In the world of e-commerce, the trend toward online shopping and in-store pickup, known as "buy online, pick up in-store" (BOPIS), continues to grow. Consumers value the efficiency of ordering online and picking up in a nearby store, making local availability one of the main factors influencing purchasing decisions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What are Local Inventory Ads (LIA)?
• Why use Local Inventory Ads?
• Google Local Inventory Ads requirements
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Local Inventory Ads
• Local Inventory Ads Best Practices
  
  

What are Local Inventory Ads (LIA)?

Local Inventory Ads, also known as LIAs, are Google Shopping ads that display on local product searches, appearing at the top of search results. These ads allow potential customers to quickly review products in the store from local businesses.

By clicking on a local inventory ad, users are directed to your store page on Google. From there, customers can learn more about the specific product and have the option to purchase directly from your website if they can't get to the store, meaning your local inventory ads can support both in-store and online sales.

Why use Local Inventory Ads?

The ability to reach your online audience before they make a purchase decision is crucial for local businesses. That's why there's never been a better time to leverage Local Inventory Ads (LIAs).

Differences between Product Ads and Local Inventory Ads

Although Google Shopping Ads and LIAs have similarities, they are distinguished by three main differences.

• The goal of Google Shopping product ads is to drive online sales, making them ideal for e-commerce businesses. However, Local Inventory Ads focus specifically on businesses that have physical stores and want to generate in-store traffic.

• The appearance of the ads differs, with LIAs displaying labels such as "In Store" and "Pick Up Today," while Google Shopping Ads are more focused on online shopping and can display information about shipping and promotions.

• The destination of users is also different, with Shopping Ads directing users directly to product pages, which facilitates online shopping. LIAs, on the other hand, use a local store page hosted by the merchant or a store page hosted by Google that provides search with local product and store information.

Google Local Inventory Ads Requirements

To take advantage of Local Inventory Ads, your business must meet certain requirements:

1. Have a physical store open to the public.

2. The products for sale must not require additional purchases, such as memberships.

3. The store must be located in a country where LIAs are eligible to run.

4. Must comply with Google ad policies related to prohibited content, restricted content, and editorial and technical quality standards.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Local Inventory Ads

Local Inventory Listings (LIAs) are a valuable tool for local businesses that want to increase their online visibility and drive traffic to their physical stores. However, like any advertising strategy, they have both advantages and disadvantages. Here are the key advantages and disadvantages of using them in your marketing strategy:

Advantages

• Drive shoppers to your physical store, increasing traffic and sales.
• Deliver a highly relevant shopping experience by targeting users with high purchase intent in specific locations.
• Connect the online shopping experience with the in-store shopping experience.
• Showcase the products available in your store, which helps customers make informed decisions.
• Create a small online store for your business, at a lower cost than creating a full website.
• Provide data on ad performance, allowing you to measure the effectiveness of your ads.
• Support both online and in-store sales.

Disadvantages

• Lack of customization, as they follow a standard structure provided by Google.
• They require constant local inventory management to ensure data accuracy.
• Configuration and maintenance can be complicated, especially for businesses with limited resources.

Best practices for Local Inventory Ads

Once your Local Inventory Advertisements (LIAs) are up and running, it is crucial to follow best practices to ensure their optimization and efficiency. Here are some key strategies to maximize the performance of your LIAs:

• Increase bids for nearby shoppers: Implement bid adjustments to increase bids for shoppers near your physical store. This ensures that your ads are more visible to those who have a high likelihood of visiting your store and making a purchase.

• Increase offers during opening hours: Consider making offer adjustments to increase offers during your physical store's opening hours and on days when your business is open. This increases the visibility of your LIAs when potential customers are more likely to visit your store.

• Use attributes such as "Pick up in store" and "Pick up today": Take advantage of attributes available in your LIAs, such as "Pick up in store" and "Pick up today", to highlight the convenience of picking up products directly from your physical store. These attributes can increase the relevance of your ads and motivate customers to take action.

• Perform regular maintenance and optimize your LIAs: Spend time performing regular maintenance on your LIAs to ensure inventory information and product details are accurate and up to date. Optimize your ads based on past performance and make adjustments as needed to improve their effectiveness.

• Monitor performance and analyze data: Use analytics tools to monitor the performance of your LIAs and analyze the data collected. Pay attention to metrics such as CTR (click-through rate), conversion rate, and ROI (return on investment) to evaluate the effectiveness of your ads. From these insights, adjust your strategy to further optimize your campaigns.

In addition, for those companies that want to take their Local Inventory Advertising (LIA) campaigns to the next level, having the support of an expert SEM & PPC team can make all the difference. 

At Adsmurai, we offer specialized SEM & PPC campaign services designed to increase the effectiveness of your marketing strategies. Our team ensures that your website or products are seen by a wider audience, generating valuable leads and maximizing the impact of your LIA campaigns. Trust our experts to optimize your marketing efforts and take your business to the next level.