Google Directions is a feature of local extensions that allows customers of Pay Per Click advertisers to “map the quickest route from where they are located to a business they want to visit.” Directions has shown to increase interactions with ads and be beneficial to users. When a Pay Per Click advertiser enables the location extensions feature, they can also activate the Directions option. A typical ad with the Directions feature engaged looks like this:
When the consumer clicks on the Directions link it automatically maps the quickest route to the store from the consumer’s location. Consumers can use the Directions link from their desktop, mobile search ads, and Google Maps for Mobile on Android or iPhone.
Google has recently announced that they will be adding new performance metrics for the Directions link. These metrics will appear alongside those for clicks and phone calls. Clicks on the Directions link will also be charged as a click on all Pay Per Click campaigns moving forward.
So how will this impact your Pay Per Click campaign?
We already know from experience that any customer who is ready to click on the Directions link and immediately head to your location is an actively engaged customer. This is a customer who is ready to spend and has passed the research stage of the buying cycle. So clicks on the Directions link should generate a sale.
Additionally, clicks on the Directions link will filter out those people who are investigating how far away your location is from them. It eliminates the need for your staff to spend time on the phone qualifying the customer as they have already pre-qualified themselves.
Clicks on the Directions link will be counted the same as a click on the headline of the ad, so you still get the benefit of seeing the results of your clicks without having to spend valuable time on the phone. Instead those customers who are motivated can get their directions automatically and then head to your store to engage your services.
