Advertising on Google is a no-brainer for agents. It’s the most-widely used search engine in the nation and offers multiple ad placement opportunities. In a world where 95% of consumers use the internet during their home search, Google is the place to be and be seen.
Just like any platform, when you advertise on Google Search, you need to make sure you’re maximizing all opportunities and ensuring your budget is being well-spent. The problem is that the Google Ads management platform has become so complex that it’s easy to miss a setting here and there while you’re toying with bidding, keyword targeting and ad copy.
The hidden setting in Google Ads
A crucial detail that many people miss is adding their business address to their local search ad. It seems like a simple enough step, right? Here’s why you’ve probably missed this setting in the Google Ads platform:
1. The ability to add your business address is a bit hidden in the depths of Google’s settings, so it’s difficult for non-PPC experts to find. Google calls it an ad extension, and within the extension options is a location extension. This setting appends your business address to your ad.
2. Your Google Ads account must be linked to your Google business profile to activate the setting. This is because the address on your profile must be verified by an additional process, so Google knows with certainty that your business is located where you say it is.
How the location extension boosts ad performance
If appending your business address to your ad doesn’t seem like a crucial step, think again. There are numerous benefits in doing this.
This simple action gives your ad a huge boost on Google Search. Google places a greater value on ads that have more information, like a business address. Therefore, the search giant is more likely to give your ad a higher ranking on the search engine results page (SERP) when a consumer’s GPS location is near your address. When the ad is more relevant, consumers are more likely to take action. This improves your ad’s click-through rate, increases your lead volume and optimizes your overall ad spend.
There’s another benefit that isn’t widely known. By enabling this feature, Google will grant your ad an additional placement on Google Maps. This particular placement is an incredible hidden bonus—like unlocking a secret feature in a video game. By gaining additional visibility on Maps, you’ll increase your brand awareness when nearby consumers scan the virtual streets instead of using Google Search.
Tying in Your Google Business Profile
This is the step where many people realize they don’t have a Google business profile to link to their Google Ads account. Unfortunately, you can’t just claim your business and create a profile in minutes, then go back to your Google Ads account to link the two. (Well, you can’t do it in minutes, but Homesnap Pro+ can. We’ll explain more later.) The address verification procedure is what makes this process take so long. This is because Google requires you to verify your business by snail mail, which could drag on for weeks. Once you complete that step, you’ll be able to build your profile and then link it to your Google Ads account.
This might sound discouraging, but claiming your profile is worth the effort. The benefits of having a well-managed and frequently maintained profile are many. When people search for you on Google, your profile will appear prominently on the right side of search results. It’s akin to a digital business card, and it’s the first impression you’ll make on consumers who see it. A profile also helps bolster your SERP rankings and improves your likelihood of being included in the Google Local Pack, which is a set of local businesses that appear next to an area map at the top of the SERP.
How Homesnap Pro+ speeds up the process
If you want your Google business profile up and running quickly, Homesnap Pro+ can help. We’re able to claim your business and verify your address in minutes, load your profile with content directly from your MLS and update your profile on a regular basis with your latest listings and other new content. Our team will also connect your profile to the Google Ads you run through Homesnap Pro so we can enable the location extension. We make the process completely hands-off for you.
Learn more about Homesnap Pro+ or Homesnap Pro Ads on Google