The Australian market, like many others, is vast and varied. It’s easy to waste precious ad dollars if you’re not putting your message in front of the right eyes. This is where location targeting in Google Ads becomes an indispensable tool. If you’re looking to target a distinctly Australian audience, follow these tips for the best possible results when setting up location targeting in Google Ads.
Why Australian Location Targeting is Essential
Australia is not just a country; it’s a continent. With vast distances separating cities and diverse markets from Sydney’s bustling hubs to Perth’s laid-back shores, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach when targeting the Australian audience. Here’s why location-specific campaigns are essential:
- Regional Preferences: Different states and territories have varied preferences. For example, beachwear might be more popular in Queensland’s coastal areas compared to Tasmania.
- Local Events & Trends: Location targeting allows businesses to capitalise on local events, holidays, or trends that may not be relevant nationwide.
- Time Zone Differences: Australia has multiple time zones. Timing your ads based on regional time zones can improve engagement rates.
How Do I Target the Right Audience in Google Ads?
Determining the right audience is key to any advertising campaign. The good news is that with Google Ads, there are various tools and features to help you.
- Google Analytics: Before even setting up a campaign, analyse your web traffic to see where most of your Australian audience is located.
- Market Research: Understand where your target demographics are. For instance, if you’re selling surfboards, coastal cities like Sydney or Gold Coast might be more relevant.
- Observe Competitors: See where your competitors are focusing their ad efforts.
- Leverage Demographics: Google Ads allows you to combine location targeting with demographic information like age, gender, and household income.
Can Google Ads Be Targeted by Location?
Google Ads location targeting, often referred to as geotargeting, allows advertisers to show their ads to users in specific geographic locations. Given the significance of targeting in today’s advertising landscape, understanding this feature’s depth is essential for any marketer. Let’s delve deeper.
Why is Google Ads Location Targeting Important?
Relevance: By targeting specific locations, you ensure your ad content is relevant to the users in that area, thereby improving the potential of conversions.
Budget Efficiency: Instead of broadcasting your ad universally, you can allocate your budget where it matters most, ensuring you aren’t spending on locations where your product or service isn’t applicable.
Localised Promotions: Many businesses have region-specific promotions or products. Location targeting ensures that the right people see the right promotion.
Types of Location Targeting in Google Ads
Countries: This is the broadest targeting option. It’s ideal for businesses that operate on a global scale and want to target an entire country.
Areas Within a Country: For those who want to narrow it down, Google Ads allows targeting of specific regions, states, or cities within a country.
Radius Targeting: This option allows businesses to target a specific distance radius from a chosen point, like a physical store. This is particularly useful for local businesses looking to draw in nearby customers.
Location Groups: These can be a mix of places that are bundled based on certain criteria, such as demographics or user interests.
Bulk Locations: If you have a list of specific locations, you can upload them in bulk for more convenient targeting.
Advanced Features
Location Exclusion: Just as you can target specific locations, you can also exclude certain areas. This is helpful when you know your product or service isn’t relevant or has a low performance in particular regions.
Location Bid Adjustments: Google Ads lets you adjust your bid based on the location. For example, if you’re seeing higher conversions from Sydney than Melbourne, you can increase your bid for Sydney to enhance your ad’s visibility there.
Advanced Location Options: By default, your ads might show to people who are in, regularly in, or have shown interest in your targeted locations. However, you can fine-tune this to make sure you’re reaching the audience you truly want.
How Do I Set Location Targeting in Google Ads?
Setting up Google Ads campaign location is simple and straightforward:
- Log into Google Ads and go to the campaign you wish to adjust.
- Click on ‘Settings’, then ‘Locations’.
- Here, you can search and select the locations you want to target. For targeting the Australian audience, you might start with “Australia” and then narrow down to specific states or cities.
- To refine further, use the ‘Advanced Search’ option, which allows you to set radius targeting around a specific point, ensuring greater location optimisation with Google Ads.
A Deep Dive into Setting Up Google Ads Campaign Location
Setting your location targeting isn’t just about selecting a country or state. Google Ads offers tools that provide a nuanced approach tailored to Australian businesses’ needs:
Broad to Narrow Approach: When targeting Australian audience, start by targeting Australia as a whole. As data accumulates, identify high-performing regions and refine your targeting. For instance, if you notice a high engagement rate in Melbourne compared to other cities, you might consider tailoring a campaign specifically for Melburnians.
Exclude Locations: Just as you can target specific locations, Google Ads also allows you to exclude particular regions. If you find that a certain area isn’t performing well, or perhaps your product or service isn’t relevant there, you can prevent your ads from showing in that area.
Consider Using Location Bid Adjustments: This feature enables businesses to increase or decrease their bids for specific locations. If a particular region in Australia is generating more conversions, you might want to increase your bid for that area to maximise visibility.
Leverage Detailed Demographics: Beyond just geographical location, combine your targeting efforts with detailed demographics. This means understanding the intersection of location with age, parental status, marital status, and more, providing a layered targeting strategy.
What is the Most Specific Location in Google Ads?
Google Ads offers advertisers an extensive range of location targeting options, from vast geographical areas like countries or territories, right down to specific postal codes and addresses. Understanding the depth of this granularity can significantly refine your advertising strategy.
Broad Location Options:
Before diving into the most specific targeting options, it’s essential to understand the broader categories:
- Countries: The highest level of targeting, useful for global campaigns.
- Regions, States or Provinces: Mid-level targeting, particularly useful for national businesses or promotions focused on specific parts of a country.
Specific Location Targeting Options:
Now, let’s explore the more granular targeting possibilities:
Cities or Municipalities: Google Ads allows advertisers to target specific cities, which can be useful for urban-centric campaigns or when particular cities have a higher potential customer base.
Postal Codes: This targeting option is even more precise, enabling advertisers to reach audiences in specific postal code areas. This is especially helpful for businesses that want to cater to local neighbourhoods or regions.
Airports: In some countries, advertisers can target users who are near, or have recently been near, specific airports. This is invaluable for businesses in the travel, tourism, or transportation sectors.
Radius Targeting: Perhaps one of the most customised options, radius targeting (or “proximity targeting”) allows advertisers to choose a central point and then target users within a specific radius of that point. This can be as narrow as a one kilometre radius or as vast as several hundred kilometres. It’s especially beneficial for local businesses that want to draw foot traffic from their immediate vicinity.
Advanced Granularity with Location Extensions:
Google Ads also offers a feature called location extensions, which can be linked with a Google My Business account:
Specific Business Addresses: With location extensions, you can display your specific business address (or multiple addresses if you have several locations). This doesn’t just target that location but prominently showcases your business’s exact location in your ad. This is the epitome of specific location targeting as it points to an actual storefront or office.
Working with Location Targeting in Google Ads
As you can see, location targeting in Google Ads gives you the freedom to target a specific area in Australia, all the way down to the postal code or specific business addresses. With unprecedented freedom and the ability to zero in on your target audience with incredible precision, local optimisation with Google Ads has never been easier.
Remember, targeting the right Australian audience can make the difference between a successful campaign and wasted ad spend. By understanding and implementing location optimisation with Google Ads, businesses can ensure their message is reaching the most relevant audience. Remember, the goal isn’t just to reach many eyes—it’s to reach the right ones.
To learn more about having your Ads set up by Google Ads experts with an emphasis on Australian targeting, contact the experts at CLIQ MC today. Schedule your free sales consultation to learn more.
