In the complex world of Google Ads, there are numerous settings that can make or break the success of your campaigns. One such often-overlooked yet critical setting involves audience targeting based on location intent—specifically, the distinction between “people interested in” a country versus “people residing in” a country.
Though subtle at first glance, this setting carries immense implications for the performance and efficiency of your Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns. Understanding its significance and using it strategically can ensure you’re reaching the right audience with your message while avoiding unnecessary ad spend.
What Are These Settings?
Google Ads offers advertisers the ability to target users based on their geographic intent or physical presence. Here’s what the two key options entail:
- People Interested in a Country
- This setting targets individuals who have shown interest in a particular location, even if they’re not physically present there.
- Interest can be inferred through online behavior, such as search queries, past visits to the location, browsing travel-related content, or even mentions in web-based communications.
- Example: A user in Germany searching for “best hotels in Italy” may be categorised as someone interested in Italy.
- People Residing in a Country
- This setting focuses on users who are physically present in a specified country based on their IP address or location data.
- It excludes those who might express interest in the country but are not currently there.
- Example: A person physically located in the United Kingdom browsing local content would fall into this category, regardless of whether they’ve looked up information about other countries.
Why Does This Distinction Matter?
When crafting Google PPC campaigns, audience accuracy is crucial. Selecting the wrong location intent can lead to misdirected ad spend, irrelevant clicks, and a lower return on investment (ROI). Let’s explore how this setting influences campaign outcomes.
1. Relevance of Ad Delivery
- Targeting people interested in a country is suitable for businesses catering to tourists, expatriates, or anyone planning to visit. For instance:
- Travel agencies promoting vacation packages.
- Hotels, resorts, or tourist attractions.
- E-commerce brands delivering internationally.
- On the flip side, targeting people residing in a country is ideal for local businesses, service providers, or brands addressing the immediate needs of residents. Examples include:
- Restaurants offering delivery services.
- Health clinics or repair shops.
- Physical retail stores.
2. Budget Optimisation
- Ads targeting individuals merely interested in a country are likely to generate a larger volume of impressions. While this may seem advantageous, it can dilute the quality of clicks if the target audience isn’t appropriately refined.
- By focusing on people residing in a country, advertisers can avoid spending their budget on users who are unlikely to convert. This ensures better use of resources for businesses with location-dependent offerings.
3. Customer Intent Alignment
- A user interested in a country may be in the research phase, gathering information for future plans. For instance, someone in the U.S. researching “top restaurants in Tokyo” might not visit anytime soon. Serving ads for a restaurant targeting local clientele in Tokyo would likely result in wasted ad spend.
- Conversely, someone residing in a country has immediate needs and higher intent to convert, making them a more viable audience for local services or products.
Real-World Scenarios: Choosing the Right Setting
To illustrate the importance of this setting, let’s consider a few examples:
Scenario 1: Travel Agency Advertising Tours in France
- Goal: Attract international travelers planning trips to France.
- Best Setting: “People interested in France.”
- Why: Most prospective customers will not yet be in France while planning their trip, but they will exhibit interest through searches like “top tours in Paris” or “best time to visit the French Riviera.”
Scenario 2: Local Bakery in London
- Goal: Drive foot traffic to the bakery for locals seeking fresh pastries.
- Best Setting: “People residing in the United Kingdom.”
- Why: The bakery primarily serves nearby residents, so targeting individuals physically present in the area is crucial to avoid irrelevant clicks.
Scenario 3: E-commerce Store with Global Shipping
- Goal: Reach potential customers worldwide interested in purchasing their products.
- Best Setting: It depends. A mix of “people residing in” key markets (where they have a strong presence) and “people interested in” other countries (for brand awareness) could be effective.
- Why: The strategy allows for both precision and awareness-building across different audience groups.
How to Modify This Setting in Google Ads
Changing this targeting setting is straightforward but can be overlooked if you’re not familiar with its placement. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Navigate to Campaign Settings
- Log in to your Google Ads account.
- Select the campaign you want to edit.
- Go to the Settings tab.
- Adjust Location Options
- Under the “Locations” section, click “Location options (Advanced).”
- You’ll see three targeting options:
- Presence or Interest: Target people in, or who show interest in, your targeted locations.
- Presence: Target people who are in your targeted locations.
- Search Interest: Target people who searched for your targeted locations (rarely used).
- Choose the appropriate option based on your campaign goals.
- Save and Monitor
- Save the changes and monitor your campaign performance metrics to ensure the setting aligns with your objectives.
The Hidden Cost of Ignoring This Setting
Failing to configure this setting correctly can lead to several negative outcomes, including:
- Wasted Ad Spend
- Ads may show to users who are unlikely to convert, reducing overall efficiency.
- For instance, a physical store targeting “interested in” may reach users located thousands of miles away, leading to irrelevant clicks.
- Lower Quality Scores
- Serving ads to the wrong audience can result in lower click-through rates (CTR) and conversions, which negatively impact your Quality Score. A lower Quality Score can drive up your cost-per-click (CPC).
- Missed Opportunities
- By not aligning your targeting settings with customer intent, you risk missing out on highly relevant potential customers.
Best Practices for Effective Location Targeting
To maximize the potential of Google Ads, follow these tips:
- Define Campaign Goals First
- Clearly outline whether your audience is primarily local, national, or international. This clarity will guide your targeting choices.
- Test Different Settings
- Run A/B tests with “people interested in” vs. “people residing in” to determine which yields better results for your business.
- Use Layered Targeting
- Combine location targeting with demographic and behavioral targeting to further refine your audience.
- Regularly Monitor Performance
- Analyze key metrics like CTR, CPC, and conversion rates to ensure your settings are driving results.
- Adapt Based on Context
- Different campaigns may require different settings. For example, a hotel chain might use “interested in” for promoting destinations and “residing in” for local discounts.
The distinction between targeting “people interested in” a country versus “people residing in” a country is more than just a technical setting—it’s a strategic decision that can significantly influence the success of your Google Ads campaigns. By understanding the nuances of this hidden feature and aligning it with your business objectives, you can create smarter, more effective campaigns that deliver meaningful results.
Taking the time to explore these options and adapt them to your audience ensures that your ad spend is directed toward the right people at the right time, setting your business up for success.
