What Is The Benefit Of Radius Targeting?

Radius Targeting, also referred to as Proximity Targeting, allows advertisers to show ads to customers within a specified geographic radius around a business, retail location, or population center. Advertisers can target ads to customers near-by, based on the customers’ GPS signal of their mobile phones.  I will illustrate how Radius Targeting, as an advanced location-targeting tool, can assist Google Adwords marketers reach their target audience.

Google Adwords: How To Target A Radius Around A Location

1. Click the Campaigns tab.
2. Click the name of the campaign you wish to edit.
3. Click the Settings tab > Edit next to “Locations” > Advanced search
4. At the top of the window, click on Radius Targeting
5. In the search box, enter the address of the location you’d like to use for the center of the radius. Enter the radius that you’d like to target and select a unit of measurement from the drop-down menu.
6. Click Search to locate the radius on the map.
7. Check the map to make sure you’re targeting the correct area. When you’re ready, click Add to add the radius target. You can also select Add all to add all of the individual locations within the radius that you’ve selected instead of adding the radius target. If you want to refine the list of areas that you’d like to reach, you can target only certain locations or exclude some locations from the Locations within this target list. In some instances, we won’t be able to show reach for an area that is too small or because there isn’t enough data for the location.
8. Click Done at the bottom of the window.
9. Click Save to save your settings.
10. Optional: proceed with additional incremental distance radius targets to separate bid adjustments (example to follow in next segment about location bid adjustments).

How To Set Location Bid Adjustments

Once you have set your radiuses, you can set up location bid adjustments by radius at the campaign level (all features), ranging from -90% to +900%. A location bid adjustment can increase or decrease the impression frequency of your ads at a specific location.

Campaigns tab > Settings tab > View location info (next to “Locations”)

Chose your bid adjustments by location.

The depicted screen shots show two approaches how location bid adjustments by radius can be set. Either approach accomplishes diminishing bid adjustments as you move from inner to outer radius targets. Depending on your scenario, you might want to consider if your area has a high search volume and/or lots of competitors within the 1st-mile radius. In this case, model A may be a good approach. In areas of low search volume in less competitive areas, model B might satisfy your scenario.

How to Benefit From Radius Targeting Around Population Centers

Let’s say you operate a hotel near a busy airport hub. Travelers who missed their connection flights or got re-routed due to weather conditions might need to find a hotel quickly. Targeting the mobile users with an ad that shows current room availability at your hotel could increase your hotel occupancy.

Mobile users in need of your services can arise unexpectedly due to a variety of circumstances. Also keep an eye on the events calendar in your area. For example, a publisher who just released a book about a spectacular golf course could radius target all spectators attending that particular golf course during a national golf event. The same publisher could also radius target the attendees in a convention center who are attending a leading industry golf trade show.

Geo-targeting By Neighborhoods

For example, a kitchen remodeling business in Seaside, CA might want to radius target affluent neighborhoods by street address, around country clubs or private gated communities within a zip code.

The flexibility of targeting especially mobile users, either in close proximity or around customers’ geographic areas of interest, opens new opportunities. Find new circles of opportunities today!