Google Ads Location Targeting Options and Best Practices

There are plenty of options when it comes to Google Ads Location Targeting. You might be wondering which locations are available for targeting through Google AdWords. We will cover everything you need to know in the video and article below.

You can first start by watching our video below or directly on YouTube. Then, we cover all of the location targeting options in Google Ads. You want to make sure you are reaching the right people in your geographic target market.

What is Google Ads Location Targeting?

Google Ads location targeting enables you to target your ads to specific geographic areas where you want your business to be discovered. There are a few key ways to target locations in Google Ads:

• Geographical targeting – Targeting countries, regions, cities, postal codes
• Radius targeting – Targeting a radius around a business location
• Location extensions – Showing your address and phone number in ads
• Exclusion targeting – Excluding certain locations from targeting

By choosing locations relevant to your business, you can focus your advertising budget on the areas most likely to generate conversions. Location targeting is especially beneficial for businesses with a local physical presence or those who provide services to select areas.

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Google Ads Location Options When Targeting

When you set your targeted locations, you get two options for how to target your ads: ‘Presence or interest’ or ‘Presence’. Personally, I prefer to choose ‘Presence’ so I can target people in my targeted locations.

• Presence or interest: People in, regularly in, or who’ve shown interest in your targeted locations
• Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted locations

The default setting is ‘Presence or interest’ so can change it when you choose your location targets for a campaign. While Google Ads recommends ‘Presence or interest’, I would recommend ‘Presence’ when targeting locations.

Google Ads Location Targeting Video Tutorial

How to Set Up Google Ads Location Targeting

Here are the steps to implement geographical targeting in your Google Ads account:

1. Click “Settings” on the campaign you want to adjust.
2. Click on the “Locations” drop-down area to add or remove location targeting.
3. Select the “Enter another location” option to find more locations.
4. Click “Target” when your desired location appears in the dropdown menu.
5. Click on “Advanced Search” to add even more locations.
6. Review your targeted areas on the map and click “Save”.

Follow the same process to add regions, cities, postal codes, Airports, etc.

You can adjust your Location Targeting through your Campaign settings:

You can add more locations to your Google Ads campaign by typing in locations directly in the search bar. You can also search for locations to exclude from your Google Ads campaign.

You can click on the ‘Advanced search’ link to open up the map. From the map, you can add locations or choose Radius targeting as an option as well.

The Importance of Location Targeting

There are many reasons why location targeting is a crucial part of running effective ad campaigns:

• Connects you with nearby searchers – Your ads reach people searching for businesses in your area. Location terms also boost ad relevance.
• Saves money – Avoid wasted spend on areas you don’t serve. Focus budget on high-value locations.
• Allows personalized marketing – Craft messaging for specific neighborhoods and local events.
• Tests new markets – Run small test campaigns in new areas to gauge performance.
• Provides local context – Address, phone number, and location info build trust and familiarity.
• Aligns with consumer needs – 61% prefer to buy from sites that customize based on their location.

In summary, location targeting transforms your ads into locally-optimized listings that attract high-quality leads in your area.

Google Ads Location Targeting Options

Google Ads offers powerful options for targeting ads by location:

Geographical Targeting

This allows you to target large regions like countries and states or more precise locations such as cities, postal codes, and airports:

• Countries: Target your ads to specific countries or a group of countries.
• Territories: Target specific political entities, such as regions, states, provinces, or territories within a country.
• Regions: Target a specific region, which can be a group of territories, states, or provinces.
• Cities: Target ads to users in specific cities or towns.
• Custom Areas: Draw custom shapes on the map to target specific areas.
• Radius Targeting: Target users within a specified radius around a particular location, such as a store or landmark.
• Location Groups: Combine multiple locations into a single target group for easier management.

Proximity Targeting

Proximity targeting enables you to set a radius around your business location to target nearby searchers. You can customize the radius from 1 to 1000 miles.

Ideal for targeting:

• Businesses located in busy downtown cores
• Businesses that offer local delivery
• Hyperlocal brick-and-mortar stores

Location Extensions

Location extensions append your business address, phone number, and map snippet beneath your PPC ads:

• Strengthens localization
• Builds familiarity and trust
• Enables quick “click to call” or “click for directions”

Exclusion Targeting

You can exclude certain regions or locations from your targeting:

• Exclude areas you don’t service
• Avoid showing ads to competitors’ customer bases
• Exclude areas that don’t convert well

Leverage these powerful options to fine-tune your location-targeting approach.

How to Use Proximity Targeting in Google Ads

To implement proximity targeting:

1. Under “Locations”, click the blue link to edit your targeting.
2. Click “Radius” then enter your business address.
3. Select a radius distance and mile unit.
4. Review the radius circle on the map and click “Save”.

Start with a small 1-3 mile radius, then expand if you want to reach a wider area. Use bid adjustments to optimize based on conversion value from different radii.

Implementing Location Extensions

Location extensions make your ads more localized:

1. Create a Google My Business listing for your business location.
2. Get verified for consistent business information across Google.
3. In Google Ads, click “Extensions” and select “Location extensions”.
4. Check the box next to your verified Google My Business location.
5. Click “Save”.

Double-check that your business address and phone number are correct. Location extensions automatically pull this info from Google My Business.

How to Exclude Locations from Targeting

To exclude less valuable locations:

1. Under “Locations”, click the blue link to edit your targeting.
2. Search for the location you want to exclude.
3. Click “Exclude” next to the location name when it appears.
4. Repeat to exclude other areas. Removed locations will show under “Excluded Locations”.
5. Click “Save” to apply exclusions.

Avoid overly broad exclusions. Analyze your search term report to find specific locations that trigger your ad but don’t convert.

Location Targeting Best Practices

Follow these tips to maximize the impact of your location targeting:

• Leverage bid adjustments to optimize bids based on conversion rates from different locations.
• Analyze your location report to see which regions perform best. Focus spending on top areas.
• Use negative keywords to prevent your ad from showing irrelevant location terms.
• Include your business location in your ad copy to boost localization.
• Test radiuses and proximity targeting to find the optimal radius distance.
• Build a Google My Business listing to enable location extensions in ads.
• Monitor search trends by location to identify new keyword opportunities.
• Exclude specific low-performing regions, cities, or postal codes.
• Regularly refine location targeting as you analyze performance data.

Benefits of Google Ads Location Targeting

The strategic use of location targeting provides many advantages:

Micro-targeting – Precisely engage nearby searchers

Cost reduction – Eliminate wasted spend on poor regions

Localization – Resonate through geography-based customization

Boost conversions – Increase clicks and sales from high-intent local searchers

Convenience – Local extensions provide quick access to address and phone

Increase relevancy – Keyword and location alignment improves Quality Score

In summary, location targeting transforms your PPC strategy to effectively attract and engage potential customers in your area. It enables your ads to appear at the optimal times to those searching for your products or services nearby.

Conclusion

Location is a crucial targeting dimension that allows Google Ads advertisers to hyper-target their messages. Aligning your ads to your proximity enables you to connect with customers exactly when they have high local purchase intent.

Make location targeting central to your Google Ads approach if you have a local business presence. The ability to geotarget and customize messaging based on geography is a powerful capability available in Google Ads.

Use this guide to build expertise in location targeting techniques. Fine-tune your location targeting over time as you analyze performance by metro regions, zip codes, radius distances, and more. Location targeting helps you capture valuable local leads and drive in-store visits from nearby searchers.