Overview
Geo targeting controls where your paid advertising budget is spent. Reaching the right shoppers in the right places is what separates ad spend that brings buyers to your showroom from ad spend that reaches people who will never visit.
Fullpath's paid advertising solutions give you two complementary controls:
-
Geo Inclusions define where your ads do run. You can target by address and radius, by zip code, or by a combination of both.
- Geo Exclusions define where your ads do not run. You can exclude countries, states, and zip codes.
Both controls can be applied to your whole account or narrowed to specific objectives and channels. Exclusions are configured directly in the dashboard, so requests that previously required a support ticket can now be handled by your team in a few clicks.
How It Works
Inclusions and exclusions work independently
Inclusions and exclusions are configured in separate sections of the Targeting page and are sent to the ad platforms as two distinct sets of instructions. An inclusion tells the platform where to look for shoppers; an exclusion tells it where not to serve, even if that area falls inside an included radius or zip code.
A common use is a dealership that targets a 25 mile radius around the store but wants to stay out of a handful of zip codes closest to a competitor's franchise. The radius stays as the inclusion; the specific zips go in as exclusions.
Two levels of control
Targeting can be set at two levels:
Targeting levels:
-
Account level. Applies to all paid advertising products on the account. This is the most commonly used setting.
- Objective and channel level. Applies to a specific objective, a specific channel, or a combination of the two. Use this when one part of your advertising needs different geography than the rest.
Account level targeting applies automatically across Digital Advertising, VINs Acceleration, and Vehicle Specials Display / Homepage Units. You do not need to set the same geography separately for each product.
How the two levels interact
When you add an objective or channel level rule, the dashboard pre-populates it with whatever is already set at the account level, separately for inclusions and for exclusions. From there you can:
- Add to it by entering additional locations alongside the inherited ones.
-
Replace it by clearing the inherited values with the 'x' and entering your own.
Effect on your campaign structure
Targeting is managed at the campaign level inside the ad platforms. Adding inclusions or exclusions at the objective or channel level can therefore require campaigns to be split or new ones created, which affects how your budget is allocated and how performance is reported.
Search and Display are configured together. If a rule is applied to Search and Display, it is not possible to apply a different rule to only Search or only Display.
Where to Find It
Targeting settings for Fullpath's paid advertising solutions (Digital Advertising and VINs Acceleration) are found under Dealership Level Settings > Paid Advertising Targeting.
Direct link: dashboard.fullpath.com/settings/dealership/targeting
Setting Geo Inclusions
By address and radius
Target shoppers based on their proximity to your store. You can also add separate locations to build a radius around a point that is not the dealership itself.
| Channel | Minimum radius | Maximum radius | Fullpath default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fullpath Social (Facebook) | 15 miles | 50 miles | 25 miles around the dealership |
| Fullpath Search and Display (Google) | 3 miles | 500 miles | 25 miles around the dealership |
By zip code
Target shoppers within specific zip codes. Enter as many zip codes as you need, or paste a list separated by commas or semicolons. Fullpath automatically converts each zip code into latitude and longitude coordinates, which keeps your targeting compliant with Google's current standards.
By objective and channel
To target a specific part of your advertising differently from the account as a whole, select Add Objective rule or Add Channel rule and set the radius or zip codes for that rule.
Remember that the more specific rule replaces the account level setting for that objective or channel rather than adding to it.
Setting Geo Exclusions
Geo Exclusions have their own section on the Targeting page, separate from inclusions. Exclusions can be set at the account level or for specific objectives and channels, using the same levels described above.
What you can exclude
| Exclusion type | How to enter it | Example use |
|---|---|---|
| Countries | Selected from a predefined list | Excluding Puerto Rico |
| States | Selected from a predefined list | A dealership near a state line that does not sell across it |
| Zip codes | Entered individually or pasted as a comma separated list | Excluding zips closest to a competing franchise |
Adding an exclusion
Steps:
- Go to Dealership Level Settings > Paid Advertising Targeting.
- Open the Geo Exclusions section.
- To exclude across all paid advertising, add your countries, states, or zip codes at the account level.
- To exclude for one part of your advertising only, add an objective or channel rule, then adjust the values it inherits from the account level.
- Save your changes. Exclusions are not applied until they are saved.
Audience Size
Every targeting change affects how many people your ads can reach. Each advertising platform enforces a privacy minimum and will not serve ads to an audience below it, so narrow targeting or heavy exclusions can leave a campaign unable to run.
| Platform | Audience requirement |
|---|---|
| Recommends a minimum of 1,000 people. The system will not create or run ads for fewer than 100 people. | |
| Google Search and Display | Requires a minimum of 1,000 active visitors or users within the last 30 days. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I exclude a zip code that falls inside my targeted radius?
Yes, and this is the most common use of exclusions. Your radius stays in place as the inclusion and the zip codes you exclude are sent to the platform as a separate instruction, so ads are held out of those zips on Google Search and Display. Geo Exclusions are not applied to Facebook ads, so Fullpath Social will continue to serve across your full targeted radius.
Do I need to exclude everywhere I do not want to advertise?
No. Anything outside your Geo Inclusions is already excluded by default. Use Geo Exclusions only to carve out areas that sit inside the radius or zip codes you have included.
Can I exclude a city?
City level exclusions are not available. Exclude the zip codes that make up the city instead.
Do I need to set exclusions separately for VINs Acceleration?
No. Account level targeting applies across Digital Advertising, VINs Acceleration, and Vehicle Specials Display / Homepage Units automatically. Set an objective or channel rule only when one product or channel needs different geography.