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From Scroll to Search: A Guide to High-Converting Creatives on Meta vs. Google

Cody Kluge — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 13:12:57 +0000

Captivating ad creatives are imperative for businesses looking to convert clicks into customers. According to Google, 70% of a digital ad campaign’s success is determined by its creative. Whether your business is running digital ad campaigns on Google or Meta, ad creatives should aim to stand out while stopping the scroll.

While Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram thrive on visual storytelling and emotional engagement, Google often serves as a place where consumers go for an answer, actively seeking products and solutions. That means ad creatives must be tailored to each platform in order to put your business in the best position to maximize conversions.

No matter if you are a startup launching your first campaign, or an already successful corporate giant, understanding exactly what drives engagement and conversions across both of these platforms remains a vital key to marketing success. Digital advertising can often be the first touchpoint potential consumers have with your brand, and it could be your only chance to separate yourself from the competition.

Here’s a closer look at the differences between high-performing ad creatives when it comes to Meta and Google, what works best for each platform, and how your business can implement an advertising strategy that will net positive results.

The Conversion Gap: Why Meta and Google Require Different Creatives

Meta and Google are two of the most frequently used online platforms, but they provide users with different environments. Meta is a visually-driven space where users typically consume content passively. Meanwhile, Google is more intent-driven, with users often searching for information, products or services.

When it comes to Meta, ads need to capture attention mid-scroll. The majority of the billions of monthly active users on Facebook and Instagram don’t visit the platform with the intention of making a purchase. Rather, they are there to connect, consume and be entertained. For an ad to stand out, the creative must interrupt that flow in a seamless, yet compelling way.

Advertising goals on Meta often entail building brand awareness and educating users on a product or service, part of the top-of-funnel stage in a marketing strategy. Meta creatives work well for businesses in numerous industries, particularly those that may rely on visual appeal like fashion, lifestyle or home decor.

With Google, ads simply need to meet the moment. Whether an ad displays in a search query, a YouTube video or a banner placement, the creative must relate to the user’s intent. The messaging on these ads should be clear, direct, informative and relevant to what the user is seeking.

Google Ads are frequently utilized by businesses that have products or services solving immediate needs, targeting purchase intent while moving users closer to a decision.

What Works on Meta: Creatives That Stop the Scroll

With most users not actively seeking out ads or intending to purchase on Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram, appealing creatives that lead users to stop scrolling are the goal. Successful Meta creatives should include:

1. Thumb-stopping visuals

Ad creatives for Meta often consist of a headline, description, primary text and an image or video. Items like appealing, on-brand images, bright colors, expressive human faces that create reliability and emotional connection, motion graphics, testimonials and dynamic product demos can all help your ads win on Meta platforms. In particular, creatives that look organic and native to the platform, such as Reels, Stories or carousel posts, will likely perform better than overtly polished ads.

2. Hook, then value

A strong hook is required to grab attention. That can include a surprising statement, a bold visual or an emotional cue. From there, the value proposition should quickly be delivered, as the average user will likely decide within just a couple of seconds whether to keep looking or scroll past. A study from the Mobile Marketing Association notes that the human brain needs just 0.4 seconds to engage with an ad and form a positive or negative impression.

A prime example of a strong hook that grabs attention and promotes value within an ad creative would be:

“Struggling with sleep? Our weighted blankets are changing lives – see why 10,000+ customers are sleeping better every night.”

3. Mobile-first design

Mobile users dominate social platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Specifically, backlinko.com notes that 98.5% of Facebook user accounts access the platform via a mobile device. This means creatives should be made mobile-friendly with vertical orientation, large text and visual hierarchy matter. Creatives should be tested in mobile environments before their launch.

Businesses should be sure to test their overall campaign as well to find the most optimal and cost-effective results. Refreshing creatives every couple of weeks with new visual hooks or story-based messaging can be an effective way to explore what works best for your company, while also helping avoid ad fatigue.

What Works on Google: Creatives That Answer the Question

In contrast to Meta platforms, users often come to Google looking for specific information, and perhaps ready to make a purchasing decision on products or services at the bottom of the marketing funnel. With that in mind, businesses should aim to make ad creatives on Google accurate and informative through:

1. Headline and description precision

Google Ads succeed when mirroring user intent. Keywords should be naturally embedded within headlines and descriptions to align with queries, while dynamic keyword insertion can be used where appropriate. These ad creatives should also focus on benefits in addition to features, and include clear calls-to-action (CTAs), such as “get a free quote,” “call now” or “book today.”

An example of this kind of ad creative description would be:

“Affordable pet grooming near you – same-day appointments available!”

2. Visual trust in Display

Google Display and video networks favor visually appealing and trustworthy creatives. In contrast to Meta, polished, brand-safe content often performs better here. These creatives should feature brand logos, consistent color palettes and trust signals like certifications, reviews and awards. It is also beneficial to incorporate text overlays with offers or product features, particularly for banner ads.

3. Landing page continuity

The creative promise within Google Ads should always remain consistent with the landing page. As a result, businesses should avoid adding clickbait headlines or any kind of misinformation that doesn’t reflect the actual offer page or content.

With Google Ads, intent-driven, clear and relevant messaging is beneficial. With relatively limited space, keeping ads appealing, yet clutter-free and to the point, can help businesses drive engagement.

A Side-By-Side Comparison of Meta vs. Google Creatives

Element	Meta	Google
User intent	Passive browsing	Active searching
Creative format	Video, image carousels, Stories, Reels	Text ads, banner ads, video ads
Tone	Conversational, relatable	Informational, authoritative
Best hooks	Emotions, problems, lifestyle visuals	Solutions, offers, location-based clues
Optimization focus	Click-through-rate (CTR), engagement, video view time	CTR, quality score, conversion rate
Performance driver	Attention-grabbing visuals	Relevance to query, landing page match
CTA style	Soft: “Learn more,” “see why”	Direct: “Get a quote,” “buy now”

Strategies to Optimize Across Both Platforms

While both Google Ads and Meta Ads can provide different benefits to audiences and businesses alike, the optimal strategy for most companies usually entails utilizing both platforms. To make the most of each, marketers should adopt a dual creative strategy which is tailored to attention and intent. That can be done by:

1. Repurposing creatives strategically

Rather than using the same creative on both Meta and Google, businesses should be sure to adapt to the platform. This could entail:

Turning Google banner ad copy into content captions for Meta

Translating Meta Stories into structured Google responsive display ads

2. Test creatives separately

What works on one platform might not end up being the best fit on the other. Businesses should aim to run A/B tests that are tailored to each platform’s strengths. For Meta, this entails testing different hooks, creators and formats. On Google, businesses can test things like headlines, ad extensions and responsive assets.

3. Use platform-native tools

It’s important to measure results deriving from any digital ad campaign, and leveraging platform-native tools can help you create the most optimal strategy for your business. The ads creative breakdown in Meta Ads Reporting is a valuable tool for insights into what formats are working best for particular industries. Google tools like Performance Max asset reporting provide insights and guidance on best-performing ad combinations.

There are additional rules to keep in mind that should apply to any digital ad platform, including keeping consistent with your brand’s image and identity, and ensuring a seamless experience across all devices. No matter where they are being seen, quality ads should aim to address customer pain points and display benefits of a product or service through compelling language, captivating visuals and unique offers that cater to a customer’s needs.

Real-World Ad Creatives That Work

Many businesses have seen impressive results over the last several years thanks to strong ad campaigns featuring attention-grabbing creatives.

When it comes to Meta, jewelry retailer Pandora aimed to boost brand awareness in its German market by implementing video ads on Facebook. To do so, Pandora took one of its TV advertisements and cut it down to a 15-second in-stream video ad formatted for mobile users. The strategy led to a 61% lift in purchases and a 42% increase in new buyers.

Seltzer Goods, a North Carolina-based company that creates and sells home goods known for their art and design, partnered with Inflow while aiming to produce more sales from its Meta Ads campaigns. Optimizing for mobile users, Inflow created a pair of eye-catching creatives featuring puzzles available for purchase from Seltzer Goods. Combined with appealing ad copy, the campaign helped Seltzer Goods increase its return on ad spend, while also impacting organic traffic, as the firm saw a 183% increase in monthly organic traffic, and a 6.6% increase in organic conversion rate.

With Google, businesses like Skillshare, an American-based online learning community, have found success with more direct campaigns. One of Skillshare’s strategies is running time-sensitive deals that display benefits, such as promoting “50% off of an annual membership,” while noting the cost savings that consumers will be provided with. Paired with other direct CTAs like “start learning now,” Skillshare has seen success, particularly during a Black Friday campaign that helped CTRs increase by 63% compared to standard campaigns, and also resulted in a 15% rise in CTR on its mobile app.

Elsewhere, Peet’s Coffee, which originated in California several decades ago, found greater success with its Google Ads campaign after partnering with Single Grain. The partnership focused on changing ad copy while also placing an emphasis on keywords to further align with behaviors of consumers potentially seeking Peet’s. The results were significant, with a reduced 72% cost per order, and 676% more orders overall.

Ultimately, high-performing ad creatives like these should be built with intent, format and audience context in mind. Deriving positive results often goes beyond just advertising, but rather communicating in the language of each platform.

Best Version Media Can Help Your Business Thrive With Engaging Ad Creatives

Best Version Media can help your business enhance its advertising strategy through our management of digital ad campaigns on Google, Facebook and Instagram. By overseeing 13,000+ digital ad campaigns that create over 300 million monthly impressions, BVM has helped local businesses throughout North America increase their online presence.

BVM’s ad creatives will cater to your marketing strategy, whether that be targeting Meta users with visually appealing ads that stop the scroll, or attracting Google users with accurate and informative creatives featuring clear CTAs.

With multiple tiers of digital ad campaign bundles that can help boost your online presence, connect with BVM today to create a strategy that is right for your business.

The post From Scroll to Search: A Guide to High-Converting Creatives on Meta vs. Google appeared first on Best Version Media.

How to Optimize Your Website For Local SEO In 10 Easy Steps

Jesse McNamar — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Your website serves as the hub for consumers to learn about your local business, but is it reaching its full potential? Many business owners may be missing out on potential customers due to various issues that all tie back to local SEO.

Optimizing your website for local SEO is essential for expanding your reach and increasing visibility within your community. There are several effective ways to accomplish this, but first, let’s clarify what local SEO is.

What Is Local SEO?

Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to rank higher in search results for users in your geographic area. Unlike traditional website SEO, local SEO focuses on enhancing your traffic, search visibility, and brand awareness in a defined community.

These elements are critical, as BrightLocal’s 2023 Local Consumer Review Survey found that 98% of customers use the internet to find information about local businesses.

These users are often ready to take action and are more likely to purchase from businesses they can easily find online. By improving your visibility, you can drive more traffic to your site and convert more of that traffic into paying customers.

Follow these 10 steps to strengthen your local SEO and help your business thrive.

Claim and Enhance Your Google Business Profile
Leverage Local Business Listings
Research Competitors
Gather and Analyze Online Reviews
Optimize Website Design and Performance
Create Location-Specific Landing Pages
Write Locally Relevant Content
Get Involved In the Community
Secure Local Backlinks
Promote Your Website

1. Claim and Enhance Your Google Business Profile

Your local SEO strategy should begin with claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP). If you have yet to claim your profile, visit Google Business to do so, as it’s a critical step in ensuring your business appears in local search results.

Your GBP is where users find important information such as your business name, physical address, and phone number (NAP). Keeping this information accurate and up-to-date not only reinforces your local SEO efforts but also keeps your business top of mind for potential customers.

Beyond the basics, maintaining an up-to-date profile offers additional SEO benefits. Regularly posting business updates concisely, uploading high-quality photos and videos, and including clear calls to action (CTAs) can significantly improve your visibility in search results, build a sense of urgency for users, and help your business stand out from local competitors. However, be sure to avoid keyword stuffing as it could lead to less visibility or even a profile ban.

Without a Google Business Profile, your business is missing a vital opportunity to reach local customers. Any effort to boost online presence starts by claiming and managing a compelling GBP.

2. Leverage Local Business Listings

Now that your GBP is set up, it’s time to expand your reach. Your chances of appearing in local search results increase when your business information is listed across a variety of reliable sources.

These sources, known as local business listings or local citations, include any mention of your NAP on websites like Yelp, Foursquare, and similar platforms. These listings help build credibility, raise awareness within your community, and improve your business’s online visibility.

Besides well-known citation sites, niche-specific platforms can also provide a competitive edge. For instance, restaurants can benefit from being listed on food delivery services such as Uber Eats. Taking advantage of all relevant listing sites is an easy way to get ahead of the competition, but your efforts shouldn’t stop there.

3. Research Competitors

Let’s face it, every local business shares the same goal, and that’s to appear early and often across the web. That means that just doing the basics won’t be enough to outperform your competitors.

To take the next step, start by analyzing other businesses in your industry to understand why they may be ranking higher than you. For example, if you own a landscaping business, try searching “landscapers near me” and see where you appear in the results. If another landscaping company ranks above you, study their online presence to determine what they’re doing differently.

This analysis involves several key factors, starting with their product listings and overall website structure. How do they organize and present their products or services? What organizational strategies could you adopt to improve your website?

Next, examine how they implement keywords. Identify the terms your direct competitors are targeting and find ways to incorporate them into your website and online profile. If your business is new, you may struggle to compete in generic searches like “coffee near me.” Instead, try targeting more specific variations such as “best coffee shops in Chicago.”

Finally, take a look at how they optimize their GBP. Are they regularly updating their NAP information? Have they categorized their business accurately? Are they consistently collecting reviews? These questions can reveal opportunities for improvement. For example, if a competitor has 30 reviews and a 4.2-star rating, aim to exceed both to improve your visibility in search rankings.

4. Gather and Analyze Online Reviews

Speaking of reviews, they play a major role in improving local SEO. PowerReviews reported that, “95% of consumers use reviews, and 86% consider them to be an essential part of the purchase journey.”

Encouraging satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google and Yelp is an essential part of enhancing your online presence. Additionally, you could host a giveaway and provide entries to those who leave you a review, include a QR code on receipts that link directly to your review page, or share a review link in follow-up emails and promotional campaigns.

However, just gathering reviews isn’t enough. To demonstrate that you value customer feedback, it’s crucial to actively monitor and respond to reviews in a timely and thoughtful manner. Even negative reviews present an opportunity to show you hear customer complaints and are working to address them.

This means acknowledging the issue, replying soon after the review is posted, and offering a resolution by providing a future discount, a refund, or changes to your process to prevent similar problems from occurring again.

5. Optimize Website Design and Performance

Now that you’ve taken steps to strengthen your online presence, it’s time to shift attention back to your website. Whether you’re building a new site or revamping an existing one, the user experience should be the foundation of your design. A logically structured site not only increases user engagement, but it can also help search engines better understand how each page relates to your business.

To accomplish this, use your knowledge from studying competitors’ websites to identify what flows well and what feels out of place. Implement changes that improve the user experience and seek feedback from coworkers, family, or friends after they’ve tested your site.

If web design isn’t your strong suit, outsourcing it to professionals is a great way to utilize your marketing budget and ensure effective results. After all, your website is often one of the first interactions with potential customers, and you want it to make a good impression.

6. Create Location-Specific Landing Pages

This may not apply to every local business, but if your company has expanded to two or more locations, it’s best practice to create dedicated landing pages for each one. Doing so not only helps customers differentiate between your stores, but it also signals to Google that each of your locations is a separate entity, which provides the chance to optimize SEO for each area individually.

This involves using location-specific keywords across each landing page, including in headings, subheadings, and meta tags. Since what resonates in one community may not work in another, conducting research for each location can help tailor your content to better connect with potential customers.

An easy way to further differentiate your locations is to include photos and videos of each storefront and its team. Visitors may recognize the location or a member of your staff, increasing their likelihood of visiting and supporting a local business. These visuals can also enhance your GBP.

7. Write Locally Relevant Content

After some research on businesses in your area, you may discover that many lack original content. This is a great opportunity to separate yourself from competitors and connect with the community.

Publishing consistent blog posts can enhance your local SEO rankings and improve relations with consumers in your area. This content should focus on locally relevant material that engages and resonates with the audience. This can include your business’s backstory or behind-the-scenes peeks.

If you participate in community events, share that experience through photos, videos, and a recap of the event. Not only does this demonstrate your involvement, but it also creates content that users may reference when searching for related products or services, or when the event is hosted again in the future.

Another option to boost visibility is by partnering with local influencers. Many social media personalities have a strong presence in niche markets and may be open to promoting your business through collaborations or guest content.

Whichever content strategy you choose to pursue, utilizing relevant keywords is a must. This will broaden your reach and improve your chances of ranking higher for terms where your business may currently be overlooked.

8. Get Involved In the Community

All of your SEO efforts could go to waste if it doesn’t connect with potential customers. Actively engaging with your community in person helps ensure that doesn’t happen.

Building a strong local presence encourages positive online reviews and boosts customer interaction with your business. This can both contribute to higher SEO rankings and provide valuable insight into how your business and industry are perceived by locals.

It also opens the door to partnerships with other local businesses, allowing you to support each other’s growth. One of the most effective ways to do this is by exchanging backlinks.

9. Secure Local Backlinks

Backlinks are one of the most important components of SEO. They occur when one website links to another providing it with authority.

Begin by identifying local businesses, news outlets, and blogs that align with your industry. Reach out with a personalized message explaining how linking to your site can provide value to their audience. If you’ve created a blog with relevant content, this is a perfect chance to promote it.

Once you’ve started acquiring backlinks, continue monitoring them to assess their impact and ensure the links remain active. Broken links lose their value, so regularly checking them helps ensure your efforts continue to deliver results.

10. Promote Your Website

By now, you’ve taken several measures to enhance your business’s online presence. The final step is to expand your reach and showcase your work by promoting your website. The goal is to achieve seven impressions as quickly as possible, known as the “Rule of 7.” This is a general marketing principle that suggests a user typically needs to see a brand seven times before taking action and becoming a customer. This can be accomplished through social media ads, display ads, and other promotional methods.

Familiar social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram can quickly generate impressions and contribute toward the Rule of 7. They also allow for geo-targeting, enabling you to tailor ads to your local audience. While social media is often the first promotional tool local businesses use, your strategy shouldn’t end there.

Google Ads place your business in front of people who are actively searching for products or services you offer. This is where your previous efforts towards implementing keywords will pay off.

Display ads can fill in the gaps that social media and Google Ads won’t. They appear across any website and can significantly accelerate the path to seven impressions.

While offline methods can still be effective, digital advertising offers the fastest and most efficient way to reach your target audience.

Need Help With Your Local SEO Strategy?

Taking a comprehensive approach to local SEO can feel overwhelming, but Best Version Media makes the process simple and allows you to focus on running your business. BVM offers a variety of services, including reviews and listings management across multiple directories and search engines.

You can also bundle digital ad campaigns – display and social media – to maximize your marketing budget and reach the customers who are most likely to engage with your products and services. BVM can handle all of your digital marketing needs through one easy-to-use dashboard.

To get started on your digital advertising journey, contact BVM and watch your local business thrive.

The post How to Optimize Your Website For Local SEO In 10 Easy Steps appeared first on Best Version Media.

Google Ads vs. Meta Ads: Which Should Be the Focus For Your Business?

Cody Kluge — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Digital advertising has continued to grow significantly in recent years. According to Statista, $7.50 of every $10 invested into advertising in the United States in 2024 was spent on digital ads, while the country had $317 billion of digital ad revenue overall.

When it comes to digital advertising, two platforms dominate the landscape: Meta Ads and Google Ads. Both platforms offer powerful tools to reach target audiences, helping businesses attract more customers while increasing online presence and brand loyalty.

However, each platform offers different benefits depending on the goals of a business, who it is targeting and its advertising budget. Here’s a closer look at both ad platforms and what mix might be best to utilize for your business.

Breaking Down the Benefits of Google Ads

Google Ads campaigns have proven that they can be incredibly valuable for a business. According to Statista, Google accounted for 25% of net digital ad revenue among digital ad publishers in the United States in 2024, leading the country by a wide margin.

Perhaps Google’s greatest benefit is its wide audience reach. Google Display Network reaches a collection of over 2 million websites, videos and apps where a company’s ads can appear. Sites within Google Display Network reach around 90% of internet users across the world.

Diverse ad placement is another benefit when it comes to Google Ads and is enhanced by the platform’s wide reach. For example, ads can be shown on high-traffic Google-owned properties like YouTube and Gmail, expanding reach beyond just Google Search. Display ads can also appear on a variety of news websites, various blogs and forums, and mobile apps and games.

Lastly, Google’s optimized targeting can put a business directly in front of consumers who remain in the research process. Through behavioral and contextual data such as search history, visits and interests, Google displays ads to the audience most likely to help conversion goals.

Breaking Down the Benefits of Meta Ads

In contrast to Google, Meta Ads are more often found by discovery. They are placed in front of potential consumers who likely aren’t initially searching for a particular product or service, but might be persuaded to make a purchase after seeing an ad. Even so, many users still claim that they are seeking out advertisements on social media, as a recent survey from Meta showed that 74% of people said they use the platform to discover brands or products online.

This is beneficial considering Meta’s sophisticated targeting ability, as the platform can pinpoint several signals, including demographics like age, gender and relationship status, behavioral data such as device usage and media consumption, and psychographic interests like hobbies or life events. With Meta’s niche targeting, businesses can craft more specific ad campaigns with lower wasted spend.

Meta Ads can also provide engaging storytelling through multiple media formats that can attract various audiences. Ranging from photo and video ads to carousel and collection ads, Meta has the potential to drive emotional connections while enhancing brand recognition.

More specifically, an ad on Facebook contains the company’s logo and can have a single picture, several pictures or a video. The ad appears within a user’s feed, and can be interacted with by clicking on any of the call-to-action (CTA) buttons around the ad. In 2024, Facebook ad traffic campaigns had a 1.57% click-through rate and a $0.77 cost per click, both up from 2023.

Meanwhile, running ads on Instagram has also proven effective, particularly among the younger population, as 44% of Gen Z consumers surveyed by Meta find information about products and brands on Instagram, while 79% of customers claim to have purchased a product or service after watching reels.

CTA buttons, including like, share or comment, allow for two-way engagement between the consumer and business. Video views, reactions and story interactions can lead to greater consumer engagement and provide more data for future ad optimization. Overall, Meta advertisers in the United States are making $3.31 in revenue on average per every $1 spent.

Potential Downfalls of Google Ads and Meta Ads

Despite the immense benefits both platforms can give businesses, there are a couple of potential drawbacks for each. When it comes to Google, ads are less interactive, as users can’t react or comment, potentially limiting immediate rapport between a business and consumers.

In addition, creative control is limited compared to Meta, while some consumers can also develop “banner blindness” if ads lack relevance or creativity. Google Ads are generally seen as more expensive than Meta Ads as well, with a median cost-per-click price of $1.66 compared to $0.29 for Meta, according to Agency Analytics.

With Meta Ads, declining organic reach can be an issue. As Meta’s algorithm tends to favor personal content over business posts, relevant ads can go unseen, often forcing smaller companies into paid reach in order to maintain consistent visibility.

Unlike Google, users on Facebook and Instagram are typically scrolling for entertainment and not necessarily seeking out a business. This could ultimately lead to lower conversion rates on these platforms.

Success Stories of Google Ads and Meta Ads

Several success stories have been seen in recent years by businesses that have implemented ads on both platforms.

Furniture store IKEA turned to Google Ads to boost return on ad spend while driving more traffic to stores. By ensuring that users within a specific distance of a store would be delivered a search ad, IKEA saw a 38% lower cost per click, a 232% increase in physical store visits, a 117% increase in sales and a 68% increase in return on ad spend.

Rakuten, formerly known as Ebates, used Google Ads as it underwent a brand overhaul several years ago. Using a multichannel ad strategy between search and YouTube, Rakuten saw a 74% increase in conversions.

Additional Google Ads success stories can be found here.

With Meta Ads, Rothy’s, a shoe company, has used Facebook video ads to increase sales and shoppers by 72%. The business has also seen a 37% increase in brand awareness.

Lulus, a women’s clothing company, has utilized Meta’s Advantage+ shopping campaign to give it a 47% increase in return on ad spend, while reducing cost per purchase by 29% and cost per impression by over 7%.

Additional success stories stemming from Meta Ads can be found here.

Which Platform is the Best Choice For Your Business?

Advertising through both Google Ads and Meta Ads is often the best approach if a business can afford it, with each platform offering unique benefits that can greatly increase visibility and lead to more conversions. Ultimately, it comes down to what product or service your business offers, and what you are aiming to accomplish within your marketing strategy. Your competition, budget and current online presence can all play a role in choosing how to utilize each platform.

Google Ads provides businesses with a more broad, but significantly large reach, and can retarget users who show interest in your company. Consumers often have a higher intent to purchase a product or utilize a service on a search engine, potentially strengthening brand awareness as well.

Meta Ads are more beneficial for targeting specific demographics or niche audiences. Meta also gives businesses the opportunity to create visually appealing ads in different formats, and the interactability of those ads can help increase brand loyalty while giving businesses insights that can be implemented in future advertising campaigns.

Best Version Media Can Boost Your Business Through Both Ad Platforms

Best Version Media can help complement the marketing efforts of your business through management of online ad campaigns, offering various tools to increase your visibility and online presence. By managing 13,000+ digital ad campaigns that create over 300 million monthly impressions, BVM has helped local businesses throughout North America grow while fostering consumer loyalty.

With Google Ads, BVM can help your local business reach an audience across millions of websites and apps. Through geotargeting and optimizing ad campaigns, companies will become more visible and be able to connect with local customers, all while driving brand awareness and website traffic.

Similarly, BVM’s management of Meta Ads can connect your business with millions of people across powerful social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, showcasing products and services to a local community in a simple and cost-effective manner.

With multiple tiers of display ad campaign bundles that can help boost your online presence, connect with BVM today to create a digital ad strategy that is right for your business.

The post Google Ads vs. Meta Ads: Which Should Be the Focus For Your Business? appeared first on Best Version Media.

How Google Reviews Improve Your Local SEO Rankings

Mitch Writt — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

For small to medium-sized businesses, a strong SEO strategy is key for attracting new customers. One of the most powerful tools for improving local SEO rankings is leveraging Google reviews. These reviews provide valuable social proof and significantly influence how your business ranks in local search results. Let’s explore why maintaining your Google Business Profile and actively gathering Google reviews should be a top priority for your local business.

Why Reputation Matters for Local Search

In today’s digital age, consumers trust online reviews almost as much as personal recommendations. In fact, 91% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase. For local businesses, this trust is invaluable. A strong reputation on Google can attract more customers and directly affect your position in local search rankings.

Google uses a variety of factors to determine which businesses appear at the top of local search results. One of the most significant is the overall reputation of a business, which is largely shaped by Google reviews. When potential customers search for a product or service near them, they’re more likely to choose a business with a higher rating and positive feedback. A solid set of Google reviews signals to both customers and Google that your business is reliable, trustworthy, and provides a high-quality product or service.

Furthermore, Google prioritizes reputable businesses because they want to provide the best user experience. A good reputation suggests that your business is popular among customers and worth recommending to others. Therefore, ensuring your Google reviews are positive and up-to-date is a key component of your local SEO strategy.

The Role of Recency and Review Volume

When it comes to Google reviews, two key factors—recency and volume—play a critical role in improving local SEO rankings.

Google values fresh, relevant content, and this includes reviews. When a potential customer sees a recent review, they know the business is still active and providing excellent service. This helps to build trust and encourages more people to engage with your business. In fact, recent reviews give your listing an SEO boost, helping you maintain visibility in search results. If a potential customer sees that your business has had no recent activity, they may question whether you’re still in operation or if your services have declined in quality.

The number of reviews your business has is another important factor in local SEO. The more reviews you have, the more likely Google is to trust your business’s authority in its industry or field. A higher review volume suggests that your business has a large customer base and has been around for a while, which increases its credibility. Larger volumes of reviews are particularly valuable for businesses in competitive markets where multiple businesses offer similar products or services.

However, it’s important to note that quality matters more than quantity in the eyes of potential customers. A few positive reviews are far more beneficial than hundreds of negative or irrelevant ones. So, while it’s essential to encourage customers to leave reviews, ensuring that those reviews reflect your business’s strengths and reliability is key.

Responding to Google Reviews: An SEO Advantage

One aspect of Google reviews that many businesses overlook is responding to them. Google encourages businesses to reply to all reviews, whether positive or negative. When you take the time to engage with your customers by thanking them for their feedback or addressing concerns, it demonstrates to Google that you are an active, customer-focused business.

By responding to reviews, you’re showing that you care about customer feedback. Engaged customers are more likely to leave positive reviews in the future, which can improve your rankings over time. Google rewards businesses that engage with customers in meaningful ways. The algorithm also considers businesses that interact with customers as more “relevant” to local search queries. When you reply to reviews, you are actively involved in your business’ reputation, signaling to Google that your business is responsive and well-maintained.

Google’s algorithm considers how often a business updates its information and interacts with customers. Replying to reviews signals activity on your profile, which can boost your SEO rankings and improve visibility in search results. Negative reviews are a part of business life, but how you respond to them can have a significant impact. By offering solutions, showing empathy, and demonstrating that you’re committed to resolving issues, you can turn a dissatisfied customer into a loyal one. Moreover, this transparency helps build trust with potential customers who see that you’re invested in providing a high-quality experience.

Statistics That Highlight the Importance of Google Reviews

The influence of Google reviews on consumer behavior and SEO is not just anecdotal—it’s backed by a significant amount of data. Here are some key statistics that highlight just how crucial Google reviews are for your business:

96% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. This means that nearly all of your potential customers will look at your reviews before deciding whether to do business with you.

Businesses with 200+ reviews see a 100%+ increase in revenue compared to the average business (just 82 reviews). A higher volume of positive reviews not only boosts your SEO ranking but also drives more sales.

Negative reviews can cost you up to 70% of potential business. This statistic underscores the importance of maintaining a positive reputation and managing negative reviews carefully.

How to Encourage Positive Google Reviews

Encouraging your customers to leave positive Google reviews doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some tips for getting started:

Ask for Reviews: Simply asking customers to leave a review after a successful purchase or service experience can be incredibly effective. Don’t hesitate to ask, especially if you know the customer had a good experience.

Make it Easy: Give your customers a direct link to your Google review page. The easier you make the process, the more likely people will follow through.

Leverage Social Media and Email Marketing: Remind your customers to leave reviews through your social media accounts or email campaigns. A simple, friendly reminder can go a long way.

Google reviews are a powerful and often underutilized tool for improving local SEO rankings. With BVM’s Listings & Reputation Management service, you can manage your brand reputation by monitoring customer feedback and reviews across a variety of websites from one convenient dashboard. By prioritizing your Google Business Profile, encouraging happy customers to leave feedback, and engaging with your reviews, you can see noticeable improvements in your search visibility and bottom line.

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