Location-Based Advertising with Google Ads: ISP Targeting Explained

The power of Google Ads lies in its ability to refine and target advertising campaigns based on various factors, including location. However, while advertisers can filter and target ads based on geographic locations and devices, direct filtering by Internet Service Provider (ISP) is currently not supported. This article will explore the targeting options for Google Ads and provide insights on how to effectively use these features to reach your desired audience.

Location Targeting with Google Ads

Geographic Targeting: You can target specific countries, regions, cities, or even a radius around a particular location. This allows your ads to be shown to users in specific geographic areas, making it easier to reach your target market based on their physical location. For instance, if you own a local business in Houston, Texas, you can set up your campaign to display ads only to users within a 25-mile radius of your physical address.

Location Exclusions: Another powerful feature is the ability to exclude certain locations from seeing your ads. This can help you focus your budget on more relevant and profitable areas. For example, if you want to avoid reaching users in Texas but still target the US, you can exclude Texas from your campaign settings.

Demographic Targeting with Google Ads

While location targeting is crucial, it’s also essential to refine your audience based on other demographic factors. You can filter ads based on age, gender, and parental status. This helps you reach the right users within your chosen locations. For instance, if you are promoting a vacation destination, you can target ads to users in the 18-35 age range who are more likely to be interested in travel.

Device Targeting with Google Ads

Google Ads allows you to target users based on the devices they use, such as mobile, tablet, or desktop. This can be particularly useful if your marketing strategy varies across different devices. For example, you might want to target mobile users for a mobile-friendly app download and desktop users for an interactive product demo.

ISP Targeting: An Unavailable Feature

While Google Ads offers extensive targeting options, it does not currently support filtering by Internet Service Provider (ISP). This means you cannot target specific ISPs or carriers directly. However, there are alternative methods to achieve similar results. For instance, you can filter ads using IP exclusion for schools or use remarketing based on your audience segments.

Using IP Exclusion for Targeting Schools

One workaround for targeting specific user segments is to use IP exclusion. If you are certain that certain IPs are from schools, you can set up IP exclusions in your campaign settings. This can help you avoid advertising to students or families. However, you may need to adjust your ad copy to cater to the specific audience you are excluding.

Remarketing Through Internet Service Providers

ISP Filtering Through Remarketing: While direct ISP targeting is not available, Google Ads allows you to use Google Analytics to build audience segments based on service providers. You can set up remarketing audiences and use these segments to create targeted campaigns. In Google Analytics, go to Administrative - Property - Remarketing - Audiences - New Audience - Create new - Advanced Conditions - Users - Green option - Service Provider.

Remember, this method may not be as exact as targeting specific ISPs, but it can still be effective. You can use the built audience to automatically find new customers on Google Ads based on the segments you create.

In conclusion, while Google Ads’ targeting options are powerful, there are limitations, especially when it comes to ISP targeting. By combining location targeting, demographic targeting, and device targeting, you can still create effective campaigns that reach your desired audience. Consider using IP exclusions for schools and remarketing based on Google Analytics to achieve similar results.