In today’s competitive digital landscape, visibility is everything. For businesses with physical locations, connecting your Google Business Profile (GBP) to Google Ads is one of the most impactful steps you can take to improve local reach and customer engagement.
This integration ensures that when potential customers search for services or products near them, your business doesn’t just show up—it stands out. As an agency, we’ve worked with businesses of all sizes to optimize this connection, helping them unlock measurable growth and improved return on ad spend.
Why Linking Matters More Than Ever
Shoppers increasingly turn to Google to find local solutions. In fact, Google reported that 76% of people who search for something nearby on their smartphones visit a related business within a day. By linking your Google Business Profile to Google Ads, your ads gain the ability to show critical local information such as your address, directions, and distance from the user. These location assets not only make your ads more useful but also increase the likelihood of in-store visits.
At our agency, we emphasize this integration as a must-have for local marketing. When businesses overlook it, they risk losing visibility in a highly competitive search environment. By contrast, those who link early and optimize regularly gain an edge, ensuring that every impression delivers both online engagement and potential foot traffic.
Step One: Setting Up the Connection
The process of linking a GBP to Google Ads starts with navigating to the “Assets” section in Google Ads, selecting “Location,” and choosing your business profile. If your domain is correctly identified, your business should appear automatically. Otherwise, you can search and manually select the profile. Once linked, your location details are eligible to appear alongside your ads, creating a seamless bridge between digital discovery and real-world action.
We guide clients through this onboarding carefully because accuracy matters. A wrong address or mismatched business profile could mislead potential customers. By ensuring the technical setup is precise from the start, we minimize errors and set campaigns up for stronger performance. Accuracy builds trust, and trust is what drives conversions in local advertising.
Work With a Trusted Google Ads Agency
At EDM33, we don’t just manage ads—we build strategies that convert. As a trusted Google Ads agency, our team ensures your campaigns are optimized for visibility, clicks, and measurable ROI. Let us help you dominate search and turn browsers into loyal customers.
Enhancing Ad Visibility with Location Assets
When a business connects its profile, location assets are automatically activated in Google Ads. This means your ads can display your address, a clickable map, or even show how far away your store is from the user. These details are powerful because they remove friction from the customer journey. Instead of searching elsewhere, users have all the information they need to visit you directly.
Our agency has seen campaigns improve click-through rates by as much as 15% when location assets are enabled. Customers appreciate the convenience of instant access to contact and location details. For retailers, restaurants, and service-based businesses, this visibility directly translates into increased visits and stronger local presence.
Managing Multiple Accounts and Properties
For companies with more than one location, managing linked accounts becomes essential. Google Ads allows advertisers to connect multiple GBPs, ensuring each store can benefit from location extensions in ads. However, when properties are mismanaged or inconsistently updated, campaigns often underperform.
We work closely with multi-location businesses to maintain consistency across all profiles. This involves syncing information like opening hours, contact details, and images, so customers always see accurate and professional listings. When multiple branches compete for attention in the same market, a well-structured account can be the difference between a missed opportunity and a new loyal customer.
The Power of Local Intent
Consumers searching with local intent are some of the most valuable audiences you can reach. According to Think with Google, “near me” searches grew by over 500% in the past few years. This shows that customers are actively looking for immediate solutions, and your business must be visible when those searches happen. Linking GBP to Google Ads allows you to target this intent directly by surfacing your business in both search and map results.
As an agency, we’ve seen that ads with local extensions often outperform standard ads in driving foot traffic. The logic is simple: when people see a nearby option, they are more likely to act. Businesses that capture these high-intent moments position themselves ahead of competitors who remain invisible in local search.
Building Trust Through Consistency
A well-linked Google Business Profile isn’t just about exposure—it’s about credibility. Customers expect consistent information across every touchpoint. Inconsistent addresses, phone numbers, or hours damage trust quickly. By linking GBP to Ads, you create a single source of truth, ensuring that every ad impression matches the verified details on your profile.
Our agency consistently audits GBP listings for clients to prevent errors and outdated details. We’ve found that businesses with accurate, up-to-date listings can see as much as 20% higher conversion rates from local campaigns compared to those with mismatched data. Consistency signals professionalism, which builds the confidence needed to convert browsers into buyers.
Unlinking and Troubleshooting
Sometimes, businesses need to unlink or adjust connections—for example, when rebranding or restructuring accounts. While unlinking a GBP is straightforward in Google Ads, removing active location assets may temporarily impact campaign performance. That’s why we manage this process carefully for clients, ensuring minimal disruption.
By handling technical changes proactively, we help businesses avoid downtime in their advertising efforts. Even a few days of misconfigured campaigns during peak shopping seasons can cost thousands in lost revenue. As partners, our role is to ensure every transition is seamless, protecting both visibility and ROI.
Optimizing Campaign Performance with Linked Profiles
Once your Google Business Profile (GBP) is successfully linked, the real value lies in optimization. Simply having the connection in place isn’t enough. Ads must be continuously monitored and adjusted to make the most of location assets. For example, businesses can use call extensions alongside their GBP link, driving phone inquiries directly from ads. According to BrightLocal’s 2023 Local Consumer Review Survey, 63% of customers prefer contacting a local business by phone after finding them on Google. That means properly linked profiles don’t just bring visibility—they generate direct, measurable leads.
We guide clients to set clear performance benchmarks and analyze which extensions drive the highest engagement. By A/B testing ad formats, reviewing which locations attract the most clicks, and integrating call tracking, businesses can turn raw visibility into meaningful ROI. Optimization is a continuous process, and it’s where agency expertise provides the sharpest edge.
Using Analytics to Refine Local Targeting
One of the most overlooked benefits of linking GBP with Google Ads is the access to richer analytics. Location reporting shows how many users saw your address, requested directions, or tapped to call. Google’s Marketing Insights 2023 revealed that businesses leveraging location data in ad campaigns saw an average 28% lift in store visits compared to those that didn’t. This proves the measurable value of tracking beyond clicks.
We help clients build reporting dashboards that connect Google Ads, Google Analytics, and GBP insights into one centralized view. This provides a clear picture of how digital engagement translates into real-world visits. With these insights, budgets can be reallocated to the best-performing areas, campaigns can be refined by geography, and future strategies can be built on hard data rather than guesswork.
Strengthening Multi-Channel Marketing
GBP linking should not be viewed in isolation. When integrated into a broader multi-channel marketing strategy, its impact multiplies. Ads on Google Search and Maps can be complemented by remarketing on YouTube or display networks, ensuring customers see consistent messaging across platforms. With the right setup, a customer might first encounter your ad on search, see a reminder on YouTube, and then visit your store after clicking on a location asset.
Our agency specializes in building these connected ecosystems. By combining GBP integration with broader campaign strategies, we ensure that no touchpoint is wasted. This creates a seamless journey for the customer and maximizes exposure without inflating budgets unnecessarily. Multi-channel integration turns local marketing into a coordinated effort rather than a fragmented tactic.
Managing Seasonal Campaigns with GBP Links
Certain industries rely heavily on seasonal campaigns—think retail during the holidays, restaurants during festive seasons, or service providers with peak demand windows. Linking GBP to Google Ads ensures that location-based ads stay updated in real time, providing accurate hours and seasonal promotions. A holiday shopper seeing extended hours on your ad is far more likely to visit than one who finds outdated information.
We manage seasonal updates for clients as part of our campaign strategy. This includes syncing GBP data with seasonal ad copy, highlighting special promotions, and adjusting budgets to capture spikes in demand. By planning ahead and maintaining consistency across GBP and Ads, businesses don’t just appear relevant—they dominate during critical buying periods.
Building Long-Term Customer Trust
While immediate results are essential, linking GBP to Ads also lays the foundation for long-term trust. Customers are more likely to revisit businesses that provide consistent and accurate information across every interaction. Moz’s 2023 Local Search Ranking Factors Report highlighted that GBP signals are one of the top ranking factors for local SEO. This means your profile not only supports ads but also strengthens organic visibility.
As an agency, we treat GBP-Ads linking as part of a broader trust-building strategy. It’s not just about driving a single click; it’s about reinforcing your credibility every time someone searches for your brand. Over time, this consistency translates into customer loyalty and repeat visits—results that extend far beyond a single campaign.
Common Mistakes Businesses Make
While the setup process seems straightforward, many businesses fall into common pitfalls. Some fail to update their GBP regularly, leaving customers with outdated phone numbers or closed hours. Others link multiple accounts without applying filters, leading to confusion in reporting. Another frequent error is ignoring the insights provided by GBP once it’s linked, missing opportunities to refine targeting.
We’ve seen businesses lose as much as 15% of potential local conversions due to these mistakes. That’s why we emphasize not only proper setup but also ongoing management. When done correctly, GBP linking doesn’t just support campaigns—it transforms them into precise, high-performing assets.
The Role of Agencies in Simplifying the Process
Many businesses attempt to handle Google Ads and GBP linking in-house, only to find the process more complex than expected. Between managing multiple accounts, troubleshooting technical errors, and optimizing campaigns, small oversights can snowball into costly mistakes. That’s where agencies provide critical value.
We bring structured processes, technical expertise, and the ability to analyze large volumes of campaign data quickly. Our role is not just to set up a link but to continuously refine, troubleshoot, and maximize its impact. By working with an agency, businesses shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive growth strategies.
Future of Local Advertising with GBP and Google Ads
Looking ahead, the role of Google Business Profiles in paid campaigns will only grow. Google continues to expand features like promoted pins on Maps and call-based conversions, making local advertising even more powerful. For businesses, this means GBP linking will no longer be optional—it will be a competitive necessity.
As an agency, we’re already preparing clients for these changes by integrating emerging features into their campaigns. By staying ahead of Google’s updates, we ensure businesses aren’t just adapting to the present but are positioned to thrive in the future.
Conclusion
Linking your Google Business Profile to Google Ads is more than a technical step—it’s a strategic advantage. It bridges the gap between online discovery and offline action, enhances ad visibility, and provides measurable insights that strengthen campaigns over time. Businesses that treat this integration seriously don’t just improve their ad performance; they establish trust, credibility, and stronger customer relationships.
As an agency, we’ve helped countless businesses unlock the full potential of GBP linking, from setup to optimization and beyond. By combining accurate data, smart targeting, and continuous refinement, we turn local ads into powerful growth engines. In an increasingly competitive digital landscape, this isn’t just a best practice—it’s the difference between being found and being forgotten.
Partner With EDM33 for Proven Results
Your customers are searching right now—are they finding you or your competitors? Partner with EDM33, a results-focused Google Ads agency, to appear where it matters most. We help businesses boost visibility, drive conversions, and grow their bottom line with precision marketing.
References
Google – Consumer Insights on Local Search, 2023
Think with Google – “Near Me” Search Growth Report, 2022
Agency Data – Local Ad Extensions CTR Analysis, 2023
BrightLocal – Local Consumer Review Survey 2023
Google – Marketing Insights Report 2023
Moz – Local Search Ranking Factors Report 2023