6 Ways to Increase Foot Traffic with Google Ads – A Local Marketing Guide

Recommendation: Set up a location-targeted Google Ads campaign with a 2-3 mile radius around your storefront and start with a daily budget of $25-$30 to collect data fast. For cardiff businesses and retailers, prioritize mobile search and store locator ads to reach nearby customers and increase reach; monitor conversions daily and adjust bids to keep CPAs under $15.

Extensions boost visibility: Add location, call, and sitelink extensions to boost CTR. Expect a typical lift of 5-15% on clicks with well-crafted extensions. Use address і hours for local shoppers, and shape copy to answer common questions from users. This has been proven to improve in-store visits, and include something concrete such as an in-store discount to drive action.

youtube ads for local reach: Run short, geo-targeted clips featuring your storefront, parking, and current deals. Pair with a local landing page and track how viewers translate to in-store visits. dentsu and partner networks can help you explore cross-channel reach and ensure the highest quality creative; use furniture and showroom scenes to illustrate products and encourage foot traffic.

Bidding and targeting: Use Smart Bidding focused on local store visits and pickup conversions, then segment by device and time. Test narrow keywords like “near me” or “furniture in cardiff” and allocate a larger share to top performers. Analyzing daily results and monitoring CPA will help you keep spend aligned with goals. Consider adding a radius-based targeting layer to ensure only shoppers within your radius see the ads.

Partner with local retailers: Build a joint plan with nearby businesses to share coupons and cross-promote via Google Ads and local listings on a state-wide and city-by-city basis. This increases reach and creates more chances for foot traffic. Create offers that showcase items like furniture and decor within your radius. Track lift in store visits with UTM tags and store visits conversions to prove impact.

Measure, learn, iterate: Set up a clear dashboard combining Google Ads metrics with on-site store visits data. Monitor foot traffic uplift, revenue per visit, and customer questions. Use this data to pick channels with the highest return and refine creatives accordingly. Keep a quarterly cadence to explore new ad formats, including youtube clips or in-store events.

Location Extensions: Put Your Store in Front of Nearby Shoppers

Set up Location extensions now; they automatically put your store in front of nearby shoppers within a defined radius.

Verify your storefront in Google Ads and Maps, keep the address, hours, and phone up to date. Those signals help Google serve the extension to the right people; rely on accurate data to keep the lead quality high. Position your brand at shoppers’ heels on mobile maps so they see you when they’re around.

Dial the radius by market. In dense cities, start at 1-2 miles; in large metro areas, extend to 5-10 miles to cover walkers and riders around the core. In cardiff and similar cities, test 0.5-3 miles for fitness centers and shops; adjust based on foot traffic and parking patterns, and you’ll greatly improve reach for those who are likely to convert.

Copywriting matters: craft concise, benefit-led text within the extension, include your store name, hours, and a callout such as “Loyalty program” or “Open now.” Include a certain offer to entice click-through; use formats that show distance and directions, and add a useful link to a relevant page (events, loyalty, store hours).

Formats to test: standard location extensions with sitelinks to loyalty pages, fitness classes, or local events; add call extensions for peak hours; run experiments across days to see which setup grabs more leads among those whove click-through. Track click-through and store visits to compare performance across those formats.

Measure and optimize: set a target CPA or max cost per lead; pause underperforming areas; explore around those cities; rely on iprospect-like insights from your CRM to refine targets, and keep the aegis of your brand consistent while replying to shoppers who click through. This approach greatly improves relevance and ROI.

Action plan: within 30 days, implement three radius tests in Cardiff and two other cities, compare CTRs, and scale the best performing setup; watch for days when traffic dips, and adjust budgets accordingly to grab more conversions.

Radius Targeting: Build Local Campaigns that Drive Foot Traffic

Set a 2-mile core radius around each location and run a 14-day test, measuring store visits against a 28-day baseline. If uplift reaches 12-18%, allocate 20-30% more budget to high-potential areas and extend to a 5-mile radius for dense neighborhoods during peak local time windows. In addition, track campaigns that successfully drive footfall and in-store conversions.

Radius structure and messaging

• Define core and extended radii per store using local density data; implement time-based bid adjustments for morning, lunch, and post-work hours to maximize reaching nearby customers.
• Craft copywriting that speaks to each area: include store hours, promos, directions, and a clear call to action. Being responsive to local needs and leveraging your talent for concise messaging improves results.
• Advertise on facebooks and other networks with targeted audiences that match your customer profiles; ensure consistent offers and visuals across channels to show relevance.
• Highlight local needs with copy that answers where to shop and why now, offering incentives like free pickup or in-store demos to lift click-through and footfall.

Measuring success and optimization

1. Set up measuring: compare uplift in footfall and in-store conversions within each radius, time window, and variant.
2. Track leads and customer visits by campaign and creative; test which offers and copywriting variants perform best with your customers.
3. Adjust bids by radius and time: raise bids within the core 2-mile zone during peak hours and reduce in low-traffic windows to improve ROAS.
4. Run quarterly tests to refine radius definitions and messaging, then reallocate budget toward the best performing segments to maintain uplift.

Local Landing Pages: Optimize for Local Intent and Store Details

Create a dedicated local landing page for each store location that clearly shows the exact name, address, phone (NAP), hours, and a prominent map at the top. This ideal setup meets local intent and reduces friction for those nearby. Having hours and directions visible saves clicks, and here you can place a single, clear call-to-action above the fold to drive actions fast.

Keep NAP consistent across pages and listings, and attach LocalBusiness schema so platforms display accurate store details. Use captivating graphics of storefronts and product highlights, and add a few customer stories that illustrate real use around your location to build trust.

Craft page content around the local audience by weaving city and neighborhood keywords into headings and using a long-form FAQ that answers location-specific questions. This language resonates with nearby shoppers and helps searchers see value faster.

Track continuous indicators of page performance: click-to-call rates, map directions, form submissions, and on-site dwell time. Use those indicators for adjusting the page copy, layout, and graphics to keep the experience aligned with local intent.

Align bids and spend with store-area signals: use location-based bids for each page, set a sensible daily spend, and test with small increments to refine ROAS. Maintain control over ad spend while leveraging local context and the surrounding competitive landscape.

Work with professionals to validate the approach with studies and best practices, and tailor language to each market. Having an expert craft of copy and visuals helps ensure long, sustainable results across networks, including platforms with multilingual options.

For networks across platforms, maintain a consistent brand voice while adapting details per location. Use language that matches local search habits and provide multi-language options where needed. This scalable approach yields immense value across a network of stores.

Mobile-First Creative and Ad Formats for In-Store Visits

Begin with a vertical-first approach: use 9:16 video plus a bold static image that highlights your пропозиція within the first 2 seconds, and add a map-ready store locator. A single, clear headline and a strong call-to-action keeps the path from mobile to in-store short. Include a scannable QR or instant directions link to streamline the user journey, and pair this with an пропозиція that answers a shopper’s immediate need. For nearby shoppers, this combination lifts attention and increases store visits.

Formats that Convert on Mobile

Leverage Local Inventory Ads to display in-store availability and price while showing a nearby store. Use responsive display ads and short-form video to capture the eye in feed, with a tight messages and a fast path to store directions. In addition, consider a lightweight dynamic creative that adapts by inventory and store closeness, so a shopper sees the most relevant option without extra taps. For apparel, sports, or fitness retailers, show a tight sequence: product on-screen, quick пропозиція, and a store-ready pickup option. For brands like ikea, present an inviting showroom vibe that communicates selection and room-ready ideas.

Creative design and messaging that resonates

Designing mobile assets around a clear подивись and feel matters. Use demographic data to tailor headlines and messages: gender and age cues, interest signals, and local clues from iprospect or first-party data. Test two or three headlines per asset set and compare against a strong пропозиція–things like “Grab this weekend only” or “ready for pickup near you.” Keep the copy concise, and align the imagery with the customer journey from discovery to in-store improvement. Show inventory, emphasize a limited-time можливість, and ensure the call-to-action matches the user’s intent: “Get directions,” “Check store stock,” or “Buy online, pickup in-store.” Track bids based on proximity and predicted foot traffic impact, and push higher bids for high-density demographics while preserving a wide reach for awareness. The result is a compelling, mobile-first experience with immense potential to lift in-store visits.

Skills To Look For: Analytics, Local Keywords, and Optimization Know-How

Tie every action to kpis and set up a daily dashboard that shows lift in store visits, calls, and form submissions; this alignment keeps teams focused on driving real outcomes rather than clicks alone.

Looking for candidates who can link GA4 events to Google Ads conversions, measure offline conversions, and attribute results to campaigns; theyre able to segment by geographic location and demographics, compare reach across platforms, and report how changes influence visibility and driving foot traffic. They should maintain a clean data layer, remove broken tags, and keep data quality high so decisions rest on solid numbers.

Local keywords work hinges on geographic targeting and term selection. Look for the ability to combine location terms, wide category terms, and long-tail terms while watching competition and search intent. They should build term buckets, run regular refreshes, and keep a list of removed terms to prevent reactivation, leveraging negative keywords to refine reach–an option to expand geographic presence without wasting spend.

Optimization know-how means running controlled tests and regular audits. They should test ad copy, headlines, and creative with a clear hypothesis; choose bidding strategies by location and competition; adjust by device and time-of-day; optimize landing pages for local intent. For certain categories like sports gear or services near venues, tailor offers to local events to attract nearby customers. Between experiments, monitor kpis, watch demographics, and fine-tune budgets to keep visibility and reach steady while maintaining profitability.