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.
