In today’s competitive business landscape, standing out online is essential for service-based businesses looking to attract new customers. Google Ads and Google My Business (now known as Google Business Profile) have emerged as powerful tools that work best when used together to increase visibility and drive qualified leads to your business.
Google Ads operates on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, allowing businesses to display advertisements on Google’s search engine results pages and across its extensive network of websites. Meanwhile, Google My Business provides a free listing that helps control how your business appears on Google Maps and in local search results. When these platforms are linked, they create a powerful marketing synergy that can significantly enhance your online presence.
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Understanding Google Ads for Google My Business
Google Ads and Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) are powerful tools that work together to enhance your online visibility. While distinct in their purposes, linking these platforms creates a cohesive digital marketing strategy that maximizes your local business presence.
What is Google Ads?
Google Ads is a paid advertising platform that displays your business advertisements on Google.com and across the Google Display Network. This pay-per-click system allows businesses to target potential customers based on specific keywords, demographics, and locations. Unlike Google Business Profile, Google Ads serves as a growth-focused add-on that accelerates visibility for businesses looking to expand their customer base.
What is Google Business Profile?
Google Business Profile is a free platform that showcases your essential business information on Google Search and Google Maps. It displays your business hours, location, contact details, reviews, and photos to users searching for related services in your area. A large percentage of Google searches are for local businesses, products, and services, making this platform essential for local visibility.
Benefits of Linking Google Ads with Google Business Profile
Linking your Google Ads account to your Google Business Profile creates location extensions that provide several advantages:
- Enhanced ad relevance: Your ads display your business address, making them more relevant to local searchers
- Improved targeting: Utilize Google Business Profile demographic data to refine your ad targeting
- Reduced cost per conversion: Location-specific ads typically perform better, lowering your overall advertising costs
- Consistent brand experience: Customers experience your brand consistently across all Google platforms
- Better insights: Learn what customers search for before visiting your website, allowing for more effective keyword strategies
At AGR Technology, we specialize in optimizing these connections to maximize your local visibility and drive qualified leads to your business. Our Google Ads services ensure your Google Business Profile works harder for you, connecting with potential customers at the moment they’re searching for your offerings.
Benefits of Connecting Google My Business with Google Ads
Connecting your Google Business Profile to Google Ads creates powerful synergy that enhances your online marketing strategy. This integration allows you to leverage data from both platforms to improve targeting, visibility, and campaign performance.
Enhanced Local Visibility
Linking Google My Business with Google Ads dramatically improves your local search presence. Your business gains prominent placement in both paid search results and the local pack, effectively dominating the search engine results page for relevant local queries. The connection enables your ads to display your business location, opening hours, and customer ratings directly in the ad copy, making them more informative and clickable. With over 46% of user searches on Google having local intent, this integrated approach ensures you’re capturing this valuable traffic from multiple angles.
Improved Ad Performance
The Google My Business and Google Ads connection significantly boosts overall ad effectiveness. This integration provides access to valuable demographic information from your Business Profile, allowing for more precise audience targeting. You’ll see measurable improvements in key metrics like click-through rates and conversion rates as your ads become more relevant to local searchers. The connection also enables strategic bidding based on location performance data, helping optimize your cost per click (CPC), cost per thousand impressions (CPM), or cost per acquisition (CPA) strategies. Regular A/B testing of different ad variations combined with GMB insights creates a continuous improvement cycle that maximizes your return on ad spend.
How to Link Your Google My Business to Google Ads
Connecting your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) to your Google Ads account amplifies your local advertising effectiveness. This integration enhances ad performance by displaying your business location information alongside your ads, creating a seamless experience for potential customers.
Step-by-Step Connection Process
- Sign in to Google Ads: Go to the Google Ads homepage and click “Sign in” at the top right corner. Enter the email address and password associated with your Google Account.
- Access Extensions Tab: Once logged in, navigate to the Extensions tab in your Google Ads dashboard.
- Create Location Extension: Click on the “Create extension” icon and select “Location extension” from the dropdown menu.
- Link Your Business Profile: Select the Google Business Profile you want to connect to your ads campaign. If you manage multiple locations, you can select all relevant profiles.
- Save and Apply: After selecting your business profile(s), click “Save” to complete the connection process. Your location extensions will now be available to add to your campaigns.
- Apply to Campaigns: Select the specific campaigns where you want your business location information to appear and activate the extension for those campaigns.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Account Access Problems: Ensure you’re using the same Google Account for both Google Ads and Google Business Profile. If you’re experiencing permission issues, verify you’re an admin on both platforms.
- Location Not Appearing: If your business location isn’t showing in the available options, confirm your Google Business Profile is fully verified and active. Verification issues or suspended accounts won’t appear for linking.
- Extension Not Displaying: Location extensions may take 24-48 hours to start appearing on your ads. If they don’t show after this period, check that your campaigns are properly configured to display location extensions.
- Multiple Location Management: For businesses with numerous locations, use location groups to organize and apply extensions more efficiently based on geographic areas or business types.
At AGR Technology, we specialize in optimizing these connections to maximize your local ad performance. Our Google Ads experts can handle the entire linking process for you, ensuring your business locations appear prominently alongside your ads. Contact us today for a customized Google Ads strategy that leverages your Google Business Profile to drive qualified local leads.
Location Extensions: A Powerful Integration Tool
Location extensions connect your Google Ads with your Google Business Profile to display your business address alongside your ads. This integration enhances visibility for potential customers searching for local solutions while improving ad quality and click-through rates.
How Location Extensions Work
Location extensions display your ad alongside a map marker that pinpoints your business location. When users click on this marker, they access a popup containing essential information:
- Business name displayed prominently for brand recognition
- Physical address helping customers find your location
- Phone number for immediate contact options
- Website link directing to your online presence
This feature facilitates easier discovery for potential customers searching in your area. Location extensions work within Google’s advertising ecosystem to enhance your ad’s effectiveness by providing contextual information that helps users make decisions before clicking through to your website.
When setting up campaigns in Google Ads, you can precisely target your location extensions by:
- Country
- State/province
- Metro area
- Postal code
Setting Up Location Extensions
Setting up location extensions requires linking your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) with your Google Ads account. The process is straightforward:
- Link your accounts: Connect your Google Business Profile with your Google Ads account
- Activate extensions: Turn on location extensions within your Google Ads campaigns
- Choose display options: Include or exclude map markers based on campaign goals
While these platforms operate separately, they work together to maximize your local visibility. For locally-owned businesses, this integration is particularly valuable as it attracts customers searching for nearby solutions. Multiple location businesses benefit by displaying all nearby locations, improving Ad Quality Score and increasing click-through rates by utilizing additional ad space.
This strategic integration helps you communicate more value to potential customers while maintaining the distinct advantages of both platforms. By implementing location extensions, you’re effectively expanding your ad’s real estate and providing essential information that can influence purchasing decisions.
Google Ads Campaign Strategies for Local Businesses
Google Ads offers powerful campaign formats specifically designed for service-based businesses targeting local customers. These strategies help businesses maximize their online visibility and generate qualified leads from their immediate service areas. Let’s explore the most effective approaches for local businesses.
Keyword Selection for Local Targeting
Local keyword targeting forms the foundation of successful Google Ads campaigns for service businesses. More than half of Google searches have local intent, making location-specific keywords essential for capturing relevant traffic. To optimize your local targeting:
- Incorporate location modifiers in your keywords by combining your service with town names, neighborhoods, or regional terms (e.g., “craft beer delivery Brighton”)
- Target “near me” searches which have grown 200% in recent years for local service queries
- Use local landmarks in your keyword strategy to capture searches from people referencing familiar points
- Include local keywords in ad copy to improve click-through rates and filter out irrelevant clicks, saving campaign costs
- Research competitor location terms to identify gaps in local keyword coverage you can exploit
Strategic location targeting ensures your ads appear for potential customers actively searching for your services in your coverage area, resulting in higher quality leads and better conversion rates.
Budget Optimization for Small Businesses
Small businesses can maximize their Google Ads budget through strategic optimization techniques focused on local results. Effective budget management includes:
- Target specific service areas by implementing location targeting to show ads only to people within your operational region, preventing budget waste on clicks from outside your coverage area
- Use remarketing campaigns to re-engage website visitors, typically achieving 2-3x better conversion rates than initial ad interactions
- Set up conversion tracking to measure campaign performance and identify which strategies deliver the best return on ad spend
- Implement local service ads (LSA) which appear alongside Google Maps results and include customer ratings, building trust with local consumers
- Utilize display network campaigns strategically for broader brand awareness in targeted geographic locations
By combining these strategies with continuous monitoring and refinement, local businesses can achieve significant improvements in ad performance while controlling costs. Contact AGR Technology today for a customized Google Ads strategy that maximizes your local visibility and drives qualified leads to your business.
Measuring Success and ROI
Measuring the success of your Google Ads campaigns is essential for optimizing performance and ensuring a positive return on investment. Tracking key metrics and analyzing campaign data helps identify what’s working and where improvements are needed.
Key Performance Metrics to Track
Effective Google Ads measurement relies on monitoring several critical performance indicators. Click-through rate (CTR) reveals how compelling your ads are to your target audience, with local businesses typically seeing CTRs between 3-5% for search campaigns. Conversion rate tracks the percentage of clicks that result in desired actions like calls or form submissions. Cost per conversion measures the expense required to generate each lead, while return on ad spend (ROAS) calculates the revenue generated for every dollar spent on advertising. Quality Score affects both ad position and cost, with higher scores leading to better placements at lower costs. Impression share indicates your ads’ visibility compared to the total available impressions in your market.
Analyzing Campaign Performance
Campaign analysis involves strategic monitoring and data-driven adjustments to maximize results. A/B testing different ad versions helps identify which headlines, descriptions, and calls to action resonate best with your audience. Testing various elements systematically improves ad engagement and conversion rates over time. Regular review of geographic performance pinpoints where your ads generate the most valuable leads, enabling location bid adjustments to focus budget on high-performing areas. Device performance analysis reveals how customers interact with your ads across mobile, desktop, and tablet devices, allowing customized approaches for each platform. Monitoring day and time patterns uncovers when your target audience is most active and likely to convert, so you can schedule ads during peak engagement periods.
At AGR Technology, we implement comprehensive Google Ads reporting systems that track these essential metrics for your service-based business. Our team analyzes your campaign data to identify opportunities for optimization and helps you understand exactly what return you’re getting from your Google Ads investment. Contact us today to discover how our data-driven approach can enhance your local marketing performance.
Conclusion
Leveraging Google Ads with your Google Business Profile creates a powerful marketing combination for service-based businesses seeking to dominate local search. This strategic integration enhances your visibility precisely where it matters most and connects you with high-intent local customers.
We’ve shown how location extensions bridge these platforms allowing you to showcase critical business information alongside your ads while improving quality scores and click-through rates. With proper campaign strategies focused on local keywords and budget optimization techniques you’ll maximize every dollar spent.
Remember that tracking performance metrics is essential for continuous improvement. By monitoring CTR conversion rates and ROAS you’ll refine your approach for even better results.
Ready to transform your local digital presence? The right Google Ads strategy integrated with your Business Profile can be the competitive advantage your service business needs.
Book a free consultation call with AGR Technology to see how we can help scale your brand with proven online marketing strategies
Key Takeaways
- Google Ads and Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) work synergistically to boost local visibility and drive qualified leads when connected properly
- Linking these platforms creates location extensions that enhance ad relevance, improve targeting, reduce conversion costs, and provide valuable customer insights
- The integration dramatically improves local search presence by displaying your business location, hours, and ratings directly in your ads, capturing the 20% of Google searches with local intent
- Setting up location extensions is straightforward – sign into Google Ads, access the Extensions tab, create a location extension, and link your Business Profile
- Effective local keyword targeting strategies include using location modifiers, “near me” searches, and local landmarks to capture relevant traffic
- Measuring success requires tracking key metrics like click-through rate, conversion rate, cost per conversion, and return on ad spend to continuously optimize campaign performance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Google Ads and Google Business Profile?
Google Ads is a paid advertising platform that operates on a pay-per-click model, displaying your ads in search results and across websites. Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a free tool that manages your business visibility on Google Maps and local searches. While Google Ads helps increase visibility through targeted paid advertising, Google Business Profile showcases essential business information for local searches.
Why should I connect Google Business Profile with Google Ads?
Connecting these platforms enhances ad relevance, improves targeting, reduces cost per conversion, ensures consistent brand experience, and provides better customer behavior insights. The integration boosts local visibility by displaying your business information directly in ads and captures valuable traffic from multiple angles, especially important since over 20% of Google searches have local intent.
How do I link my Google Business Profile to Google Ads?
To link your accounts, sign into Google Ads, access the Extensions tab, create a location extension, select Google Business Profile, and link your account. Then apply the extension to specific campaigns. If you encounter issues with account access, location visibility, or extension display delays, consider reaching out for professional assistance.
What are location extensions and how do they work?
Location extensions are integration tools that display your business address alongside Google Ads. They show essential information like business name, address, phone number, and website link when your ad appears. This feature enhances visibility for local searches, improves ad quality, and increases click-through rates by providing potential customers with immediate access to your location details.
What metrics should I track to measure Google Ads success?
Focus on click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, cost per conversion, return on ad spend (ROAS), Quality Score, and impression share. Conduct ongoing campaign analysis including A/B testing, geographic performance review, device performance analysis, and engagement pattern monitoring. These metrics help optimize campaigns and understand your investment’s return.
Are “near me” searches important for local businesses?
Absolutely. “Near me” searches are critical for service-based businesses targeting local customers. These high-intent searches indicate users looking for immediate solutions in their area. Incorporate location modifiers, “near me” keywords, and local landmarks in your campaigns to capture relevant traffic and connect with potential customers actively searching for your services nearby.
Can Google Ads work for multiple-location businesses?
Yes, Google Ads is especially valuable for businesses with multiple locations. Location extensions allow you to showcase all your business addresses in relevant geographical areas. This helps capture local traffic across different regions, present the closest location to potential customers, and tailor messaging for different markets, maximizing your visibility where it matters most.
Quick links:
Local SEO services for local businesses
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Google Ads for engineering companies
Source(s) cited:
B. Schwartz, (2018). Google Event: 46% Of Searches Have Local Intent [Online]. Search Engine Roundtable. Available at: https://www.seroundtable.com/google-46-of-searches-have-local-intent-26529.html (Accessed: 14 March 2025).

Alessio Rigoli is the founder of AGR Technology and got his start working in the IT space originally in Education and then in the private sector helping businesses in various industries. Alessio maintains the blog and is interested in a number of different topics emerging and current such as Digital marketing, Software development, Cryptocurrency/Blockchain, Cyber security, Linux and more.
Alessio Rigoli, AGR Technology