Important Differences between Local and National Google Ads Campaigns

All Google Ads advertisers must know the differences between running local and national pay per click campaigns if they are to make a success of their online marketing efforts. Webrageous is a team of experts dedicated to the skillful management of both local ppc and national ppc campaigns. Follow the advice below if you are considering branching out into the Google Ads Management of either local or national ppc campaigns today.

Different keyword strategies

National and local campaigns are different in terms of keyword selection. Consider two  companies advertising premium Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. One advertiser may decide to focus on the state of Idaho while another may want to take on a National campaign in the United States. The keyword selection and bidding process would be different for both.

In national campaigns the cost may be more competitive since more companies may be bidding on the same keywords for that area. Local campaigns are potentially less expensive and the competition can be less numerous. Either way, the difference in competing bids may significantly impact the cost per click.

For example, one advertiser may want to bid heavily for keywords along the lines of “Blue Mountain coffee” and “Idaho”. The other company may want to restrict that to “Blue Mountain Coffee” and perhaps “buy online”. The cost and competitiveness of the keywords will be different in each case. These campaigns call for different keyword selections and may have vastly different costs per click.

How far are your customers willing to go?

Your decision to launch a national or local campaign should be heavily determined by the nature of your business. It would be a Google Ads catastrophe if a small hair salon based in Connecticut  decided to launch a National PPC campaign. What are the chances of someone in San Francisco taking a greyhound or plane trip for a hairstyle? A national campaign in this case would be a waste of advertising dollars and would ruin ROI.

However, this is not always the case for small businesses. In the case of a world-renowned medical practitioner, people may think nothing of travelling halfway across the world for a consultation. The value of the business to the customer determines how far the customer is willing to go. That length should then be the yardstick that PPC managers use to determine whether or not a national or more geo-targeted campaign is in order.

Micro-marketing support

Additionally, a well targeted local campaign may be able to support your general niche marketing efforts. Niche marketing involves creating a following and “loyalty” among a well-defined group. This may involve targeting areas of a country that are underserved by your competitors. It is also referred to as micro-marketing. Your Google AdWords campaign will enable you to get very specific and implement this in great detail.
Think and check before you invest

Consider the campaign objectives and your target audience before you implement a national or local campaign. The audience you choose to share your advertisement with can have a profound effect on the effectiveness of your paid search or display network campaign. Consider the benefits and disadvantages both strategies offer you before investing your advertising dollars in either method.