Passed on 21 May, 2025
2. Planning international expansion
In this lesson, we’ll explore how mobile search and local advertising complement each other to connect customers to businesses local to them.
✅ Learning objectivesBy the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:Understand how search engines choose local results.Identify how mobile phones can help boost local business.Recognise how local advertising, mobile marketing, and more can attract new customers.
Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:
Understand how search engines choose local results.
Identify how mobile phones can help boost local business.
Recognise how local advertising, mobile marketing, and more can attract new customers.
Make the most of mobile
Let’s explore how mobile can help businesses connect with customers nearby.
Did you know?
Global Positioning System (GPS) is a way to pinpoint a location. One feature that makes mobile devices most helpful for searchers is that they can allow websites and mobile apps to use GPS to detect where they are, what’s around them, and direct them to where they want to go.
Local and mobile
Searching on mobile can be a helpful way for customers to find what they need - whether it’s a coffee, an umbrella, or a chain for their bike - in the nearest available place.Let’s check out how businesses can help mobile users find them when they’re searching.
Let’s check out how businesses can help mobile users find them when they’re searching.
Let’s check out how businesses can help mobile users find them when they’re searching.
Make sure the business location is on the business website, local directories, review sites, and on social media.
Explore app functionality
Apps can offer extra helpful features for businesses which can be customised to create the best customer experience. For example, you could GPS on a mobile to unlock new experiences and interactions, such as providing customers with recommended restaurants that deliver food close to their location.Here are some examples of features you could enable in an app.
Here are some examples of features you could enable in an app.
Here are some examples of features you could enable in an app.
Using location to advertise
Local advertising can help a business find customers that are close by. If you’re not familiar with digital advertising, check out thePaid marketing channelsmodule.
Did you know?
You can tailor ads to show when someone is physically close to your business. For example, if you own a flower shop you could bid on the term ‘bespoke bouquets’ and set up a campaign to only bid when someone searches for the phrase within 10 miles of your shop.Whether your business chooses to use search engines, social media, directories, or review sites, limiting advertising budgets to target people nearby can help you find new local customers.
Whether your business chooses to use search engines, social media, directories, or review sites, limiting advertising budgets to target people nearby can help you find new local customers.
Whether your business chooses to use search engines, social media, directories, or review sites, limiting advertising budgets to target people nearby can help you find new local customers.
Creating content for local ads
Let’s check out some of the features you could consider when advertising digitally in your local area.It’s important to remember that search engines may pull information from multiple places so be thorough and consistent when adding or updating your business information.
It’s important to remember that search engines may pull information from multiple places so be thorough and consistent when adding or updating your business information.
It’s important to remember that search engines may pull information from multiple places so be thorough and consistent when adding or updating your business information.
Opening hours, popular times, and wait times
Including opening hours, when a business is busy, and estimated wait times can help customers plan their visit to a business.Letting them know when it’s quieter can make your business more appealing at off-peak times, and there may be options to only show ads during open hours.
Letting them know when it’s quieter can make your business more appealing at off-peak times, and there may be options to only show ads during open hours.
Letting them know when it’s quieter can make your business more appealing at off-peak times, and there may be options to only show ads during open hours.
Location and contact details
Help people get directions right to your storefront on their smartphone and give the option for people to call your phone number with a single tap.
Highlights and unique features
Emphasise what makes your location unique, like ‘Pet-friendly’ or ‘Woman owned’.Customers may be more likely to visit a business that offers certain experiences or supports certain values.
Customers may be more likely to visit a business that offers certain experiences or supports certain values.
Customers may be more likely to visit a business that offers certain experiences or supports certain values.
Special deals nearby
Offer exclusive, time-sensitive deals that appear only to people near your location.A nearby shopper might be more interested in a ‘15% off for this weekend only’ ad.
A nearby shopper might be more interested in a ‘15% off for this weekend only’ ad.
A nearby shopper might be more interested in a ‘15% off for this weekend only’ ad.
Strategising search ads for success
With a well-thought-out ad strategy, you can reach and convert your target audience and maximise your return on ad spend (ROAS). Here's how you can reach potential customers efficiently.
Set up conversion tracking
Before launching any ads, set up conversion tracking to monitor customer interactions like purchases or sign-ups. This allows you to measure and refine your ad performance accurately.
Define your objectives and bidding strategy
With conversion tracking in place, decide what matters most for your campaign – maximising sales, revenue, or hitting a specific ROAS target. You can choose a bid strategy that aligns with your goal, such as maximising conversions within a set budget.
Choose your keywords carefully
Next, select keywords that resonate with your business and audience. Think about the language and keywords your customers use. These will help ensure your ad appears when local users search for relevant topics or services.
Start creating your ad
Based on your research you could create themed ‘ad groups’. Large ‘ad groups’ can be costly, so starting with a few ad variations and expanding slowly could be a good approach. Once this is decided, write your ad copy with your audience and keywords in mind.
Set your geographic targeting
Limit your ads to reach only those in specific geographical locations so that your budget is focused on local customers most likely to engage with your business. This targeting helps you refine your reach and manage your budget effectively.
Launch your campaign
Let’s recap on the steps:Set up conversion trackingDefine your goalsSelected keywordsCreate your adSet geographic locationsYour campaign is ready to launch.
Set up conversion trackingDefine your goalsSelected keywordsCreate your adSet geographic locationsYour campaign is ready to launch.
Set up conversion tracking
Define your goals
Selected keywords
Create your ad
Set geographic locations
Your campaign is ready to launch.
Your campaign is ready to launch.
An important note on location
Once you’ve crafted an effective ad, it’s important to include details that help potential customers find your business location easily. Many advertising tools offer location features to increase foot traffic and make your business more accessible.Let’s explore how these location assets work and how they can enhance your ads.
Let’s explore how these location assets work and how they can enhance your ads.
Let’s explore how these location assets work and how they can enhance your ads.
Location assets
Location assets let your ads display information such as your business address, a map link, or travel distance to make it simple for people to locate your business.
Types of advertisers
Location assets can boost the effectiveness of your ads whether you’re promoting:A business location, like a shop.Retailers or other places that carry your products or services.
A business location, like a shop.Retailers or other places that carry your products or services.
A business location, like a shop.
Retailers or other places that carry your products or services.
Types of location assets
Most advertising tools provide two primary types of location assets:Location Extensions: These send traffic to your business.Affiliate Location Extensions: These send traffic to other businesses that sell your products.
Location Extensions: These send traffic to your business.Affiliate Location Extensions: These send traffic to other businesses that sell your products.
Where location assets work
Location assets can appear in various formats across devices, helping customers find you when they search, browse, or watch content.This helps increase visibility for your business on maps, local searches and in digital ads.
This helps increase visibility for your business on maps, local searches and in digital ads.
This helps increase visibility for your business on maps, local searches and in digital ads.
Combine search with social media
Social media offers business pages, as well as paid advertising to target local customers.By combining your efforts from local directories, your website, and search ads with social media ads, you can boost your reach within your local area. For example, you’ve advertised an event using search ads, but that ad has a character limit. You could use social media ads to offer more details.
By combining your efforts from local directories, your website, and search ads with social media ads, you can boost your reach within your local area. For example, you’ve advertised an event using search ads, but that ad has a character limit. You could use social media ads to offer more details.
By combining your efforts from local directories, your website, and search ads with social media ads, you can boost your reach within your local area. For example, you’ve advertised an event using search ads, but that ad has a character limit. You could use social media ads to offer more details.
Boost your business
Social media has already done a lot of the research for you. It can figure out where people are, and just like with search engines, you can specify your ads to show only to people who are nearby with a relevant, local message.
Consider premium ads
Local directory and review websites offer great advertising opportunities, and you can often pay a little more for enhanced visibility in search results, such as featured listings or top placements.
Weigh up the cost
On social media, many advertising options are completely free of charge, such as using #hashtags, engaging with comments on your posts, and sharing content that is relevant to your business. This can make it a good option to consider.
Check your knowledge
It's time for you to check and reflect on what you've learned so far.You must complete the knowledge check to move to the next lesson.
You must complete the knowledge check to move to the next lesson.
You must complete the knowledge check to move to the next lesson.
Question 1 of 3
Imagine you run a local bike shop and you want to advertise your store online. What’s one way that you could target your online ads to local customers?
Show ads to people within 10 miles of your shop
Show ads only at certain times
Hand out flyers and business cards to local shops
Submit
Submit
Yes.To target local people you can set your ads to only show to people within 10 miles of your shop. You could also hand out flyers and business cards to local shops but this isn’t a digital form of advertising.
To target local people you can set your ads to only show to people within 10 miles of your shop. You could also hand out flyers and business cards to local shops but this isn’t a digital form of advertising.
Question 2 of 3
When would you limit your digital advertising to only showing at certain times?
When you want to take lunch breaks
When you want your digital ads to reflect your shop’s opening hours
When you think customers are most likely to be nearby
Submit
Submit
Yes.When you want your digital ads to reflect your shop’s opening hours you can set them to only bid during the hours that you’re open. This helps you drive traffic to your store at the most relevant times of day to do business.
Question 3 of 3
True or False: Social media business pages are generally expensive but they are worth the investment.
True
False
Show Answer
Show Answer
Not quite.Social media business pages are generally free to set up and so are many of the helpful features they have. You can invest in paid advertising through your social media business page but you choose how much or how little you’d like to invest. It’s good to research options and find a social media that works for you and reaches your target customers.
Lesson complete
Great job!You now have a better understanding of how to use digital to advertise locally and have completed theLocal businessmodule!
You now have a better understanding of how to use digital to advertise locally and have completed theLocal businessmodule!