Local Ads that Pop
Aug 3, 2007 Google Adwords
Geo-targeting is not a new feature in sponsored search, but just selecting certain regions or countries does not mean that your default “write once” ad will translate well and result in higher click through rate. Advertisers need to take advantage of knowing that their ads will be shown to a select audience, and gear their ads towards relevant regional sensitivities.
This sentiment could not be any more obvious when crossing international lines. Most of us know that what may work in Canada will not work in the United States. It’s simple, the average American consumer is influenced by an entirely different array of factors than the average Canadian consumer.
Canadians are more conscious of where their money is being spent. We have every right to be more conscious, because most of us have been burned when we tried purchasing products or services across the border, only to be taxed and tariffed to death upon arrival. Put a maple leaf on your e-commerce site, and chances are you just lowered your Canadian shopper’s purchase threshold by 50%. Put the words “Canada” or the province below your Adwords ad when no one else is, and you may just corner the market. The same goes for cross province ads. If you have a physical store in British Columbia and target your ads to Alberta residents, chances are they will buy from your store rather than your local competitor to skip paying the PST.
Americans tend to have more choice because of the sheer size of their market, so you’ll have to win the majority of their purchases another way. A great way to do that is by offering purchase incentives, creating urgency, or taking care of their comparison shopping well in advance. However, our Canadian example holds true for the US as well. Cross state online shopping is really effective when your customers don’t have to pay state taxes. If your physical store is located out of state from where you target your ads, consumers that can do the math will choose you over your local competitor.
The take home message for today is, geo-target your ads and ensure that you have content that speaks to your customers and prospects within your ad text.
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