What is GeoTargeting and How Can I Use It?

In the age of digital marketing, companies are always trying to reach the right audience at the right time. As technology advances this task becomes more and more precise. One powerful tool that is becoming well utilized is geotargeting. GeoTargeting allows businesses to deliver tailored content, promotions and advertisements to users based on their geographic location. This article will dive deeper into what geo-targeting is and how you can best use it to increase your marketing efforts.

What is GeoTargeting?

Geotargeting marketing, also known as location-based targeting, delivers content, promotions or ads to reach specific audiences based on their location data. Companies can access this data from users’ smartphones or computers and utilize this information to create highly targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with the local audience.

An example of this would be ordering take out from a local restaurant and opting in to location services via mobile app ordering. The next time customers are in the geographical  area of the restaurant  they can receive targeted ads that prompt them to visit the restaurant.

How Does GeoTargeting Work?

But how does geotag advertising work? Detecting a user’s location can be done using GPS, cell towers, Wifi Networks, IP Addresses or user provided information.

IP Address: Every device connected to the internet has an IP address connected to its geographical location. Geotargeting uses this data to discover a user’s approximate location, such as the city or neighborhood.

GPS or Cell Towers: Mobile devices equipped with GPS can provide highly accurate location data. Mobile apps and websites can request access to a device’s GPS data with user consent.

Wifi Networks: Geotargeting software can also analyze nearby Wifi networks and their known locations to estimate a user’s position.

User-Provided Information: Some users might voluntarily share their location on websites or apps. This would be like checking in at a specific park on Facebook.

How Can You Use GeoTargeting?

Geotargets can be put to use in numerous different ways. For businesses looking to optimize their marketing efforts, here’s how they can use it effectively:

1. Localized Advertising: Being able to advertise directly to people in the area lets you target your audience in a timely manner. For example, a restaurant can target users within a certain radius to promote daily specials or events.
2. Improve Email Marketing: Email lists can be segmented by location to send targeted emails featuring location-specific offers or events.
3. Optimize Google Ads: Geotarget Google ads allow your ads to be displayed to audience members in particular locations or regions. This is especially useful for local businesses trying to attract nearby customers. This feature allows businesses to pop up to the top of the search result when someone searches something like, “nail salon near me”
4.  Analyze Location Data: Collect and analyze your customers locations to gain insights on customer behavior, patterns, preferences and trends. This data can inform future marketing strategies and tactics.

In research from MarTech Series, marketers found their campaigns 83% more effective when they used location based data. Geotargeting is very effective at increasing online traffic as well as foot traffic. If you know where to find your potential customers, it becomes easy to market the right advertisement at the right time.