Have you noticed that when you do local searches on Google, you often see a map with your results? These map results consist of both organic and paid listings. Organic listings are indicated by a red marker; paid listings are indicated by a blue marker. These paid listings are now called “AdWords Express,” the re-introduced version of Boost.

Generally, the organic listings are a direct result of Google Places. The paid listings can be managed as an extension of your AdWords account or they can be setup under the new AdWords Express option if you don’t have an existing AdWords account. This new option acts like a mini-AdWords. You simply pick the category you want your ad to display for, your ad text, and bid.

It’s a much simpler process than a traditional AdWords setup since you don’t have to select hundreds of keywords, closely manage bids, or manage a negative keyword list. If you already have an organic listing in Google Maps, the organic listing will still display along with the paid listing. Clicks on paid listings are charged on a cost-per-click (CPC) basis. Just like AdWords, there is a bidding process, along with your site’s relevance and your maximum CPC setting, which determines your placement and the CPC.

Is AdWords Express here to stay?

It’s hard to say. Over the course of the last year Google has introduced Places (formerly its Local Business Center), Google Tags (the original option for advertising on Google Maps), Google Boost, and now, AdWords Express. It does appear that Google has covered all the bases this time. As previously mentioned, the latest offering can be managed from an existing AdWords account or used as a standalone product. You can now change the title in your ads, as well as modify your ad text per category.

Want to learn more about AdWords Express or other Google offerings? Contact Cool Blue today!