As a relatively young sector of the digital marketing industry, local search is in a state of near-constant evolution. While businesses struggle to earn visibility in proximity-based search results, Google and other search engines are looking for ways to better connect businesses with nearby customers.

Local search ads for Google Maps are at the centre of the company’s strategy. The ads are intended to raise local businesses’ visibility at the precise moment when consumers are close by or searching for relevant products. Local search ads appear above organic results in Google’s “Local Finder” in much the same way that paid search advertisements display at the top of generic search results. By including “Call” or “Directions” buttons, local search ads are intended not only to improve visibility, but also to drive traffic to brick-and-mortar locations.

In the same vein, businesses can now place “Promoted Pins” in Google Maps. The pins, which Search Engine Land describes as “company logos that will indicate physical locations on Google Maps,” give businesses a chance to attract on-the-go customers and promote special features and sales items.

With local searches accounting for nearly a third of all mobile queries, Promoted Pins and local search ads are of course compatible with both desktop and mobile versions of Google Maps.

As a Google Partner All Star Agency with access to insights on Google’s preferred practices, GrowthEngine Media is positioned to help your business stand out in the evolving local search environment.