What Happened
Following its announcement of Showcase Shopping ads, Google is making another play for retailers’ ad dollars as it expands Local Inventory Ads to Google Maps. Now when users search for a local store in Google, a link marked as “search items at this store” will appear in the location detail panel, as well as in a location info card for regular Google searches. It directs users to a Google-created landing page that contains a browsable list of the advertiser’s local inventory. Individual product pages also show size availability, reviews, and the option to search other locations.
What Retailers Need To Do
This new ad product allows Google users to view products available at the retail locations they are searching for, letting them browse products and check availability before making their shopping trips. As more and more shoppers research online before heading to stores, it is crucial that retailers make sure there’s sufficient information online to convince shoppers to make the trip.
For more information on how retailers can effectively reach connected consumers by taking an omnichannel approach, check out the Boundless Retail section in our Outlook 2016.
Source: Search Engine Land
