How to Set Up Location-Targeted Ads for Local Businesses

For a hotel, restaurant, beauty salon, or real estate agency operating in Alanya and Antalya, the most effective way to avoid wasting advertising budget is to set up location-targeted ads . If your customers are located within a specific geographic area, it makes no sense to spend money on people living outside that area. In this guide, we will show you how to acquire more customers with less spending by properly setting up location targeting.

What is Location-Targeted Advertising and Why is it Important?

Location-targeted advertising is a feature that allows you to select the right people to see your ads and show them only in specific geographic regions. For example, an ad for a hotel in Alanya can only be shown to users in or around Alanya who are planning a vacation there. This way, every penny spent reaches a potential customer.

Many local business owners can't see where their budget is going and end up with no results. This is often because ads are completely untargeted or displayed over too wide an area. Location targeting completely eliminates this problem.

Location Targeting in Google Ads

How to Set Up Base Location Targeting

When you log into your Google Ads account to create a campaign or edit an existing one, you'll find the "Location" tab. Here are the steps you need to follow:

• Open your campaign and go to the "Location" settings.
• Click the "Target a new location" option.
• Enter the name of the city, district, or neighborhood you want to target (for example: "Alanya", "Antalya Merkez").
• Select the targeting type: "People he/she is in or interested in" or "People he/she is exactly in"

The first option reaches a wider audience, while the second option is definitely more focused on people in that region. For a local business, choosing the second option is generally more advantageous.

Radius Targeting

A more advanced method, radius targeting, targets all people within a specific distance of your business location. For example, a beauty salon's advertisement could be seen by people living within a 5 km radius of its business address. To set this up:

• Go to the "Location" section in Google Ads.
• Use the "Target on map" option.
• Mark your business location on the map.
• Set the desired radius (1 km, 5 km, 10 km, etc.).

This method is particularly effective for businesses operating in the tourism sector. A hotel can target potential guests within a 10-15 km radius of its location.

Location Targeting in Meta (Facebook & Instagram) Ads

Meta's ad management panel offers location targeting in a more detailed and flexible way. As a Meta Business Partner , we know how to implement professional location targeting on this platform as well.

Steps to Adjust Position in Meta

• Create a new campaign by opening Ads Manager.
• Go to the "Audience" section.
• Turn on the "Locations" option.
• Target by city, district, or address.
• Select your targeting type: "People who live or work in this location" or "People who visit this location"

The advantage of the Meta platform is that you can combine map-based targeting with specific interests. For example, you can show your ad to people aged 25-55 living in Alanya who are interested in tourism.

Combining Google Business Profile with Location Targeting

Location targeting alone isn't enough on advertising platforms. You also need to maintain a strong presence on Google Maps Ads and your Google Business Profile .

To appear in local search results (e.g., "best restaurant in Alanya"), your Google Business Profile must be fully completed. This profile should include contact information, hours, photos, and customer reviews. You can see how Alanya Bilisim Hizmetleri is located on our Google Maps page .

Points to Consider in Location Targeting

Don't target too wide an area.

Initially, targeting the area closest to your business within 5-10 km yields more profitable results. Then, you can expand your targeting area by analyzing your data.

Seasonal Targeting Strategy

You should target your audience considering the tourism season in the Alanya and Antalya region. You can broaden your targeting area before and during the high season, and narrow it down during the low season.

Using Negative Location Targeting

Some businesses prefer that their ads not be displayed in certain areas. For example, a restaurant offering delivery services might exclude areas outside its service area through negative targeting. By doing this, you prevent budget waste.

Managing Advertising Budget with Location Targeting

Location targeting isn't essential for understanding where your advertising budget is going; however, it's crucial for efficient budget management. In our detailed guide on how to set a daily budget in Google Ads , we examined how budget management and location targeting work together.

With location targeting, you can concentrate small budgets in smaller areas instead of distributing them across large regions. This way, each day's budget is seen more frequently by fewer people.

Conclusion

Location-targeted ads are essential tools for local businesses to maximize the efficiency of their advertising spending. Set radius targeting in Google Ads, define geographic boundaries in Meta platforms, and keep your Google Business Profile up-to-date. By taking these steps, you'll reach only customers who are ready to buy.

If you have any questions about advertising management in Alanya and Antalya, you can check out our projects on our Instagram page and contact us. We set up all ad configurations on your behalf, including location targeting, and provide transparent monthly reports.