Google Ads for Chicago-based businesses involves several key steps to effectively target the local audience. Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up Google Ads for a business in Chicago:

1. Keyword Research: Begin by researching relevant keywords related to your business and the Chicago area. Tools like Google Keyword Planner can help identify popular search terms that potential customers might use when looking for products or services in Chicago.
2. Create Google Ads Account: If you don’t already have one, create a Google Ads account. Visit ads.google.com and follow the steps to set up your account.
3. Campaign Setup:
   • Click on the “+ New campaign” button to create a new campaign.
   • Choose your campaign goal (e.g., Sales, Leads, Website Traffic).
   • Select “Search” as the campaign type since you want your ads to appear in Google search results.
   • Choose “Local” as your campaign subtype to target users in specific geographic locations.
   • Set your campaign budget and bidding strategy.
4. Location Targeting:
   • Specify Chicago and surrounding areas as your targeted location. You can choose to target the entire city, specific neighborhoods, or radius targeting around your business location.
   • You can also exclude areas where you don’t want your ads to appear.
5. Ad Group Creation:
   • Create ad groups based on themes or categories related to your business.
   • Use tightly themed ad groups with relevant keywords to improve ad relevance and Quality Score.
   • Write compelling ad copy that includes Chicago-related terms or mentions your business’s location.
6. Keyword Selection:
   • Add the keywords you researched earlier to your ad groups. Include both broad and specific keywords relevant to your business and Chicago.
   • Utilize match types (broad match, phrase match, exact match) to control when your ads are shown for each keyword.
7. Ad Extensions:
   • Use ad extensions to provide additional information to users and improve ad visibility. Include location extensions to show your business address alongside your ads.
   • Other extensions like sitelinks, callouts, and call extensions can also enhance your ads.
8. Conversion Tracking:
   • Set up conversion tracking to measure the effectiveness of your ads. Track actions like form submissions, phone calls, or purchases that indicate a successful conversion.
   • This data will help you optimize your campaigns over time and improve ROI.
9. Monitoring and Optimization:
   • Regularly monitor your campaign performance and make adjustments as needed.
   • Analyze metrics like click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost per conversion.
   • Adjust bids, ad copy, and keywords based on performance to maximize results.
10. Local SEO and Landing Pages:
    • Optimize your website and landing pages for local SEO to improve organic visibility in Chicago.
    • Ensure your business information (address, phone number, hours) is consistent across online directories and your website.