If you’ve ever wanted to know if your Google Ad inspired someone to search your business location on Google Maps or click-through on the “call now” button, then you’ll be happy with the latest update to AdWords Express.
Launched on Wednesday, the new updates are for Google’s ads product designed for small businesses without a professional marketer on staff. Its focus is more on simplification of the ad-buying interface rather than advanced audience segmentation and targeting, but these new features will add at least a couple new tricks.
Here’s the rundown of the new features that Google explains in a blog post:
Ad Scheduling – Choose to run your ad at specific times
Nearly one-third of searches for local businesses in the U.S. come from consumers who want to make a purchase immediately. Ad scheduling is a simple way to make sure your ad only runs at times you choose, (during your hours of operation, for example), so you reach your customers at exactly the right time.Map Actions – Understand how your ads drive people to your store
Map Actions shows you how many customers who’ve viewed your ad go on to view your business on Google Maps – which can be vital, since over one-third of visitors in the U.S. use online maps to find local businesses. If you care about whether your ads drive people to your storefront, Map Actions might just be your favorite new tool.Verified Calls – Get better call tracking
Right now we’re piloting a new way for advertisers to track which phone calls they receive come from customers who clicked “Call now” on an ad on their mobile phones. Advertisers who opt into Verified Calls will also see detailed information about incoming calls, including the area codes and call duration. We’ve already rolled this out to many AdWords Express advertisers, and hope to expand it to all users soon.
Overall, it looks like Google’s dashboards will give small business owners a greater understanding of how their customers want to interact with them, and if their ads are having the desired effect – whether it’s driving in foot traffic, or phone calls.