Google Adwords can be used to build your offline business, but only under certain circumstances. First, you must have a website or a blog before you can use Google Adwords and if you want to use them to increase the profitability of an offline venture, it must be a website.
If you already have a website, it is important to make sure that it is well designed and maximized to convert visits to sales. Make sure your phone number and address is clearly visible in many places on your site if you want people to personally contact your business. Also, make sure online contact is easy for website visitors should they have any questions. Your website is an opportunity for you to build credibility and if you can’t be contacted online all your good work could be undone.
It is possible to promote your bricks and mortar business with Google Adwords if you use geo-targeting to attract local visitors. Geo-targeting means that Google evaluates the location of each visitor and displays your Google Ad to local prospects only. Geo-targeting is an excellent way to increase the click-thru-rate (CTR) and the return on investment (ROI) for offline businesses by specifically targeting local prospects. You can further increase your CTR by using your location in the keywords you choose and in the advertisement itself.
However, you need to be aware that most people who choose to look for products and services on the internet also want to purchase online where possible. Therefore, even though you want to market your offline business, it is important to have the facility for online purchases as well. If visitors come to your website and don’t find anything there of interest, there is very little likelihood they will be inspired to physically visit your business.
At least one of four things is necessary to convert an online shopper into an offline buyer. These are:
1. You need a totally unique product that is only available from you and which people perceive they need.
2. A product too expensive to risk buying online and which personal customer service and backup (should anything go wrong) is considered essential.
3. A product that is too difficult to use or which has confusing set up instructions so that the potential customer needs to see someone face to face.
4. A product that must be replaced when used up and for which postage is an unnecessary increase in cost.
If your product does not conform to one of these descriptions, it is important to make sure your website is setup to take orders and make sales. It only makes sense to use your website for additional online sales while it is also promoting your offline business.
Google Adwords can certainly be used to promote your bricks and mortar business, however why would you choose to limit yourself when you can have a thriving online business as well?