Google Adsintermediate 10 min read

Google Ads Location Targeting: Complete Guide

Target by country, state/emirate, city, postcode, or radius around a point. Critical: change Location Options from 'Presence or interest' to 'Presence only' to avoid showing ads to people merely researching your area. Add location bid adjustments to increase bids in high-value areas and decrease in

Search Campaignsgoogle ads location targeting

Quick summary

Target by country, state/emirate, city, postcode, or radius around a point. Critical: change Location Options from 'Presence or interest' to 'Presence only' to avoid showing ads to people merely researching your area. Add location bid adjustments to increase bids in high-value areas and decrease in

TL;DR

Target by country, state/emirate, city, postcode, or radius around a point. Critical: change Location Options from 'Presence or interest' to 'Presence only' to avoid showing ads to people merely researching your area. Add location bid adjustments to increase bids in high-value areas and decrease in low-value ones. Exclude locations you do not serve. For the UAE, you can target Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, etc. independently with different budgets and bids.


Overview

Target by country, state/emirate, city, postcode, or radius around a point. Critical: change Location Options from 'Presence or interest' to 'Presence only' to avoid showing ads to people merely researching your area. Add location bid adjustments to increase bids in high-value areas and decrease in low-value ones. Exclude locations you do not serve. For the UAE, you can target Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, etc. independently with different budgets and bids.

Related Guides

See our complete guide library for detailed coverage of account setup, tracking implementation, campaign creation, audience building, creative best practices, and optimisation strategies across all platforms.

Frequently asked

Questions & answers

How long does setup take?

Most configurations take 10-30 minutes. Full campaign setup and ongoing optimisation is a continuous process.

What budget should I start with?

Start with enough to generate at least 50 conversions per week for the platform's algorithm to learn effectively. This varies by industry and CPA.

When should I expect results?

Allow 2-4 weeks for the initial learning phase. Meaningful performance trends typically emerge after 30 days of consistent spending.

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