Google has launched a few new features on their AdWords platform. The biggest headline: the strengthening of connections between online advertising and brick-and-mortar stores.

Local catalog ads

‘Local catalog ads’ are now available on AdWords, to guide shoppers to discover what’s available, then encourage them instore for a visit.

Google says the new ad format was designed to ‘complement retailers traditional print campaigns…  with the added audience and measurement benefits of digital ads’.

That makes it sounds like Google’s is renewing efforts to capture the traditionalist market, who are still printing coupons in the local rag.

Driving feet

Still, they may be useful to any retailer with a bricks-and-mortar store.

The new ads are geotargeted by default. They highlight a hero image, but also feature a select inventory especially laid out for mobile scrolling. ‘Instore’ tags look to drive foot traffic rather than online checkouts.

Instore data from device location

Of at least equal interest as the actual announcement is that Google backs-up their claims for the ad-format’s effectiveness with real data.

A footnote to the announcement says that ‘Store visits are estimates based on aggregated, anonymized data from a sample set of users who have turned on Location History.’

Tracking online ads instore conversions via location history data: simple genius, or capitalist creepiness?

Copy Transmission is a Melbourne-based agency :: Better Brands. Loud & Clear.