These days, if your business isn’t showing up online, you’re missing out especially when it comes to local customers. Whether you run a bakery, a repair service, or a salon, most people in your city are searching for what you offer on their phones or computers. Most local searches lead to fast decisions—many people make a purchase the very same day.
This is where local paid ads (PPC) can really help. With the right approach, even small businesses can appear right at the top of search results — in front of people who are ready to take action. Instead of waiting to get noticed, you can put your business in front of the right eyes, at the right time.
In this article, you’ll learn how local PPC works, how it can bring you more customers, and what steps you can take to build a strong advertising plan. Whether you’re just starting or want better results from your current ads, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to grow your business locally.
What is Local PPC? (And Why It’s Different from Regular PPC)
Local PPC, or local pay-per-click advertising, is a digital marketing strategy that shows your ads to people in your specific area — like a city, town, or neighborhood.
Instead of targeting the whole country, local PPC helps small businesses reach nearby customers who are ready to call, visit, or book a service.
The main difference between local PPC and regular PPC is the audience. Traditional PPC campaigns often target large regions or national audiences, which works well for big companies and online stores. But for local businesses, reaching people in their city is what matters most.
For example, a plumber in Riyadh only needs to reach people searching for plumbing services in Riyadh. There’s no value in getting clicks from other cities. On the other hand, a nationwide SaaS company may run ads across the entire country to reach a wider online audience.
Local PPC works best for small businesses like clinics, cafes, electricians, gyms, and home repair services. These ads appear when people nearby search for services, making them more likely to convert into real customers.
Choosing the Right Platform for Local PPC Advertising
When it comes to attracting nearby customers, choosing the right platform for local PPC advertising can make a huge difference. Not every platform suits every business, so it’s important to pick one based on where your audience spends time and what type of service you offer.
1. Google Ads for Local Businesses
Google Ads is one of the most powerful platforms for local search advertising. It allows your business to appear at the top when someone nearby searches for your product or service. You can also use Local Services Ads, which show trusted businesses in your area.
- Best for: Plumbers, electricians, clinics, home repair services.
- Why use it: It connects you with people who are actively looking for your service in your city or neighborhood.
2. Facebook and Instagram Location-Based Ads
These platforms are great for reaching people in your area based on their interests, age, and location. Visual ads like photos and videos work really well to build trust and attention.
- Best for: Salons, restaurants, clothing stores, small local events.
- Why use it: Ideal for increasing brand awareness and connecting with your local community.
3. Waze Ads for Local Foot Traffic
Waze, a popular navigation app, shows your business to drivers passing nearby. It’s perfect for local businesses with physical locations who want more walk-in customers.
- Best for: Gas stations, cafes, fast food outlets, and stores.
- Why use it: It helps bring in people who are driving in your area and looking for something nearby.
4. TikTok & Snapchat Geo Ads
These platforms are best for businesses targeting younger audiences. You can create short, engaging videos that reach people within a specific city or area.
- Best for: Fast food, fashion, youth brands, entertainment spots.
- Why use it: It’s great for getting attention quickly and building a local buzz.
Comparison Chart: Best Local PPC Platforms
| Platform | Best For | Strengths | Limitations |
| Google Ads | Services like plumbing, clinics | High search intent, great for conversions | Can be costly if poorly managed |
| Facebook/Instagram | Cafés, salons, local shops | Visual storytelling, strong local targeting | Needs regular content updates |
| Waze Ads | Restaurants, stores, fuel stations | Real-time local traffic targeting | Smaller audience in some areas |
| TikTok/Snapchat | Fashion, food, youth events | High engagement with younger users | Not ideal for older audiences |
Keyword Research for Local Intent: How to Find the Best Local Keywords for Your Business
If you want to reach more local customers, focusing on the right keyword is essential. People often search for products or services using phrases like “near me” or by adding their city name. Targeting these local search terms will help bring more customers to your business.
How to Find “Near Me” and City-Specific Keywords for Local SEO
When people search for businesses, they are usually looking for something nearby. Instead of simply searching for a general term like “plumbers,” they may search for “plumber near me” or “plumber in Riyadh.” These types of location-based searches are crucial for your business to show up when people nearby are searching for what you offer.
Tools for Local Keyword Research
To find the right local keywords, you can use several free and paid tools:
- Google Keyword Planner: This tool shows how often specific keywords are searched in your area, along with their competition levels.
- UberSuggest: A great tool for discovering long-tail local keywords and checking keyword trends in your location.
- Google Trends: Use Google Trends to see the popularity of certain keywords over time, which can help you target current, trending topics in your city.
Using Broad Match and Phrase Match Keywords Smartly
When creating PPC ads, it’s important to choose the right match type for your keywords:
- Broad match: This allows your ad to show up for various related searches. For example, if you target “plumber in Riyadh,” your ad might also show for “plumbing services near me”.
- Phrase match: This targets more specific search queries. If you use “plumber near me,” your ad will show only when someone types that exact phrase.
Crafting High-Converting Local PPC Ads: A Guide for Small Businesses
When running local PPC ads, it’s essential to write a copy that resonates with the local audience. To grab attention and convert clicks into customers, your ads need to feel personalized and relevant to the people in your community. Here’s how you can create high-converting local PPC ads:
Writing Ad Copy that Resonates with Local Users
To make your ad copy more effective, focus on the specific needs and interests of your local customers. People are more likely to engage with ads that highlight local relevance. Whether you’re promoting a local restaurant, offering emergency plumbing services, or running a store sale, make sure to emphasize what makes your product or service perfect for the community. When your ad speaks directly to their needs, the chances of a click increase significantly.
Using Location-Based Hooks and Offers
Add location-specific offers and incentives to your ads to make them even more attractive. You can use phrases like:
- “Free delivery in Al Olaya!”
- “Get 10% off your first order in Riyadh!”
These location-based offers instantly make the ad feel relevant and personal. When your audience feels that the offer is exclusively for their area, it will likely drive more engagement and lead to conversions. Highlighting local deals shows that your business cares about its customers and their convenience.
The Importance of Local Language, Tone, and Culture in Ad Copy
Understanding your local audience’s language, tone, and culture is key when writing PPC ads. If your target market speaks a particular language or dialect, using those can create a sense of familiarity and trust.
For example, running ads in Arabic for Riyadh residents could resonate better than using a more generic tone. Pay attention to the local preferences—some areas may respond better to a friendly and casual tone, while others may prefer something more professional.
Tailoring your ad copy to local culture ensures better engagement and builds stronger connections with your audience.
Best CTA Examples for Local PPC Ads
A strong Call to Action (CTA) in your local ads will guide your audience toward taking the next step. Here are some optimized CTA examples that work well for local businesses:
- “Order Now and Get Free Delivery in Your Area!”
- “Book Your Appointment Today – Conveniently Located Near You!”
- “Visit Us in Downtown for an Exclusive Local Offer!”
These CTAs create urgency while highlighting the local aspect of your business. The more immediate and local the offer, the more likely people are to respond and take action.
Geo-Targeting Like a Pro: A Local PPC Strategy for Small Businesses
Geo-targeting is one of the most effective ways to ensure your ads reach the right people at the right time. Whether you’re using Google Ads or Facebook Ads, setting up your targeting correctly is key to reaching your local audience. Here’s how you can use geo-targeting to make your local PPC campaigns more successful:
How to Set Radius or Pinpoint Targeting in Google/Facebook Ads
Geo-targeting lets you control how wide or narrow your ad reach is. With Google Ads, you can set a specific distance around your business—so your ads are only shown to people nearby, right within that chosen area. For example, a coffee shop in Riyadh might want to target a 5-mile radius to reach local coffee lovers. On Facebook Ads, you can target specific zip codes, city names, or even select neighborhoods to ensure your ads are reaching the right community.
Using Zip Codes, City Names, or Map-Drop Targeting
For more precise targeting, use zip codes or city names to hone in on the areas that matter most to your business. You can also use map-drop targeting, which allows you to place a pinpoint on the map to target specific locations. If you own a local gym, for example, you can target customers in neighborhoods like Al Olaya or Al Malaz to ensure your ads are seen by people close to your location.
When to Use Exclusion Zones (to Save Budget)
Not every location is worth targeting. Exclusion zones help you avoid wasting your ad spend on areas that won’t bring in valuable customers. For instance, if you run a luxury spa, you may want to exclude areas with lower-income populations or locations that are too far from your business. By excluding irrelevant locations, you can make sure your budget is being spent on areas that are more likely to convert.
Real Example: Targeting High-Income Neighborhoods
Imagine you own a premium furniture store in Riyadh. Instead of targeting the entire city, you can focus your ads on high-income neighborhoods like Al-Malaz or Al-Naseem. By narrowing your audience to wealthier areas, you increase the chances of your ads being seen by people who can afford your products. This not only makes your campaigns more efficient but also helps you get better ROI on your local PPC ads.
Optimizing Local Landing Pages for Better Conversions: A Guide for Small Businesses
When it comes to local PPC campaigns, your landing page is just as important as your ads. A well-designed, location-specific landing page can significantly boost your conversions compared to a generic one. Here’s how to create landing pages that attract and convert local customers effectively:
Why Location-Specific Landing Pages Outperform Generic Ones
A generic landing page casts a wide net, but if you want to target local customers, you need a page tailored to their location.
Location-specific landing pages not only build trust but also make your business appear more relevant. For instance, if you’re a plumber in Jeddah, mentioning specific areas like Al-Balad or Al-Faisaliah makes your business feel closer and more relatable. This relevance leads to more clicks and conversions.
Must-Have Ingredients for a High-Converting Local Landing Page
To make your landing page more effective, make sure it includes these essential features:
- Map: Adding a Google map to your page helps customers easily find your business. It’s an easy yet powerful way to earn trust and show you’re the real deal.
- Local Contact Information: Use a local phone number and email address to make your business feel more accessible and trustworthy.
- Local Reviews: Customer testimonials from your area add credibility and make your business feel more trustworthy to local customers.
Mobile-First Design for On-the-Go Users
With many customers searching on their smartphones, it’s crucial that your landing page is mobile-optimized.
Make sure your page loads fast and feels smooth to use, whether someone’s on a phone, tablet, or computer.
A mobile-friendly landing page allows potential customers to easily call or get directions to your business, improving their overall experience and increasing conversions.
Dynamic Keyword Insertion for City-Specific Ads
One way to make your landing page more personalized is through dynamic keyword insertion.
This automatically adds the city name or location (e.g., “Plumber in Jeddah”) to the page, making it feel more relevant to the person who clicked on your ad. This small change can have a big impact on your conversion rate by making the page more relevant to each visitor.
Retargeting Locally: Winning the Second Click for Local Conversions
Retargeting is a clever way to reconnect with people who’ve already checked out your business and keep you fresh in their minds. Here’s how you can set up local retargeting ads to drive more conversions and win that second click:
Set Up Local Retargeting for Visitors in Your City
To make the most of your retargeting campaign, target visitors from your local area. Setting up location-based retargeting ads allows you to reach people who have already visited your website and remind them about your business. This helps keep your brand visible to potential customers in your city.
Combine Local Events or Urgency with Retargeting
To boost the effectiveness of your local retargeting ads, incorporate urgency and local events. For example, you can run ads that say, “Hurry! Offer ends this weekend in Riyadh” or “Special promotion for Riyadh residents only.” Creating a sense of urgency encourages local customers to take quick action.
Create Custom Audiences by Area
One of the best ways to improve your local retargeting efforts is to create custom audiences based on specific locations within your city. For instance, if you’re a restaurant in Al Olaya, create retargeting ads that specifically target users from the Al Olaya neighborhood. This ensures your ads are more relevant and personalized, increasing your chances of conversion.
Real Examples of Effective Local Retargeting Ads
Local businesses can significantly benefit from location-based retargeting. For example, a local fitness center in Jeddah might use ads like, “Join our gym today and get a free one-week trial — exclusive offer for Jeddah residents.” This makes the offer exclusive to a specific location, encouraging users to act quickly and book a session.
Tracking What Matters: Must-Know Metrics for Local PPC Success
Running a local pay-per-click (PPC) campaign is only effective if you can measure what’s working. To truly grow your small business and increase your visibility in your city, you must focus on the right performance metrics and tracking methods.
Important Metrics for Local PPC Campaigns
When targeting a local audience, these metrics help you understand how your campaign is performing:
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): Indicates how often people click on your ad after seeing it. A strong CTR shows that your message is relevant and engaging to your local audience.
- Cost Per Click (CPC): Measures how much you’re spending for each click. Monitoring CPC helps you control ad spend and increase return on investment.
- Conversions: Whether it’s a phone call, form submission, or in-store visit, conversions are the real indicator of ad success. Track these to know how many people are turning into customers.
How to Track Phone Calls and In-Store Visits
If you run a local business, keeping an eye on phone calls and walk-ins is key to understanding what’s working.
- Use Google Ads Call Extensions to allow users to call your business directly from the ad and monitor those interactions.
- Maintain and optimize your Google Business Profile to track direction requests, phone calls, and local search engagement.
Recommended Tools for Local PPC Tracking
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4): Helps you understand user behavior on your website, including which local ads drive visits.
- Google Ads Conversion Tracking: Tracks actions like phone calls, form submissions, and online purchases.
- CallRail: A useful tool to monitor which ads are generating phone calls, giving you a clearer view of ad performance.
Improve Reporting with UTM Tracking
By adding UTM parameters to your ad links, you can identify exactly where your traffic is coming from. This is especially important if you’re advertising across multiple platforms like Google, Facebook, or Instagram. UTM tracking helps simplify reporting and decision-making.
Common Local PPC Mistakes to Avoid
Local PPC advertising can help small businesses reach nearby customers quickly—but only when done correctly. Many business owners waste their ad budget by making simple mistakes. Watch out for these common mistakes that can trip you up when setting up local PPC campaigns:
1. Targeting Areas That Are Too Broad
If your Google Ads or Facebook Ads are showing outside your service area, you’re likely spending money on people who will never become customers. Focus on your city, neighborhoods, or a specific radius around your business. For example, if you’re a café in Al Olaya, targeting all of Riyadh may be too broad. Narrow targeting leads to better click-through rates (CTR) and lower cost-per-click (CPC).
2. Writing Generic Ad Copy
People respond to ads that feel local and personal. Try not to rely on the same overused phrases that everyone else is using—stand out with something more original and relevant. Instead, write an ad copy that mentions your city name, local benefits, and special offers. For example: “Get Same-Day Plumbing Help in Al Malaz” is more effective than just “Best Plumbing Services.”
3. Mismatched Landing Pages
Make sure your landing page delivers exactly what your ad promises—so visitors feel like they’re in the right place. If your ad mentions “Free Consultation in Jeddah,” your landing page should highlight that offer clearly. When your ad and landing page work together seamlessly, people are more likely to take action—and trust you more in the process.
4. Relying Too Much on Automated Bidding
In smaller markets, automated bidding doesn’t always hit the mark. It’s often better to start with manual bidding so you can keep a close eye on your spending and tweak things as you go based on real results. This helps you avoid overspending and ensures your ads appear in the right places.
Pro Tips for Growing Your Local PPC Campaigns
Once your local ads start bringing in good results, it’s time to think about reaching more people. You don’t need a huge budget to grow—just the right steps. Here’s how to make your local advertising go further without overcomplicating things:
1. Expand to Nearby Areas
If you’re already getting leads from your city, try targeting nearby neighborhoods or smaller towns. For example, if your shop is doing well in Jeddah, start showing ads in surrounding areas like Al Safa or Al Hamra. Update your ads to fit each area’s needs or habits.
2. Use Similar Audience Targeting on Social Media
On platforms like Facebook and Instagram, you can show your ads to people who are similar to your current customers. This helps you reach new but relevant people—those who are more likely to be interested in your service or product.
3. Create Ads Around Local Events or Seasons
Plan your ads around special dates or local happenings. This could be Ramadan, school admissions, or even local sports matches. People often shop or make decisions based on the season, so matching your offer with the time makes your ads more effective.
4. Work with Local Voices
Connect with local personalities who already have trust in the community—like food bloggers, lifestyle influencers, or popular figures in your city. A simple recommendation or shout-out from someone locals trust can bring a big boost to your business.
Why Local PPC is a Long-Term Power Move
Local PPC advertising is a powerful tool for small businesses looking to grow in their community. It’s not just a quick fix; it’s a smart, long-term strategy. As we’ve discussed, local PPC allows you to reach the right people in your area, appear when potential customers are ready to buy, and build trust within your community.
The best part is that the more people see your business in search results, on social media, or in map searches, the more likely they are to trust and choose you. This visibility doesn’t just add up—it compounds over time, making local PPC a valuable investment for your business.
Getting started with a local PPC doesn’t require a huge budget. The key is to set clear goals, use smart targeting, and craft messaging that speaks directly to your local audience. Whether you run a coffee shop in Jeddah or offer plumbing services in Riyadh, your future customers are already searching online for services just like yours. Now is the perfect time to show up and get noticed.
If you need help with local PPC, we’re here for you. Whether you’re just starting or want to optimize your current campaigns, we can help create a strategy that fits your business goals and budget. Don’t wait—let’s take action and grow your local presence today!
