Local PPC for small business: how to start

Local PPC aims your ads at people in the places you serve, at the moment they search for what you sell. It suits plumbers, dentists, lawyers, restaurants, repair shops and any business with a service area.

Start with service plus place

Customers search by what they need and where. Build keywords from your services combined with your cities and neighborhoods, and add near me versions. The keyword builder does this for you.

Set the right locations

Target the cities, radius or postal codes you actually serve, and check the setting that decides whether to reach people in the area or people showing interest in it. For most local businesses, people in or regularly in the area is the safer choice.

Write ads that match the search

Use the service and the place in the headline, and add your phone number and location. A local ad that names the town gets more attention.

Send people to the right page

Link each ad to a page about that service in that area, with a phone number that taps to call on a phone.

Track calls and forms

Record phone calls from ads as conversions. Local businesses win by phone, and without call tracking you will undercount leads.

Control wasted clicks

Add negative keywords for jobs, free and do-it-yourself searches. Review the search terms report every week at first.

Budget realistically

Start with a budget that buys enough clicks to learn, and judge by cost per lead and cost per customer.