When users click on your local inventory ads, they arrive at your local shopfront – a Google-hosted page that showcases products that you have in a shop close to the user. The local shop front also highlights information about your company, such as your brand logo, and shop details, such as location and opening hours.
To help you understand users’ behaviour on your local shop front, use Google Analytics. Analytics allow you to measure online behaviour such as page views and clicks to get directions or call your store.
Set up Google Analytics
Here are the steps to get started with Google Analytics. When you complete the following steps, you’re ready to receive data about your local shop front.
Step 1: Choose your setup for Google Analytics
There are two options:
Using whichever method you chose in step one, choose the following settings for a Google local shop front property:
- Account name and website name: Use a simple description for both fields (for example: 'Google Local shop front' for account and website).
- Website URL: Enter the appropriate Google domain for your country (for example: enter www.google.com for US accounts).
- Industry category: Select Shopping from the drop-down menu.
- Reporting time zone: Select appropriate options and click Get tracking ID.
Step 2: Create a Google local shop front property
To set up a new property for the Google local shop front, follow these steps:
- Select the Admin tab.
- In the 'Account' column, use the drop-down menu to select the account to which you want to add the property. If you have a lot of accounts, use the search box to help you find the right one.
- In the 'Property' column, select Create new property from the drop-down menu. If you don't have Edit permission on the account, you won't find the 'Create new property' option. Check that you've selected the correct account in the 'Account' column.
Step 3: Submit the new tracking ID (UA-xxxxxx-xx or G-xxxxxxxxxx) for activation
After you've created the new tracking ID, complete the Google Analytics for local shop front form to register your account. Google will send you confirmation after registration has been completed.
Step 4: Set up your reporting dashboard
- From the 'Reporting' setting, click Dashboards, then + New Dashboard.
- Click Import from Gallery, then search for 'local shop front' and click Import.
- Ignore the 'All Website Data' default setting and click Create.
To turn on data collection for Remarketing, go to the Admin setting and click Tracking Info under the 'Property' column. Learn more About remarketing audiences in Analytics.
Analyse your reports
Google Analytics reports provide insights about how users engage with your local shop front so that, in turn, you take actions to better capture your local audience.
Combined data points
Use Google Analytics reports to strategically cull insights from users of your local shop front via combined data points.
Here are three scenarios of how you can use combined data points:
| Data points | Insight | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Geo + Events | Location data combined with "click for directions" or "click to call" events | Approximate in-store visits and local purchasing habits |
| Events + Device | Device used to access your site (for example, desktop vs mobile) | Increase the value of your Google Ads device bid for better local inventory ad placement |
| Time of day + Events | Hourly breakdown data combined with click events and sessions | Tweak bidding based on daily buying trends |
Learn how to Monitor account health and performance.
