Paid Advertising

Compare that to display ads (these are ads that are shown on other websites); you are scrolling through a website related to cooking, and you suddenly see an ad related to Dentistry. You were not actively searching for it. You came to a cooking website to read up on how to make the perfect Chicken Casserole. You are not actively seeking a Dentist. Even if you were in the past, your mindset at that moment is not to find a dentist. The chances of someone clicking and converting are very low compared to search ads because there was no intent (they are considered passive).

The same applies to ads shown based on user browsing behavior, interests, sites visited in the past, etc., which, in our opinion, is ineffective in promoting a local business. Not forgetting that in today's world, where more and more people hide their online activity with cookie blockers, use VPNs, etc., showing ads based on user history is becoming less and less effective. Please do not misunderstand, for certain industries and in some scenarios, these other ad types are extremely effective, but in our opinion, these ad options are not effective for local businesses when compared to search ads.

However, some other ad types are promising and created specifically to promote the services of a local business. But they, too, have certain restrictions or costs associated with them, which makes them not a viable option.

For example, Local Service Ads charge clients based on the leads the ad generates. Google says there can be invalid leads that come through these ads (spam callers, duplicative leads, marketing calls, etc.). Such leads can be disputed, so advertisers don't pay for invalid leads.

Sounds great, doesn't it? Unfortunately, lead disputes need to be made within 30 days and it's only available for selected industries and selected counties. Even if these restrictions didn't apply, leads are counted as valid and based on subjective validations. For instance, if a lead cancels a booking/appointment or was simply calling to be inquisitive or makes a call but is unreachable thereafter, they are still considered as valid leads, and you would be charged for it.

Reference: https://support.google.com/localservices/answer/7195435

So, we now know why search ads are more effective, but we add our unique sauce to make them extra effective. Through Google Search Console, we can identify what people are typing to bring up your website in Google Search. We take that information and filter out all the top-ranking keywords (aka search terms). Thus, we are left with a list of keywords for which the website is ranking poorly. We filter that based on which procedures/services you want to target, and voila, we have a list of search terms that we can use in your search ad campaign.

Keep in mind that Google requires advertisers to follow certain topics and restrictions. The ad can be disapproved even if the website the landing page is linked to violates some of the guidelines below. Some of these key restrictions are:

• Prescription animal drug terms that are intended for animal use but which are prone to human abuse or other misuse.
• Promotion of stem cell therapy, cellular (non-stem) therapy, gene therapy and similar forms of regenerative medicine, promotion of biohacking, do-it-yourself (DIY) genetic engineering products, gene therapy kits
• Making inaccurate claims or claims that entice the user with an improbable result as the likely outcome a user can expect. Especially related to cosmetic procedures
• Products that contain ephedra
• Products containing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in relation to weight loss or weight control or when promoted in conjunction with anabolic steroids
• Herbal and dietary supplements with active pharmaceutical or dangerous ingredients
• Products that imply they are as effective as prescription drugs or controlled substances
• Non-government approved products that are marketed in a way that implies that they're safe or effective for use in preventing, curing, or treating a particular disease or ailment.
• Products that have been subject to any government or regulatory action or warning
• Products with names that are confusingly similar to an unapproved pharmaceutical or, supplement or controlled substance

Continue reading: https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/6008942

So why do we not support social media ads?

Today, social media newsfeeds are filled with ads. They're so full that in the past few years, more and more users have been feeling ad fatigue because ads are targeted to users who are not necessarily actively looking for them at that moment. Maybe some user interaction, a like, a follow, or user behavior in the past is now triggering an ad.

So how can one relevant ad break through the chaos when hundreds of ads are showing in the newsfeed? Most of them are pushed to the user and not because the user wants to see it, which is why there is ad fatigue.

Reference: https://www.campaignasia.com/article/theres-too-much-advertising-on-social-media-6-in-10-respondents-tell-hootsuite/494906

Again, we are not saying that social ads do not work; they do, especially for specific industries and for clients with large budgets. All we are saying is that for a local business, nothing is as effective as Google search display ads, so why spend money elsewhere?