When to use Adwords Local Extentsions - PPC SEO

[consultant]

Let's say you are advertising a local business where 80% of their customers are going to do business with them purely over the Internet (email exchange of documents/signatures) or in-person at the customers location. Let's say this business offers services confined to customers in a large county (say the county measures 40 miles across N/S & E/W). The business has two physical addresses but they are essentially just rental offices in two cities 7 miles apart (on either side of a large lake)


It seems using Adwords location extension, at least on the surface, makes sense. But since the business has physical location in only a small area of the total service area, wouldn't location potentially due more harm than good by showing on the map that the physical locations of the business are not close to many customers living in the area the business still does serve?

 

[Phil Rozek]

Good question. I'd only think twice about using location extensions if a sizable number of your customers have some bias against your city. It's a "rival" (think Minneapolis vs. St. Paul), or they think people in your city are poor, or just fell off the turnip truck, or whatever.

But if that's not the case - and especially if customers know you're performing the services for them purely "on the Internet" - then I would definitely use location extensions. The main upshot of location extensions is that they'll show off your Google Plus reviews. Those draw lots of attention, and tend to help you get more and better clicks. Far more so than the easy-to-ignore address and map pin.

 

[CodyBaird]

I think @Phil Rozek made the most important point about reviews. Especially if they have quality/quantity over their competitors

But since the business has physical location in only a small area of the total service area, wouldn't location potentially due more harm than good by showing on the map that the physical locations of the business are not close to many customers living in the area the business still does serve?

I believe that some people are extremely biased towards location (ie distance). For those people, not seeing a location close by will immediately disqualify many service area businesses. I find myself recommending going with the service area if it's at a home business or sometimes if the location is in a "bad area", a part of the city that they would prefer not visiting.

I'm amazed sometimes at how valuable getting feedback from prospects, clients, and locals may give you better insight. I would ask as many people in the area as possible just as you asked to see what feedback is offered.