Geotargeting
location targetingGeotargeting means limiting advertising geographically: show the ad only in a chosen country, city, postcode or radius around a location. It is a local business’s most important targeting tool and a base setting of every campaign.
Good to know
Geotargeting is the cheapest way to sharpen ad accuracy: an impression outside your service area is pure waste, and cutting it costs nothing. A radius around the premises suits brick-and-mortar; city and region limits suit service businesses.
The targeting also works in reverse: an ad around a competitor’s store or a trade fair during the event reaches an audience in buying mode. Location data is imprecise though, especially when the audience is on the move, so the tightest limit is not always the most accurate.
IN PRACTICE
The uses of geotargeting
Service area limits
Ads show only where the service reaches. The base setting that, when forgotten, burns budget in the wrong provinces.
A local message
Same service, different city: "Roof renovations in Tampere" beats the generic version in a local search.
Events and precision strikes
Fairs, events and competitors’ surroundings gather a purchase-minded audience into a small radius for a limited time.
PITFALLS
Two geotargeting traps
The default shows to the interested
Platforms by default also serve people interested in an area, not only those in it. A tourist in Thailand can see your plumbing ad unless the setting is checked.
Too tight a radius kills delivery
A one-kilometre radius yields an audience too small for the algorithm to learn. Start looser and tighten with data.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is geotargeting?+
Reliable at city level, indicative at postcode and radius level: location is inferred from IP and device data. Accurate enough for advertising, not surveillance.
Can I exclude areas?+
Yes, and it matters as much as inclusion: exclude regions you do not serve, and for example your own office location to avoid pointless impressions.
How does geotargeting work in search ads?+
It combines with the query two ways: the searcher is in the area, or searches for the area. "Plumber Espoo" is caught by both.
Should different areas get their own campaigns?+
Yes, when demand or competition differs by area: separate budgets and local messages produce more than one shared pot.
Does geotargeting work in social?+
It does: Meta and TikTok offer country, city and radius limits. In small radii the audience size can constrain delivery.
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Maintained by the VSCY editorial team · Updated 6 Aug 2026 · Part of the marketing glossary (99 terms)
