Google Local Ad Formats

Google Local Ad Formats.
Google announced a number of local ad features at its annual Google Marketing Livestream event.

Google is announcing a number of new local ad-based features at its Google Marketing Livestream event today. These include new ad formats for local campaigns and a new option for “pickup later” in the local inventory ads.

New local campaign ad formats

Auto Suggest ads
Google launched a new ad format for local ads named Auto Suggest ads. Auto Suggest ads show ads based on the searcher’s location. When a searcher is nearby and looks for a related product or service in Google Maps, the ad will auto-suggest the advertiser’s nearby location to that searcher.

The example Google gave for this one is that if you search for [oil change] in Maps, Google might show an ad for an auto garage that is near your current location.

Navigational ads
Google also launched the new Navigational ad format for local ads. Navigational ads are shown while you are using Google Maps driving directions. This allows businesses to show their ads while a user is en route to a destination. So if you’re headed to pick up dinner, a nearby gas station could use Navigational ads to let you know that you can fill up along the way. While driving, Maps users can add the stop to the advertised business to the route. Google said it places the ads in driving directions mode in a “safety conscious manner.”

Similar Places ads
Google also launched a new ad format for local ads named Similar Places ads. These ads show up when you search for a specific business location and that business is closed at the time of the search. In that case, Google may show a similar business on the map by showing the business name with the label “Similar and open.”

All three of these new ad formats are coming to local ad campaigns in the second quarter of this year and will be available to all advertisers globally.