Geotargeting is a great marketing tool that has been gaining traction in recent years. It helps connect your stores and locations with the people who are most likely to shop there, the ones who are close by in the area. Geotargeting essentially a way for advertisers to specify where they want their ads to show and customize their ads based on location. We’re not talking about whether they want a banner ad at the top of a web page or a billboard, but a geographic region they want their ad to start appearing within. The most common way geotargeting is used is with Google’s search engine showing nearby locations first on maps.
While the most straightforward application of geotargeting is simply showing ads more often as customers get closer to your brick and mortar location, it can be used for global markets and stores with international locations as well. Using geolocation, you can customize how your website is displayed and other visual elements based on your customer’s location. Let’s say, for example, you have international locations in the USA, China, and Germany. Depending on where your customers access your website, you can use geolocation to customize the currency your prices appear in, the language the text is in, and other visual elements like colors and formatting all based on where your customer is when accessing the site. This is great since many colors and themes can be interpreted differently in various parts of the world, and you can offer a visual aesthetic that matches the target demographic.
Another great use of geotargeting is offering targeted specials and promotions. Many stores have different ads, promotions, specials, and savings based on location, even on a local scale. Think of your local supermarket. One branch can have wildly different specials than the store even just the next town over. With geotargeting, you can make sure that your customers see specials and promotions relevant to their region without having to compare paper fliers or dig through the website to find the right deals that are most relevant to them.
Geotargeting can be a handy tool if used properly. Even if it’s not used to its full potential, it can still help focus your advertising towards the demographic and locations where it will be most impactful.