Google announced some coming changes to location targeting in AdWords, particularly for international searches.
Beginning November 11th, advertisers using the default or “location of interest” setting will be able to show ads to people by taking into account the location they’re searching from as well as the location they’re searching for.
Location targeting already works like this within countries, but the functionality will be expanded to international queries.
“For example, let’s say you own a hotel, and you are currently targeting Paris with the keyword ‘Paris hotels,’” says AdWords product manager Nicholas Boos. “Previously, only people searching on Google.fr or Google.com from France could see your ad. Starting the week of November 11, your ads will be eligible to show to people searching for ‘Paris hotels’ from anywhere in the world — for example, someone who lives in New York City who is booking a vacation in Paris.”
“These improvements help you share your message with more customers who have expressed interest in your business and deliver a better set of results to people who are searching with locations in their intent,” adds Boos. “Most advertisers will find that this change improves the reach of their ads with no action needed.”
Advertisers can still narrow their location settings using advanced location options, and exclude locations to prevent ads from being shown in certain places.