I’m not sure there’s a spot on the SERP that isn’t being filled with ads nowadays. It reminds me of the newspaper industry, where news ultimately became the filler between ads. Personally, this is disappointing. Organic search promised to provide good visibility for companies based on their reputation, not their ad budget. But alas… pay-to-play is where everything is evolving, as platforms squeeze as much revenue as they possibly can.
Case in point, a colleague who assists auto dealers gain visibility on search sent me this screenshot. Note the last entry on the Map Pack… with an ad below it.
This is known as Local Assets on Google Ads.
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Google Ads Local Assets
For companies with a physical presence—whether they operate their own storefronts or distribute through retail partners—location assets in Google Ads provide a powerful bridge between digital visibility and in-person conversions. These assets don’t just enhance your ads visually; they serve a strategic function in helping searchers become foot traffic, website visitors become customers, and video viewers become in-store buyers.
What makes location assets uniquely valuable is their ability to tailor ad experiences based on proximity, intent, and context. When integrated correctly, they surface actionable local information—such as address, map directions, hours, and a clickable phone number—at the moment a user is showing high commercial intent. And this local relevance isn’t just for small businesses. Global brands, manufacturers, and multi-location enterprises can scale these benefits across campaigns and markets.
While other ad assets may improve click-through rates or provide visual enhancements, location assets help close the loop between online and offline behavior. For marketers, they offer attribution opportunities that were once difficult to quantify, especially with features like call reporting and store visit tracking. Below, we break down the various types of location assets, their intended users, where they are displayed, and their impact on campaign performance.
Who Location Assets Are Designed For
Location assets are purpose-built for two primary audiences:
- Businesses with Physical Locations: These include service providers, franchises, and retail chains that want to drive foot traffic, appointment bookings, or local sales by making their locations easily discoverable in search results, YouTube videos, and Google Maps.
- Brands and Manufacturers with Retail Partners: These are companies that don’t operate their own storefronts but want to help customers locate nearby outlets that carry their products. This is common in industries like consumer packaged goods, automotive, and electronics.
Location assets are especially beneficial for businesses where local presence directly influences consumer decision-making. Car dealerships are a prime example—when shoppers search for terms like used cars near me or Toyota dealer open now, location assets can surface the nearest showroom, complete with directions, contact information, and operating hours. This helps convert digital search intent into physical store visits. The same applies to restaurants, medical offices, salons, fitness centers, and retail stores—any business where proximity matters and the final transaction often happens in person.
Whether you’re running local ads for one business location or managing retail partnerships in thousands of stores, Google Ads offers tools to connect search intent with place-based outcomes.
Key Benefits of Using Location Assets
- Enhanced Local Relevance: Ads automatically display the most relevant store or partner location based on user proximity or search intent, making them more actionable and timely.
- Improved Conversion Potential: Including a location, phone number, or directions link significantly boosts the likelihood of a real-world visit or call, which often translates into higher purchase intent.
- Cross-Network Visibility: These assets appear not only in Search but also across Display, YouTube, Google Maps, and even Search Partner sites—extending reach wherever your audience browses.
- Trackable Offline Impact: With options like store visit conversions and call reporting, location assets make it easier to attribute offline behavior to online ads.
- Optimized for Mobile Behavior: Since many searches for local businesses occur on smartphones, location assets are designed with mobile users in mind, enabling taps to call, navigate, or browse nearby inventory.
Types of Location Assets
Google offers two configuration options depending on how your business reaches customers:
- Our Locations: Designed for businesses that own and operate their stores. Locations are pulled from your Google Business Profile, a trusted data source that ensures accuracy across search and maps.
- Affiliate Locations: Built for brands that distribute through retail partners or dealerships. These allow you to select store chains (e.g., Target, AutoZone, or Costco) by country and industry, helping customers discover third-party sellers that carry your products.
You can only choose one location asset type per Google Ads account, so it’s essential to align this with your business model before setup.
Where Location Assets Show Up
- Google Search Network: Ads can appear with your location, distance, and phone number. On mobile, a tappable “Call” button can replace the number for direct action.
- Google Display Network: Location details accompany your banner or responsive ads on websites and apps, helping you reach audiences near relevant locations.
- YouTube Video Ads: Displayed as clickable overlays, location assets show store information while viewers watch TrueView or bumper ads. They can expand to reveal store hours, contact details, and directions.
- Google Maps and Search Partners: Your business location can appear alongside results in Maps or other sites/apps that partner with Google, adding extra visibility for mobile and location-based searches.
How to Set Up Location Assets
Creating location assets begins within the Assets section of your Google Ads account.
- Select asset type: Choose between Our Locations or Affiliate Locations, depending on your business model.
- Link your data source: Connect to your Google Business Profile (GBP) or select chains by country and industry (for manufacturers or distributors).
- Assign to campaigns: Optionally set up location groups to target specific locations within different campaigns or ad groups.
- Enable call reporting: For businesses relying on phone leads, this feature provides data on calls made from location-enhanced ads.
- Verify phone numbers: Google confirms that listed phone numbers match the business identity before serving ads.
Best Practices and Recommendations
- Keep Business Profile Data Updated: Location data should be accurate and consistent to avoid disqualified impressions or poor customer experience.
- Use Location Groups Strategically: For multi-location businesses, create groups by region, inventory availability, or product line for more targeted campaigns.
- Enable Store Visit Tracking: Measuring in-person conversions can help justify and optimize local ad budgets.
- Integrate with Performance Max Campaigns: These are designed for goals like store visits or local actions and are enhanced by location data.
- Monitor with Location Manager: This centralized dashboard in Google Ads lets you manage, edit, and review performance across all your linked locations.
For any business that operates locally—either directly or through retail partners—location assets provide a simple yet powerful way to enhance ad relevance, drive offline engagement, and connect online search behavior with real-world outcomes. They function as digital signposts, helping potential customers find and act on what matters most: where to go, how to get there, and when you’re open.
As the accompanying screenshot illustrates, these assets can position your dealership—or any storefront—within the obvious local pack on Google Search, allowing you to stand out in the moments that drive real business. Whether you’re aiming to boost showroom visits, phone calls, or map clicks, location assets make your ads work harder for every local opportunity.
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