when the store visit occurred. If someone clicks your ad on Friday evening but visits your store on Saturday morning, that visit shows up in Friday’s data.

This matters for your reporting. Always look back at previous days and weeks to capture delayed store visits, especially for weekend businesses or appointment-based services.

Eligibility: The Mysterious Requirements

Google is deliberately vague about store visit eligibility requirements. There’s no minimum spend, minimum clicks, or minimum number of locations that guarantees approval.

What You Control:

• Verified Google Business Profile with postcard verification
• Google Ads account linked to your Business Profile
• Location assets enabled in your campaigns

What Google Controls:

• Status updates every 24 hours
• Data threshold requirements (undisclosed)

The Real Requirements: Based on my experience, Google needs enough foot traffic data to make visit tracking anonymous. This means:

• High street locations perform better than industrial estates
• Shopping centres and town centres qualify more easily
• Multiple locations increase your chances significantly
• Tourist areas and busy districts have advantages

I’ve got one client spending £10k+ monthly for over a year, but because they’re on a quiet trading estate with low natural footfall, they still haven’t qualified. Meanwhile, a coffee shop spending £500 monthly on a busy high street qualified within three weeks.

It’s frustrating, but location matters more than ad spend for store visit eligibility.

Campaign Setup for Maximum Footfall

Location Targeting Strategy Set tight radius targeting around each store location. If you know customers typically travel 5 miles to visit you, set a 7-mile radius to account for people who might travel slightly further.

Use presence-only targeting, not presence and interest. You want people who are actually in your area and can physically visit, not tourists planning future trips.

Ad Extensions That Drive Visits Location assets are essential, but don’t stop there:

• Call extensions for directions and questions
• Sitelink extensions to specific store pages
• Promotion extensions for in-store offers
• Price extensions for your main products/services

Landing Page Strategy Send traffic to location-specific pages, not generic service pages. Include:

• Exact address with embedded Google Maps
• Opening hours prominently displayed
• Phone number for easy contact
• Parking information
• What to expect when they visit
• Current promotions or offers

Performance Max for Store Visits

Performance Max campaigns can optimise specifically for store visits, giving you those promoted pins on Google Maps.

When someone searches for businesses like yours in your area, your location appears with a branded square pin. Clicking it shows your opening times, offers, photos, reviews, and directions.

Set up your Performance Max asset groups with:

• High-quality storefront and interior photos
• Headlines that mention your local area
• Descriptions highlighting your in-store experience
• Local landing pages with store information

The key is telling Google that store visits are your primary goal, not just online conversions.

Setting Store Visit Values

If you’re using Target ROAS or Maximize Conversion Value bidding, assign monetary values to store visits. This is crucial for proper optimisation.

Calculate this using your conversion data:

• Track how many store visitors make purchases (footfall counters help)
• Calculate average in-store transaction value
• Multiply: visit-to-purchase rate × average transaction = store visit value

Example: If 20% of visitors purchase and your average sale is £40, set store visit value at £8.

Without this value, Google’s algorithm might ignore store visits in favour of online conversions, even if store visits are more valuable to your business.

Dynamic Location Insertion for Footfall

This feature automatically inserts the user’s city or town name into your ad copy using GPS data. Instead of creating separate campaigns for each nearby area, one campaign with dynamic insertion serves hyper-local ads.

The click-through rate improvement is significant because people see ads that feel specifically created for their exact location, not just the general area.

Local Promotions and Events

Footfall campaigns work brilliantly for driving traffic to specific events or promotions:

Time-Sensitive Offers: “Visit our Manchester store this weekend for 30% off winter stock” Use ad scheduling to show these only during relevant times.

Store-Specific Events: Grand opening promotions, seasonal sales, or special demonstrations benefit from dedicated footfall campaigns with increased budgets during event periods.

Inventory Clearance: If one location has excess stock, create a footfall campaign specifically for that store with attractive clearance messaging.

Measuring Beyond Store Visits

Store visit tracking only captures users with location services enabled, so it’s always underreported. Look at these additional metrics:

Assisted Conversions: How many online conversions were influenced by users who also visited your store?

Cross-Channel Attribution: Are people clicking ads, visiting stores, then purchasing online later?

Phone Call Tracking: Store visits often generate phone calls for directions, opening times, or product availability.

Brand Search Increases: Successful footfall campaigns often drive increases in branded search volume as people remember your business.

Seasonal and Local Event Optimisation

Adjust your footfall campaigns around local events and seasonal patterns:

• University towns: Higher budgets during term time, lower during holidays
• Tourist areas: Seasonal adjustments for peak visitor periods
• Business districts: Higher budgets weekdays, lower weekends
• Shopping centres: Increased budgets during school holidays and weekends

Competitive Advantages for Footfall

Local businesses have unique advantages over national chains:

Personal Service: Highlight the personal attention customers receive in-store 

Local Knowledge: Emphasise your understanding of local needs and preferences 

Community Connection: Show your involvement in local events and causes 

Immediate Availability: Promote same-day service or immediate product availability

Getting Started with Footfall Campaigns

1. Verify Your Locations: Ensure all Google Business Profiles are verified and optimised
2. Link: Connect your Google Ads account to Business Profile Manager
3. Enable Location Assets: Turn on location extensions for all campaigns
4. Set Tight Targeting: Use presence-only targeting with appropriate radius
5. Create Local Landing Pages: Store-specific pages with visit information
6. Track Phone Calls: Many store visits start with phone calls for directions
7. Be Patient: Store visit eligibility can take weeks or months depending on location

Remember, store visit tracking will always underreport actual visits, but it provides valuable directional data for optimisation. Focus on the trends and relative performance between locations rather than absolute numbers.

The goal isn’t just getting people through your door once – it’s creating customers who return because of the great experience your physical location provides. Google Ads gets them there; your in-store experience keeps them coming back.

 

For more insights, visit our Knowledge Hub for practical digital marketing tips.

Further reading: Google Ads Support

Google Ads local ecommerce tips

Want to drive both online sales and in-store pickups? This article explains how to set up Google Ads local ecommerce campaigns the smart way.

E-commerce isn’t just about shipping products nationwide. If you’ve got physical stores alongside your online presence, local e-commerce campaigns can be incredibly powerful for driving both online sales and in-store pickups.

Let me walk you through how to set up e-commerce campaigns that leverage your local presence for better performance.

Local Inventory Ads: Your Competitive Advantage

Local inventory ads can be challenging to set up, but they’re worth the effort. You’ll see retailers like B&Q and Argos doing this brilliantly – their Shopping ads show “In store” or “Available for pickup in 2 hours.”

This bridges the gap between online browsing and offline purchasing, which is exactly what local customers want.

Integration Methods:

If you’re using point-of-sale systems like Squarespace, Shopify POS, or similar, you can integrate directly with Google Merchant Centre. This automatically syncs your in-store inventory with your Google Ads.

For those without direct integration, there’s the supplementary feed option. You’ll need three elements:

• Product ID (same as your online catalogue)
• Store Code (from your Google Business Profile)
• Availability (in stock/out of stock)

Here’s how it works: if you sell trainers and the product ID is “trainers-001,” you’d list:

• trainers-001, store-code-manchester, in-stock
• trainers-001, store-code-liverpool, out-of-stock
• trainers-001, store-code-birmingham, in-stock

Even though you’re repeating the product ID, pairing it with different store codes tells Google exactly which products are available where.

Campaign Structure – by product or location?

While the popular choice is to structure campaigns by product type, we can also do so by location.

Why this works for e-commerce:

Stock Levels: Your Manchester store might have plenty of winter coats in stock, while your Brighton store sold out weeks ago. Location-based campaigns let you adjust budgets accordingly.

Local Competition: An electronics store in central London faces different competition than one in rural Yorkshire. Your bidding strategies will need to reflect this.

Shipping vs Pickup: Some locations might drive more “buy online, pick up in store” traffic, while others generate more home deliveries. You can optimize for these different customer behaviours.

Local Promotions: Running a clearance sale at one location? Boost that campaign’s budget without affecting your other stores.

Performance Max for Local E-commerce

Within Performance Max, you can optimize for store visits alongside online transaction/revenue conversions. This gets you the promoted pin on Google Maps – a square pin with your brand logo that shows store information, offers, opening hours, plus “call” and “get directions” call-to-actions when clicked.

The key is setting up your asset groups properly. Include:

• High-quality product images
• Store-specific headlines mentioning local areas
• Descriptions that highlight both online and in-store options
• Local landing pages that show store information

Store Visits: Bridging Online and Offline

Store visit tracking is crucial for local e-commerce because it captures the full customer journey. Someone might see your ad, click through to browse products online, then visit your store to see items in person before purchasing.

Attribution Rules: Store visits are attributed to the click date, not the visit date. If someone clicks your ad on March 31st and visits your store on April 2nd, that visit appears in March’s data, not April’s.

This is important for month-end reporting. Always look back at previous weeks’ and months’ data to capture delayed store visits.

Eligibility Requirements: You need verified Google Business Profile locations, location assets enabled in campaigns, and your ads account linked to your business profile. Google handles the rest, but approval isn’t guaranteed.

The Data Threshold Challenge: Google doesn’t publish exactly what triggers store visit eligibility, but in my experience, businesses with multiple locations and those located in high foot traffic areas get approved more quickly (i.e. in town centres vs out-of-town industrial estates).

I’ve got one e-commerce client spending £10k+ monthly, but because they’re on a quiet trading estate, they still haven’t qualified for store visit tracking. Meanwhile, a smaller client on a busy high street qualified within weeks.

Revenue Optimisation with Store Visits

If you’re running Target ROAS or Maximise Conversion Value campaigns, assign a monetary value to store visits.

Calculate this using your in-store conversion rate and average order value. If 10% of store visitors make a purchase and your average order value is £50, set your store visit value at £5.

This tells Google’s algorithm that store visits matter for revenue, not just online conversions. Without this, Google might optimise purely for online sales and ignore the offline impact of your ads.

Local E-commerce Landing Page Strategy

Create location-specific landing pages that combine e-commerce functionality with local information:

• Product availability at nearby stores
• Click-and-collect options with timing
• Store opening hours and contact details
• Local delivery options and costs
• In-store exclusive offers or services

Test these against generic product pages. Often, the local context increases conversion rates because customers feel more confident about returns, exchanges, and customer service.

Seasonal and Event-Based Optimisation

Local e-commerce campaigns should reflect local events and seasonality:

• Back-to-school campaigns near schools
• Christmas shopping campaigns near shopping centres
• Summer outdoor gear near coastal or countryside stores
• Business supplies near office districts during weekdays

Adjust your campaign schedules and budgets to match local shopping patterns.

Getting Started

Start by connecting your e-commerce platform to Google Merchant Centre, then link everything to your Google Business Profile. Set up location assets in your campaigns and begin with presence-only targeting.

If you’ve got multiple locations, create separate campaigns for each area so you can optimise budgets based on local stock levels and competition.

Local inventory ads take more setup time, but they’re worth it for the competitive advantage. Your customers get the convenience of online browsing with the confidence of local availability, and you get better campaign performance from showing exactly what’s available where.

The future of e-commerce is local, and Google Ads gives you all the tools you need to connect online shoppers with your physical stores.

For more insights, visit our Knowledge Hub for practical digital marketing tips.

Further reading: Google Ads Support