Glossary/Audience data/Geotargeting
What is geotargeting in advertising?
How geotargeting works, how accurate the different location signals are, and why it is a strength for local publishers.
Written by Samhub with the help of AI·Updated 13 Oct 2026·3 min readGeotargeting is showing ads to people based on where they are, from a country down to a city, postcode or radius around a store.
Location signals
| Signal | Accuracy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IP address | Country to city | Works without consent for rough location |
| Registered address | Postcode | From logged-in subscribers, with consent |
| Device location | Precise | Needs explicit permission |
| Content | Local relevance | Readers of local news sections |
Why it suits local publishers
Local news reaches people where they live. Combining location with interests, such as home buyers in one city, gives local advertisers an audience national platforms struggle to match on relevance.
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Combine location with data
Location alone is broad. Enriched with population data for each area, it can add age, income and household estimates without collecting more personal data.
Addressability at Stampen Media after moving its reader data into one layer with Samhub.
Frequently asked questions
Usually good at country and region level, less reliable at street level.
Rough location from IP often does not. Precise location and profiles usually do.
Geotargeting within a drawn area, such as around a store or event.
Yes, with address data from logged-in readers or postcode-level population data.
Related terms
Adding detail to the data you already have.
Targeting ads based on the content of the page.
Ads in printed newspapers and on news sites.
Grouping readers so advertisers can reach them.
Targeting by age, gender, income or household.
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