[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":311},["ShallowReactive",2],{"article-list":3,"article:google-ads-location-targeting":239},[4,18,30,44,57,70,82,94,106,119,131,144,156,168,180,193,205,217,228],{"slug":5,"path":6,"title":7,"excerpt":8,"topic":9,"tags":10,"published":14,"updated":14,"readingMinutes":15,"cover":16,"coverAlt":17},"advertising-reporting-mistakes","\u002Fadvertising-reporting-mistakes\u002F","Advertising Reporting Mistakes: 10 Common Errors and How to Fix Them","Most misleading ad reports come from a handful of predictable errors. Learn why clicks and sessions differ, how Google Ads dates conversions and how to stop double counting.","measurement",[11,12,13],"advertising reporting mistakes","google ads reporting errors","misreading ad data","2026-11-13",9,"\u002Fcovers\u002Fadvertising-reporting-mistakes.svg","Diagram of a reliable reporting process shown as four connected steps: define, align, compare and annotate",{"slug":19,"path":20,"title":21,"excerpt":22,"topic":9,"tags":23,"published":27,"updated":27,"readingMinutes":15,"cover":28,"coverAlt":29},"ad-attribution","\u002Fad-attribution\u002F","Ad Attribution: How Conversion Credit Is Assigned and Where It Falls Short","Attribution divides credit for a conversion among ad interactions, but it does not prove the ads caused the sale. This guide covers what current models do and how to read them.",[24,25,26],"ad attribution","attribution models google ads","data-driven attribution","2026-11-10","\u002Fcovers\u002Fad-attribution.svg","Diagram of ad interactions passing through a conversion window and an attribution model before credit is assigned",{"slug":31,"path":32,"title":33,"excerpt":34,"topic":35,"tags":36,"published":40,"updated":40,"readingMinutes":41,"cover":42,"coverAlt":43},"campaign-performance-investigation","\u002Fcampaign-performance-investigation\u002F","Google Ads Performance Investigation: A Step-by-Step Diagnostic Order","When results change suddenly, the order of your checks matters. This diagnostic sequence rules out tracking, account changes and market shifts before blaming fraud.","click-fraud",[37,38,39],"google ads performance investigation","campaign diagnostics","performance drop","2026-11-08",8,"\u002Fcovers\u002Fcampaign-performance-investigation.svg","Diagram of a diagnostic sequence shown as four connected steps: tracking, changes, market and traffic",{"slug":45,"path":46,"title":47,"excerpt":48,"topic":49,"tags":50,"published":54,"updated":54,"readingMinutes":41,"cover":55,"coverAlt":56},"mobile-ad-traffic","\u002Fmobile-ad-traffic\u002F","Mobile Ad Traffic: Accidental Clicks, In-App Placements and Fair Comparisons","Phones produce more stray taps, more app inventory and shorter visits. Learn to judge mobile traffic on its own terms, review in-app placements and spot patterns worth investigating.","ads-clickers",[51,52,53],"mobile ad traffic","accidental mobile ad clicks","in-app ad traffic quality","2026-11-06","\u002Fcovers\u002Fmobile-ad-traffic.svg","Diagram of four connected steps for reviewing mobile ad traffic: segment, placements, quality and adjust",{"slug":58,"path":59,"title":60,"excerpt":61,"topic":62,"tags":63,"published":67,"updated":67,"readingMinutes":15,"cover":68,"coverAlt":69},"google-ads-location-targeting","\u002Fgoogle-ads-location-targeting\u002F","Google Ads Location Targeting: Options, Exclusions and Reports Explained","Location settings decide who can see and click your ads. Learn how Google estimates location, why out-of-area clicks happen and how to set targeting on purpose.","google-ads",[64,65,66],"google ads location targeting","presence or interest","location exclusions","2026-11-03","\u002Fcovers\u002Fgoogle-ads-location-targeting.svg","Diagram of location setup shown as four connected steps: target, option, exclude and report",{"slug":71,"path":72,"title":73,"excerpt":74,"topic":35,"tags":75,"published":79,"updated":79,"readingMinutes":41,"cover":80,"coverAlt":81},"suspicious-ad-sessions","\u002Fsuspicious-ad-sessions\u002F","Suspicious Ad Sessions: How to Read Them Without Jumping to Conclusions","A single odd visit proves very little. Learn to examine individual paid sessions, separate real warning signs from harmless quirks and decide when to escalate.",[76,77,78],"suspicious ad sessions","investigate suspicious traffic","unusual ad sessions","2026-11-01","\u002Fcovers\u002Fsuspicious-ad-sessions.svg","Diagram of four connected steps for reviewing a suspicious ad session: session, signals, explanations and escalate",{"slug":83,"path":84,"title":85,"excerpt":86,"topic":9,"tags":87,"published":91,"updated":91,"readingMinutes":15,"cover":92,"coverAlt":93},"ad-click-tracking","\u002Fad-click-tracking\u002F","Ad Click Tracking: Following a Click from the Ad to Your Analytics","Follow one ad click from the auction to your analytics report, see where identifiers are added or lost along the way, and use a checklist to keep tracking healthy.",[88,89,90],"ad click tracking","gclid","auto-tagging","2026-10-29","\u002Fcovers\u002Fad-click-tracking.svg","Diagram of an ad click carrying a click identifier to the landing page and becoming an analytics session",{"slug":95,"path":96,"title":97,"excerpt":98,"topic":49,"tags":99,"published":103,"updated":103,"readingMinutes":15,"cover":104,"coverAlt":105},"bot-traffic-detection","\u002Fbot-traffic-detection\u002F","Bot Traffic Detection: Finding Non-Human Visits in Analytics and Server Logs","A practical method for spotting non-human sessions: built-in filtering, analytics anomalies, server-log evidence, crawler verification and the limits of each signal.",[100,101,102],"bot traffic detection","bot traffic in analytics","server logs","2026-10-27","\u002Fcovers\u002Fbot-traffic-detection.svg","Diagram of a bot detection workflow moving from built-in filters to analytics review to server logs to crawler verification",{"slug":107,"path":108,"title":109,"excerpt":110,"topic":62,"tags":111,"published":115,"updated":115,"readingMinutes":116,"cover":117,"coverAlt":118},"google-ads-budget-waste","\u002Fgoogle-ads-budget-waste\u002F","Google Ads Budget Waste: How to Find and Fix Avoidable Spend","Most wasted spend in Google Ads comes from settings, search terms and tracking rather than fraud. Here is how to find it, check it and decide what to fix first.",[112,113,114],"google ads budget waste","wasted ad spend","campaign budget analysis","2026-10-25",11,"\u002Fcovers\u002Fgoogle-ads-budget-waste.svg","Diagram of a budget review shown as four connected steps: spend, segment, diagnose and fix",{"slug":120,"path":121,"title":122,"excerpt":123,"topic":9,"tags":124,"published":128,"updated":128,"readingMinutes":116,"cover":129,"coverAlt":130},"cost-per-click-measurement","\u002Fcost-per-click-measurement\u002F","Cost per Click Measurement: Actual CPC, Average CPC and Fair Comparisons","Average CPC blends many separate auction prices. See what sets each price, why the blend shifts even when prices don't, and how to judge CPC against results.",[125,126,127],"cost per click measurement","average cpc","actual cpc","2026-10-22","\u002Fcovers\u002Fcost-per-click-measurement.svg","Diagram showing max CPC, actual CPC, average CPC and cost per result as connected steps",{"slug":132,"path":133,"title":134,"excerpt":135,"topic":9,"tags":136,"published":140,"updated":140,"readingMinutes":141,"cover":142,"coverAlt":143},"ad-traffic-analysis","\u002Fad-traffic-analysis\u002F","Ad Traffic Analysis: How to Judge the Quality of Paid Traffic by Segment","Traffic quality is not the same as conversion rate. Here is a segment-by-segment routine for reviewing paid traffic every week, with a simple scorecard and a worked example.",[137,138,139],"ad traffic analysis","advertising traffic quality","traffic quality metrics","2026-10-20",10,"\u002Fcovers\u002Fad-traffic-analysis.svg","Diagram of a recurring traffic review with segment, measure, compare and act shown as connected steps",{"slug":145,"path":146,"title":147,"excerpt":148,"topic":49,"tags":149,"published":153,"updated":153,"readingMinutes":141,"cover":154,"coverAlt":155},"automated-ad-traffic","\u002Fautomated-ad-traffic\u002F","Automated Ad Traffic: A Map of the Bots and Scripts That Touch Your Ads","Not every non-human visit is fraud. This taxonomy covers crawlers, prefetching, verification tools and sophisticated invalid traffic, and what each means for advertisers.",[150,151,152],"automated ad traffic","sophisticated invalid traffic","non-human traffic","2026-10-18","\u002Fcovers\u002Fautomated-ad-traffic.svg","Diagram mapping automated ad traffic from benign bots to general invalid traffic to sophisticated invalid traffic to the advertiser's response",{"slug":157,"path":158,"title":159,"excerpt":160,"topic":35,"tags":161,"published":165,"updated":165,"readingMinutes":141,"cover":166,"coverAlt":167},"invalid-click-protection","\u002Finvalid-click-protection\u002F","Invalid Click Protection: What Advertisers Can Actually Control","No setting makes a campaign immune to bad clicks. See how Google's filtering, your own campaign controls and outside tools fit together, and where each one stops working.",[162,163,164],"invalid click protection","click fraud protection","ip exclusions google ads","2026-10-15","\u002Fcovers\u002Finvalid-click-protection.svg","Diagram of four connected layers of invalid click protection: google filtering, your controls, lead checks and review",{"slug":169,"path":170,"title":171,"excerpt":172,"topic":62,"tags":173,"published":177,"updated":177,"readingMinutes":141,"cover":178,"coverAlt":179},"google-ads-click-fraud","\u002Fgoogle-ads-click-fraud\u002F","Google Ads Click Fraud: Who Commits It, Where It Happens and How to Report It","Click fraud is the deliberate part of invalid traffic. Learn who is behind it, how exposure differs by network and how to report a case to Google without overreacting.",[174,175,176],"google ads click fraud","report click fraud","competitor clicking ads","2026-10-13","\u002Fcovers\u002Fgoogle-ads-click-fraud.svg","Diagram of four connected steps for handling click fraud: motive, exposure, signals and report",{"slug":181,"path":182,"title":183,"excerpt":184,"topic":62,"tags":185,"published":189,"updated":189,"readingMinutes":190,"cover":191,"coverAlt":192},"google-ads-invalid-clicks","\u002Fgoogle-ads-invalid-clicks\u002F","Google Ads Invalid Clicks: How Google Filters, Reports and Credits Them","Google filters most invalid activity before you pay. Here are the definitions, the reporting columns, the credit process and what Google will and will not tell you.",[186,187,188],"google ads invalid clicks","invalid click rate","invalid click credits","2026-10-10",12,"\u002Fcovers\u002Fgoogle-ads-invalid-clicks.svg","Diagram of four connected steps for invalid clicks: detect, filter, report and credit",{"slug":194,"path":195,"title":196,"excerpt":197,"topic":35,"tags":198,"published":202,"updated":202,"readingMinutes":190,"cover":203,"coverAlt":204},"click-fraud-detection","\u002Fclick-fraud-detection\u002F","Click Fraud Detection: How to Recognize and Evidence Suspicious Clicks","Suspicious clicks are easy to suspect and hard to prove. Learn to compare traffic with baselines, rule out ordinary causes and document a case Google can review.",[199,200,201],"click fraud detection","suspicious click indicators","invalid clicks","2026-10-08","\u002Fcovers\u002Fclick-fraud-detection.svg","Diagram of four connected steps in click fraud detection: baseline, anomaly, evidence and request",{"slug":206,"path":207,"title":208,"excerpt":209,"topic":49,"tags":210,"published":214,"updated":214,"readingMinutes":190,"cover":215,"coverAlt":216},"ads-clicker-bot","\u002Fads-clicker-bot\u002F","Ads Clicker Bots: What They Are, Why They Fail and How They Are Caught","A conceptual guide to click bots: what they try to imitate, the motives behind them, the policy and legal risks, and the signals that expose automated clicking.",[211,212,213],"ads clicker bot","click bot","invalid traffic","2026-10-06","\u002Fcovers\u002Fads-clicker-bot.svg","Diagram of a click bot's path from motive to imitation to detection signals to filtering",{"slug":218,"path":219,"title":220,"excerpt":221,"topic":62,"tags":222,"published":225,"updated":225,"readingMinutes":190,"cover":226,"coverAlt":227},"google-ads-clicker","\u002Fgoogle-ads-clicker\u002F","Google Ads Clicker: How Google Ads Counts, Filters and Bills Clicks","The phrase covers everything from click bots to worried advertisers. Here is how a click is really recorded, filtered and charged, and how to audit your own traffic.",[223,224,201],"google ads clicker","google ads clicks","2026-10-03","\u002Fcovers\u002Fgoogle-ads-clicker.svg","Diagram of a Google Ads click passing through four connected steps: click, filter, report and bill",{"slug":229,"path":230,"title":231,"excerpt":232,"topic":49,"tags":233,"published":236,"updated":236,"readingMinutes":190,"cover":237,"coverAlt":238},"what-is-an-ads-clicker","\u002Fwhat-is-an-ads-clicker\u002F","What Is an Ads Clicker? Meaning, Contexts and Common Misconceptions","The phrase can mean a click bot, a paid clicker, a protest extension or a simple click counter. Here is what each sense means and how ad platforms treat those clicks.",[234,201,235],"what is an ads clicker","pay-per-click","2026-10-01","\u002Fcovers\u002Fwhat-is-an-ads-clicker.svg","Diagram of an ad click moving from impression to click to invalid-click filtering to billing",{"slug":58,"path":59,"title":60,"excerpt":61,"topic":62,"tags":240,"published":67,"updated":67,"readingMinutes":15,"cover":68,"coverAlt":69,"seoTitle":241,"description":242,"html":243,"toc":244,"wordCount":276,"sources":277,"related":303,"ogImage":310},[64,65,66],"Google Ads Location Targeting: Options and Reports","How Google Ads location targeting works: presence vs presence or interest, location exclusions, radius targets, the location reports and a settings checklist.","\u003Cp>Google Ads location targeting decides which geographic areas your ads can appear in, and the location option decides whether “in that area” means people who are physically there or also people who have shown interest in it. Getting both right is one of the simplest ways to stop paying for clicks from people you can’t serve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guide covers the targeting and exclusion options under their current names, how Google estimates where someone is, radius targeting, why clicks appear from outside your area, how to read the location reports, and a checklist for reviewing your settings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"what-google-ads-location-targeting-can-include\">What Google Ads location targeting can include\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Google says campaign locations \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F1722043?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"ext\">may include countries, areas within a country, a radius around a location, or location groups\u003C\u002Fa>, and that you can add up to 1,000 location targets at a time in bulk. Targets and exclusions are managed in the Locations section of each campaign’s settings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two practical points before choosing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Target where you can deliver.\u003C\u002Fstrong> A business that ships nationwide and a business that sends a technician to the customer’s door need very different settings.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Match campaigns to markets.\u003C\u002Fstrong> If different regions have different prices, delivery terms or conversion values, separate campaigns make the location data easier to act on than one campaign covering everything.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"how-google-determines-where-someone-is\">How Google determines where someone is\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Location targeting depends on Google’s estimate of where a person is, and that estimate is built from several signals. According to Google’s overview of \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F2453995?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"ext\">how location targeting works\u003C\u002Fa>:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Physical location is typically based on the IP address of the device or, on Wi-Fi, the network’s IP address.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>If a mobile device connects through a mobile carrier’s proxy server, Google may use the carrier’s IP address.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Depending on the user’s location settings, Google may use a precise device location from GPS, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and a cell ID database when Wi-Fi or GPS isn’t available.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Separately, Google may detect locations someone has shown interest in, for example through terms in their searches that indicate a place.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Google states plainly that because these signals vary, 100% accuracy is not guaranteed. It also notes that targeting a city may show ads to people in nearby suburbs. In practice, corporate networks and VPNs can make a device appear to be wherever the network connects to the internet, and carrier routing can blur location on mobile. None of that is unusual, and none of it is evidence of anything suspicious on its own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"presence-vs-presence-or-interest\">Presence vs presence or interest\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>The location option is easy to overlook because the default is set for you. Google’s page on \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F1722038?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"ext\">advanced location options\u003C\u002Fa> describes two choices for targeting:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cdiv class=\"table-wrap\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Scrollable table\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\u003Ctable>\n\u003Cthead>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Cth>Option\u003C\u002Fth>\n\u003Cth>Who can see ads\u003C\u002Fth>\n\u003Cth>Typical fit\u003C\u002Fth>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Fthead>\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd>Presence or interest (default, recommended by Google)\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003Ctd>People likely to be in or regularly in your targeted locations, plus people who have shown interest in those locations\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003Ctd>Tours, attractions, event venues, relocation services\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd>Presence\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003Ctd>People likely to be located, or regularly located, in your targeted locations\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003Ctd>Local services, clinics, trades, stores serving residents\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cp>Google explains that interest can come from search terms, recent presence in a location or content viewed. Its own example is a Paris bakery: with the default, ads can reach people in or regularly in Paris and people who have shown interest in Paris bakeries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several details on the same page are worth knowing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>The interest-only targeting option can no longer be set for Search, Display or Shopping campaigns.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>For exclusions, the option is Presence: people likely to be located in the excluded areas won’t see your ads, but people outside them may still see your ads. The interest-based exclusion option can no longer be set for Search, Display, Performance Max and Shopping campaigns.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Hotel campaigns use only Presence targeting.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Google says it makes a best effort to match users to your settings, but that 100% accuracy is not guaranteed.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>The phrase “regularly in” matters too. A commuter who works in your target city but lives outside it may plausibly be treated as regularly present, which is often what a lunchtime restaurant wants and rarely a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"location-exclusions\">Location exclusions\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Google describes location exclusion as a way to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F1722040?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"ext\">prevent your ad from showing in certain parts of your targeted locations\u003C\u002Fa>, such as a city within a region you otherwise target. Rules worth knowing from that page:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>If an area is both included and excluded, the exclusion takes priority. Excluding a state therefore also excludes a city inside it that you target.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>You can exclude up to 1,000 locations at a time in bulk.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Google says the number of locations you exclude shouldn’t exceed the number you target per campaign.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Since March 31, 2024, campaigns that target all countries and territories are limited to 122 country-level exclusions.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Exclusions are most useful for carving out areas inside a broader target: a neighborhood you can’t service, a region with different regulations, or a market handled by a separate campaign. They don’t stop people elsewhere from seeing ads about a place, because the exclusion option works on presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"radius-targeting\">Radius targeting\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Radius targeting draws a circle around an address. Google requires \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F1722043?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"ext\">a radius of at least 1 km around any given location\u003C\u002Fa>, and Hotel Ads campaigns can’t be targeted by radius. To set one, you choose the Radius option in the location settings, enter the center address, set the distance and unit, and check the map before saving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some practical considerations:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Circles ignore travel time.\u003C\u002Fstrong> A 10-mile radius may include areas across a river or a toll road that customers never cross. Compare the map with where your customers actually come from.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Small radii limit volume.\u003C\u002Fstrong> A tight circle in a low-density area may not produce enough impressions to learn anything.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Several radii can overlap.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Overlapping circles around multiple branches are easier to manage when each branch’s performance is reviewed separately.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"why-clicks-appear-from-outside-your-target-area\">Why clicks appear from outside your target area\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Out-of-area clicks often prompt suspicions of fraud, yet there is usually an ordinary explanation:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Col>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>The location option.\u003C\u002Fstrong> With Presence or interest, someone elsewhere who searched with your city in mind is a valid match.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Regular presence.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Commuters, students and seasonal residents can count as regularly present.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Approximate signals.\u003C\u002Fstrong> IP-based location, carrier proxies and VPNs can place a device somewhere it isn’t.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Nearby areas.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Google notes that city targeting may reach nearby suburbs.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Travelers.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Someone physically in your area today may live elsewhere, so the phone number or billing address in your own records points somewhere else.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Report labels.\u003C\u002Fstrong> The location shown in the reports may be a location of interest rather than the person’s physical location, as the next section explains.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Fol>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Note:\u003C\u002Fstrong> A click from an unexpected region is a data point, not a verdict. Before treating it as invalid traffic, check the location option, the matched location and the behavior of the resulting sessions. Our guide to \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fad-traffic-analysis\u002F\">segment-level ad traffic analysis\u003C\u002Fa> shows how to compare locations fairly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"reading-the-location-reports\">Reading the location reports\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Google offers two views of geographic performance, described on its page about \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F2453994?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"ext\">measuring geographic performance\u003C\u002Fa>:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Targeted locations\u003C\u002Fstrong> shows performance by the locations you targeted.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Matched locations\u003C\u002Fstrong> shows performance based on the locations where your ads appeared.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>The “Most specific location” column shows the most detailed information Google has about the location used to match your ad, and Google says that location may be either the person’s physical location or a location they showed interest in. The same page lists several caveats: metrics below country level may not add up to campaign totals, some areas are unspecified when an IP address can’t be resolved to a location, the distance report may show distances greater than your radius, and invalid clicks are filtered out, so click counts by area can differ from other data sources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To open the matched view, Google’s instructions for \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F7492954?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"ext\">viewing matched locations and distance reports\u003C\u002Fa> point to Campaigns, then Insights & reports, then “When and where your ads showed,” then the Matched locations tab. The distance report, which measures the distance between the location that triggered your ad and your closest business location, is built in Report editor, is available for Search and Shopping campaigns, and is most useful if you use location assets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How to read them well:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Compare cost per real conversion by location, not clicks or click-through rate.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Look for regions you don’t serve, then check whether the location option explains them before excluding anything.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Cross-check with your own records, such as customer postcodes in a CRM, which reflect where buyers actually are.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Ignore tiny numbers. Three clicks from a distant city tell you very little.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"how-location-settings-waste-budget-and-trigger-false-alarms\">How location settings waste budget and trigger false alarms\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Location problems show up in two ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Budget waste.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Interest-based reach for a business that only serves residents, a radius drawn far wider than the real service area, and missing exclusions for areas handled elsewhere all buy genuine clicks that can never convert. Time zones add a quieter problem: Google says \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F6372656?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"ext\">ad schedules are set based on your account’s time zone\u003C\u002Fa>, so a campaign targeting customers in another time zone needs its schedule adjusted, or ads may run at night for the people you want to reach. Location is one of several structural causes covered in our guide to \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fgoogle-ads-budget-waste\u002F\">finding and fixing Google Ads budget waste\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>False fraud suspicions.\u003C\u002Fstrong> A cluster of clicks from another state looks alarming in a dashboard, especially in an analytics tool that infers city from network data. Before treating it as abuse, rule out the explanations above. Google defines invalid traffic as \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F11182074?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"ext\">traffic that doesn’t represent genuine interest in your business\u003C\u002Fa> and filters it with automated systems and manual review; out-of-area clicks that come from interested people are not invalid in that sense. If clicks from a location rise sharply without any change to your settings, treat it as a change to diagnose: a structured \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fcampaign-performance-investigation\u002F\">Google Ads performance investigation\u003C\u002Fa> checks settings, demand and tracking before traffic quality, and our overview of \u003Ca href=\"\u002Finvalid-click-protection\u002F\">practical safeguards against invalid clicks\u003C\u002Fa> covers what to do if suspicion remains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For background on what each recorded click represents in the first place, see our explainer on \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fgoogle-ads-clicker\u002F\">how Google Ads counts clicks\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"a-location-settings-checklist\">A location settings checklist\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cdiv class=\"table-wrap\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Scrollable table\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\u003Ctable>\n\u003Cthead>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Cth>Check\u003C\u002Fth>\n\u003Cth>What good looks like\u003C\u002Fth>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Fthead>\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd>Target areas\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003Ctd>Match where you can actually sell, deliver or serve\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd>Location option\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003Ctd>Presence for resident-only businesses; Presence or interest only when out-of-area intent is valuable\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd>Exclusions\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003Ctd>Areas inside your target that you can’t serve, or that another campaign covers\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd>Radius size\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003Ctd>Based on where customers actually come from, not a round number\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd>Campaign split\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003Ctd>Separate campaigns where regions differ in price, value or regulation\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd>Ad schedule\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003Ctd>Adjusted for the gap between account time zone and customer time zone\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd>Reports\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003Ctd>Matched locations reviewed monthly, with cost per real conversion by area\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd>Records\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003Ctd>Each location change dated and explained so later comparisons make sense\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"key-takeaways\">Key takeaways\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Google estimates location from IP addresses, device signals and stated interest, and says accuracy is not guaranteed, so some out-of-area clicks are normal.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>The default option, Presence or interest, also reaches people interested in your area; Presence restricts ads to people likely to be there or regularly there.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Exclusions take priority over targets and work on presence, which makes them good for carving out areas inside a broader target.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>The matched location in reports can be a location of interest, so read it together with your settings and your own customer data.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Rule out settings, travel and approximate signals before treating unexpected locations as invalid traffic.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n",[245,249,252,255,258,261,264,267,270,273],{"id":246,"text":247,"level":248},"what-google-ads-location-targeting-can-include","What Google Ads location targeting can include",2,{"id":250,"text":251,"level":248},"how-google-determines-where-someone-is","How Google determines where someone is",{"id":253,"text":254,"level":248},"presence-vs-presence-or-interest","Presence vs presence or interest",{"id":256,"text":257,"level":248},"location-exclusions","Location exclusions",{"id":259,"text":260,"level":248},"radius-targeting","Radius targeting",{"id":262,"text":263,"level":248},"why-clicks-appear-from-outside-your-target-area","Why clicks appear from outside your target area",{"id":265,"text":266,"level":248},"reading-the-location-reports","Reading the location reports",{"id":268,"text":269,"level":248},"how-location-settings-waste-budget-and-trigger-false-alarms","How location settings waste budget and trigger false alarms",{"id":271,"text":272,"level":248},"a-location-settings-checklist","A location settings checklist",{"id":274,"text":275,"level":248},"key-takeaways","Key takeaways",1915,[278,282,285,288,291,294,297,300],{"title":279,"publisher":280,"url":281},"Target ads to geographic locations","Google Ads Help","https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F1722043?hl=en",{"title":283,"publisher":280,"url":284},"About targeting geographic locations","https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F2453995?hl=en",{"title":286,"publisher":280,"url":287},"About advanced location options","https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F1722038?hl=en",{"title":289,"publisher":280,"url":290},"Exclude ads from geographic locations","https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F1722040?hl=en",{"title":292,"publisher":280,"url":293},"About measuring geographic performance","https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F2453994?hl=en",{"title":295,"publisher":280,"url":296},"View matched locations and distance reports","https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F7492954?hl=en",{"title":298,"publisher":280,"url":299},"Set up an ad schedule","https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F6372656?hl=en",{"title":301,"publisher":280,"url":302},"About invalid traffic","https:\u002F\u002Fsupport.google.com\u002Fgoogle-ads\u002Fanswer\u002F11182074?hl=en",[304,306,308],{"slug":107,"path":108,"title":109,"excerpt":110,"topic":62,"tags":305,"published":115,"updated":115,"readingMinutes":116,"cover":117,"coverAlt":118},[112,113,114],{"slug":132,"path":133,"title":134,"excerpt":135,"topic":9,"tags":307,"published":140,"updated":140,"readingMinutes":141,"cover":142,"coverAlt":143},[137,138,139],{"slug":157,"path":158,"title":159,"excerpt":160,"topic":35,"tags":309,"published":165,"updated":165,"readingMinutes":141,"cover":166,"coverAlt":167},[162,163,164],"\u002Fog\u002Fgoogle-ads-location-targeting.png",1794612999658]