Stand Out on Google Maps with Square Promoted Map Pins

As part of its effort to help small brick-and-mortar businesses successfully re-open as they come out of shelter-in-place requirements, Google announced that businesses using Smart Campaigns for advertising will now be represented by a square Promoted Pin (rather than the traditional balloon) to allow it to stand out from its competitors.

The square pin will include your business category logo, and will highlight specific services that you offer  (curbside pickup, delivery, and other unique offerings).

Between now and Septemeber of 2020, small business advertisers will not be charged for clicks on the square pins.

What are Google Smart Campaigns?

Smart Campaigns is the default setting for Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords) – Google’s pay-per-click advertising platform for small businesses.

The campaigns are now almost totally done-for-you. Targeting optimization is automated based on data from Google’s machine learning algorithms.

I wasn’t able to find any “live” examples of the promoted pin yet, but the program is available starting June 17th, 2020.