Geo-targeting comes up a lot when we talk about Digital Marketing, but what is it? What does it mean, and why is it important?
Let’s first define Geo-targeting. The technical definition of Geo-targeting is best summed up by saying:
A targeting method that serves content to site visitors based on their location. – The Internet
Ok, that is a good place to start but if you really need to understand this term and use it to your advantage when you encounter it in the “wild” we are going to need to do a deeper dive. Digital Marketing has a lot of jargon to navigate and it can mean different things depending on where it is being used and what your goals are. For example Geo-targeting may mean different things to an SEO (Search engine Optimizer) than it does to an SMM (Social Media Manager) and something else entirely to a website developer, app developer, or a traditional marketer. For our purposes in this article page, we are going to take the 10,000-foot view and focus on the general digital media perspective. If this leaves you with any questions please don’t hesitate to ask! We love to respond with more specific follow-up content that may be helpful to you.
Ok, so back to “Geo-targeting” What is it? Why is it important and how can I use it to best serve my digital marketing or website management needs?
Why do we talk about Geo-targeting and use it in Digital Marketing?
Geofencing refers to virtual outline around a location using users’ IP addresses or physical location. The key difference with geotargeting is that it is specific to criteria instead of location specificly, such as demographics, behaviors, and, interests. It may also include a person’s location but not always. GeoFencing helps in set geographic areas and boundaries for marketing purposes. It focuses on physical location information to set up a trigger, often for serving ads in a specific location. If a device enters that location the geofence has been entered and an alert or an ad can be served in that location. For example Walmart’s app has a Store Mode that has many location specific functions including offering coupons and e-receipts to customers that enter the store.
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