Google Boost Ads – The next generation of local ad placement

Google recently launched a new advertising feature for local businesses in which the ads will appear in the “sponsored links” results.  The boost ads differ from regular Google Adwords text ads, as the boost ads are built on Google Places and will show the business’ address, phone number, ratings and a special blue map marker.  Google Boost ads are currently only available in San Francisco, Chicago and Houston.

Google Boost in its beta stage offers a simple and automated way for local businesses to advertise online.  Boost ads requires no ongoing maintenance and offers an opportunity for businesses to set themselves apart from Google Maps.  Below are more details on how Google Boost ads work:

• Start the campaign from Google Places
• Minimum $50/month
• Ad shows for categories that are in Google’s category list
• Ads are automatically triggered by Google’s algorithm – vertical keyword + location, i.e San Francisco hotels

Google estimates that 20% of all searches are related to local businesses.  Google Boost ads provides local businesses an opportunity to capitalize on these types of searches in a low cost and low maintenance way.  Google’s launch of Google Boost demonstrates the importance of location based services and Google’s effort to maintain its competitiveness in local search. In the future, we predict more advertising opportunities relating to local.

Contributed by Yung Le, Milestone Internet Marketing, Inc