Google Revamps AdWords Location Targeting Tool

Google is unveiling some changes to its location-targeting tool in AdWords which allow advertisers to search and discover new targets, view targeted areas on a map, and get additional information about the audience likely to see the targeted ads. The first change involves a search interface that gives instant results on matching locations, locations that […]

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Google is unveiling some changes to its location-targeting tool in AdWords which allow advertisers to search and discover new targets, view targeted areas on a map, and get additional information about the audience likely to see the targeted ads.

The first change involves a search interface that gives instant results on matching locations, locations that enclose the search term’s location, and related locations that might be nearby, have a similar name, or enclose a location that has a similar name. On the list of results, advertisers can choose the ones that they want to target or exclude.

Once the targets have been chosen, Google is using its Maps capabilities to display a map of the geographic area being targeted. The company is also now providing reach numbers to estimate how many people use Google properties within the selected target. In some geographic areas, Google may not be able to target by IP but will just use intent data — when people use the name of the place in their search — to do the targeting. In those cases, the interface will say “Limited Reach.”

Locationmap

Location targeting limits will also be upped from 300 to 10,000 (targeted or excluded) — plus 500 additional proximity targets.

Google back in June announced it would be discontinuing multi-line shapes in geographic targeting. Users can still edit and delete existing shapes through 2011, but can’t create new ones.


About the author

Pamela Parker
Staff
Pamela Parker is Research Director at Third Door Media's Content Studio, where she produces MarTech Intelligence Reports and other in-depth content for digital marketers in conjunction with Search Engine Land and MarTech. Prior to taking on this role at TDM, she served as Content Manager, Senior Editor and Executive Features Editor. Parker is a well-respected authority on digital marketing, having reported and written on the subject since its beginning. She's a former managing editor of ClickZ and has also worked on the business side helping independent publishers monetize their sites at Federated Media Publishing. Parker earned a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.

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