Just realized most people are setting their Google Ads location targeting way too wide

I was looking over a client's campaign last month and noticed they had their ads set to target the whole metro area. But 90% of their conversions were coming from just 3 zip codes on the west side. When I asked why, they said "well we serve the whole city." Sure, but your budget is only like $1,500 a month. So you're spreading it across 500 square miles and losing to competitors who bid higher in the specific neighborhoods where people actually buy. I narrowed it down to those 3 zip codes plus a 5 mile radius around them. Cost per lead dropped from $47 to $18 in about 10 days. Has anyone else caught something obvious like this that clients just assume is fine?

2 comments

2 Comments

alicecooper29d ago

Hold up on that 5 mile radius thing. If your client's real customers are in those 3 zip codes, adding a 5 mile radius around them includes a bunch of other neighborhoods that probably don't convert as well. I've seen clients do that thinking they're being "safe" but it just waters down the budget again. Instead of a radius, set up location exclusions for the low-performing areas around those zip codes. That way you keep the ad spend tight on the goldmine spots and don't accidentally include parking lots and industrial zones that look close on a map but bring zero sales.

hall.emma29d ago

You ever had a friend who ran a local pizza shop and tried that radius thing? My buddy did it for his place and ended up spending half his budget on people in a business park that had like three offices and no lunch crowd.