Location targeting in PPC works by telling the ad platform which geographic areas you want to reach, then it decides who qualifies based on signals like device location services (GPS), IP address, user account settings, and recent activity patterns tied to places.
In practice, you pick the “where” at the campaign (and sometimes ad group) level: cities, ZIP codes, counties, states, countries, or a radius around an address or pin. For an Orlando business, that might mean targeting 32801-32839 plus Winter Park and Maitland, or a 10-mile radius around your office on N Orange Ave. You can also add exclusions, like blocking Miami if you only serve Central Florida, and you can layer bid adjustments so you pay more (or less) for clicks from certain areas based on lead quality.
What most business owners miss
The big gotcha is that “location targeting” is not always the same as “people physically in that location.” Most PPC platforms have a setting that can include people who show interest in a place (for example, they searched that city name) even if they are not there. That can be fine for tourism, events, relocation, and eCommerce, but it can burn budget for local services like dentists, law firms, pest control, and lawn care. When we build campaigns in our PPC management service, we usually start with a presence-based option for local lead gen, then open it up only when the data supports it.
Common location targeting options and when to use each
| Option | How it works | Best for | Watch-outs |
|---|---|---|---|
| City or ZIP targeting | Targets defined city boundaries or ZIP code areas. | Local service businesses with clear service areas. | City borders do not match how people travel; ZIP shapes can be odd. |
| Radius (proximity) targeting | Targets a mile-based radius around a point (office, storefront, or job hub). | Businesses that serve “within X miles,” like emergency plumbers or urgent dental. | Radii can include lakes, airports, or low-value zones; exclusions help. |
| County, state, or region | Targets larger areas with broader coverage. | Multi-city providers, regional law firms, or statewide services. | Budget spreads thin fast; you may need tighter keywords and stronger negatives. |
| Presence vs presence+interest | Presence focuses on people likely in the area; presence+interest can also include people showing interest in the area. | Presence for local lead gen; presence+interest for travel, relocation, destination services. | Interest-based traffic can look “relevant” but never convert if you cannot serve them. |
| Exclusions | Blocks locations you do not want (cities, ZIPs, radius, states). | Any campaign where you see out-of-area leads. | Exclusions need routine upkeep as search behavior shifts. |
| Location bid adjustments | Raise or lower bids for specific areas based on performance. | When certain neighborhoods, suburbs, or ZIPs produce better calls or cases. | Bid changes only help if conversion tracking is solid. |
One more nuance: your keywords do not automatically “geo-fence” your ads. If you bid on “dentist near me” and you target Orlando, you can still get clicks from outside Orlando if your location setting is too broad or if users are searching about Orlando from elsewhere. That’s why we combine location settings with negative keywords, exclusions, and tight match types when needed.
How to tell if your ads are reaching the right places
Check your location reports inside the platform and compare three things: where impressions came from, where clicks came from, and where conversions came from. If you see conversions clustering in a few ZIPs, that’s a sign to add bid adjustments or narrow targeting. If you see clicks from far outside your service area, tighten the location setting and add exclusions. If you want help interpreting that data, pairing PPC with local SEO work can also reduce pressure on ad spend by building steady local demand.
If you’re newer to paid search, it helps to anchor your targeting to the intent behind the search, not just the map. Our FAQ on search intent and the main types explains why “emergency pest control Orlando” behaves very differently from “what does pest control cost,” even when both are in the same city.
If you want, tell us your service area (cities or ZIPs) and whether you travel to customers or they come to you, and we’ll outline a clean location setup that fits how people actually move around Orlando.
