Google Introduces “Hyper-Local” Search Ads For Mobile
Adding to its growing portfolio of mobile search ads exploiting location, Google is introducing a “hyper-local” ad capability that shows users the precise distance to the advertiser’s business or location — right now. The ad units are denoted by a blue pushpin and feature click-to-call and an expandable map. This new announcement comes on the […]
Adding to its growing portfolio of mobile search ads exploiting location, Google is introducing a “hyper-local” ad capability that shows users the precise distance to the advertiser’s business or location — right now. The ad units are denoted by a blue pushpin and feature click-to-call and an expandable map. This new announcement comes on the heels of map-based banner ads that guide users “from search to store.” The location accuracy of the new hyper-local units reportedly goes down to “the block level.”
To take advantage of the new capability advertisers must have location extensions set up. Users must also have consented to share their location with Google. Advertisers are billed when users click through to a website or click to call the phone number exposed in the ad.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car was early user of the program and is quoted in the Google blog post this morning:
“Since Enterprise Rent-A-Car has neighborhood and airport locations within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population, the hyperlocal ad feature is an excellent medium to help our customers find us at the exact moment they need us most.”
All this becomes much more concrete if we look at an ad:
The fact of the blue pushpin and the identified distance between user and advertiser makes these adds potentially very powerful by leading people to the point of purchase. It further distinguishes Google mobile AdWords from its PC sibling and also adds a “real-time” dimension that didn’t as prominently exist before.
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