Geo-Targeting Strategies for Digital Ads

Zaundra Butler
7 hours ago
3 min read

Who, What, Where, When, Why. The 5 W's are the five essential questions to form a plan or a goal. One of the most important W's of a digital ad campaign is WHERE you will serve the ads. Typically that's in your immediate location, layered with interests or demos (WHO). But sometimes it's not! Sometimes, targeting different locations at strategic times (WHEN) can expand your target to reach audiences you might have missed in your initial campaign. Let's take a look at some different geo-targeting strategies to expand your WHERE.

Geo-fencing Strategies

Geo-fencing is when we target a specific location at a specific time with an open target. This is usually to capitalize on awareness during other events with like-minded attendees.

What works well in a geo-fencing campaign?

Goals: It's important to keep in mind this is an awareness tactic and may not always result in direct sales on the spot.
Media channels: This is most effective in social media channels since we are relying on them seeing the ad while in that location. People are often scrolling Facebook, Instagram, TikTok before, during or after an event.
Location settings: we typically see this best set from 1 mile to 10 mile radius depending on how specific the strategy is. For a single event at venue stick with 1 mile, for something
Creative: Make sure the message speaks to the intended crowd. Have fun with it! When the user feels seen, you're more likely to encourage engagement.
Campaign Structure: Geo-fence within an existing campaign. We will typically allocate a small amount of the overall budget to one ad group scheduled to run for the geo-fence strategy. This allows us to use the existing budget and keep everything within the main campaign. We'll set a minimum spend to make sure the audience is prioiritized in that timeframe.
Retargeting: We can set up retargeting for that geofence group later. Either with a specific landing page or with a video view audience using video ads.
Examples of creative geo-fencing strategies:

Texas Performing Arts ran a promotional ad geo-fencing other summer events in Austin with a special offer for upcoming shows.
PBR geo-fenced the Atlanta Braves Baseball game for their PBR Teams event in Duluth, using a creative visual of the baseball x bull riding crossover.
Delaware Football spoke directly to Philly fans with their ad geo-fencing the Philadelphia Sports Complex.
The Philadelphia Union took advantage of the local Super Bowl parade to tell football fans about the start of fútbol with their home opener.

Out Of Market Geo-Targeting

Sometimes, travel needs to be considered for fans outside your market. Targeting different locations for traveling fans can be very effective with the right message.

Use Data: Find secondary markets that convert well. Use sales data to find the best hot spots of distant fans or donors. Target those by zip code, city or DMA.
Creative: Messaging matters when you're speaking to a different crowd. Call out the benefits or experiences worth the travel.
Audience targeting: different from an oepn geo-fence, you want to make sure you are limiting your audience to the interests and demos that make sense for your product.
Media Channels: You can take advantage of any platform to expand your geo-targeting. Socials, YouTube, PMAX, OTT, Demand gen, Google search, etc. When budget allows, having a presence on more than social will help increase your reach beyond IG scrollers.
Scroll through these OOM examples in the PAC community:

West Virginia used their famous tradition of Country Roads to call for fans in drivable locations to buy football tickets, with a visual map of the short travel distance.
Notre Dame targeted out of market for the featured game at Metlife stadium, generating awareness of the game for fans in that area.
UNLV knows Las Vegas (Sin City) is a common weekend getaway for Los Angeles residents, so they used the UCLA game to encourage fans in LA to attend the game.
Wake Forest makes a great callout for the quick commute from Charlotte to Winston-Salom to experience ACC football.
PBR targeted far and wide for their event in Las Vegas, a popular destination for surrounding cities, putting emphasis on the excitement and fun.

Instagram Reminder Ads:

Use IG reminder ads to stay in front of interested fans in the area. Set reminders for an on sale to generate demand for ticket sales in a market that is likely to travel to your events.

UNLV set a reminder ad for UCLA fans in LA to make a weekend trip to Vegas for their game against UCLA. Fans that opted in were reminded when tickets go on sales o they can start planning their trip.