Google is helping advertisers target potential customers who are online shopping near their physical store locations by using local inventory ads. Local inventory ads help turn searches into store visits by featuring your products and store information to users who are shopping nearby, showing them what’s available in your store in near real time. Advertisers have the ability to customize their ads for shoppers based on proximity to their store, as well as what device they are using. For example, if a user is searching for a product you sell only in-store, they will see a local inventory ad regardless of proximity to a store location; but, if they are searching for a product that is sold both online and in-store, a local inventory ad will be displayed if they are near your store location, and a Shopping ad will show if they are not near your location.

Bid optimization is a key element of capturing more foot traffic and promoting inventory in brick-and-mortar locations via Google Shopping. Advertisers are able to adjust bids based on multiple criteria, including proximity to store location, increasing bids to capture mobile shoppers, as well as increasing bids during open store hours and high-traffic hours.

Although online shopping has become a part of everyday life, many goods continue to be purchased in-store. Local inventory ads are a great way to bridge the gap between online browsing and in-store purchases.