Accuracy

The accuracy of geo targeting depends on several factors. WiFi connections are more accurate than cellular networks. When a visitor is using a cellular data connection, the accuracy of the geo-lookup can be affected by location, the provider’s data relationship with DeviceAtlas, and other factors. Cell tower-based network connections might be less accurate than wired or WiFi connections. Also, a visitor’s IP address might be mapped to the visitor’s ISP location, which might not be the same as the visitor’s actual location. Some mobile geo-location issues can be solved using the Geolocation API.

The following table shows the accuracy of IP-based geographical information from DigitalEnvoy for wired or WiFi Internet connections. DigitalEnvoy provides the most accurate data in the industry. Global accuracy is more than 99.9 percent at the country level and is up to 97 percent accurate at a city level. Accuracy information does not apply to cell tower-based networks.

CountryStateCityRegion
US99.99%96%94%
Canada99.99%96%94%
Europe99.99%
UK99.99%87%
Germany99.99%95%93%
Scandinavia99%Low 90sMid 80s
Spain99.99%Around 90%Mid to high 90s
Asia99%Mid 90sLow 90s
Japan99.99%Mid 90sLow 90s
Australia99.99%94%91%

Use geo-targeting in profile scripts

You can use geo information for profile scripts.

For example, use:

  • profile.geolocation.country
  • profile.geolocation.state
  • profile.geolocation.city
  • profile.geolocation.zip
  • profile.geolocation.dma
  • profile.geolocation.domainName
  • profile.geolocation.ispName
  • profile.geolocation.connectionSpeed
  • profile.geolocation.mobileCarrier

So, you can write a target expression called “From North America” with the following code:

return profile.geolocation.country == 'united states' || profile.geolocation.country == 'canada' || profile.geolocation.country == 'mexico';

Use geo-targeting values as tokens

You can use profile.geolocation values directly as tokens in offers, plugins, and so forth.

For example, use:

  • ${profile.geolocation.country}
  • ${profile.geolocation.state}
  • ${profile.geolocation.city}
  • ${profile.geolocation.zip}
  • ${profile.geolocation.dma}
  • ${profile.geolocation.domainName}
  • ${profile.geolocation.ispName}
  • ${profile.geolocation.connectionSpeed}
  • ${profile.geolocation.mobileCarrier}
  • ${profile.geolocation.latitude}
  • ${profile.geolocation.longitude}

Geo-targeting FAQ

The following questions are frequently asked about geo-targeting:

How do I specify latitude and longitude?

See details
  • The value for latitude and longitude should be a numeric value in degrees.
  • The value for latitude and longitude can have a maximum precision of five decimal places.
  • The value for latitude should be between -90 and 90.
  • The value for longitude should be between -180 and 180.

How does geo-targeting work for mobile devices?

See details
Most mobile device users access content via WiFi, which means Target’s IP-based geo targeting is as accurate as on a desktop. Cell tower-based connections might be less accurate because the visitor’s IP address is based on the tower where the signal is being picked up. Some mobile geo-location issues can be solved using the Geolocation API.

How does geo feature handle visitors from AOL?

See details
Due to the way AOL proxies its traffic, Target can only target them at a country level. For example, a campaign targeted to France successfully targets AOL users in France. But a campaign targeted to Paris does not successfully target AOL users in Paris. If your intent is to specifically target AOL users, you can set the region field to “aol.” In fact, you can target US AOL users by specifying two targeting conditions: country exactly matches “united states” and region exactly matches “aol.”

What location granularity does geo-targeting provide?

See details
  • Country - global
  • State/province/region - global
  • City - global
  • Zip/postal code - US, Germany, Canada
  • DMA/ITV (UK) - US, UK
  • Mobile carrier - global

How can I test my activities as if I’m a user coming from a different location?

See details
  • at.js 1.x: You can override your IP address with an IP address from a different location and use the mboxOverride.browserIp url parameter. For example, if your company is in the UK, but your global campaign targets visitors in Auckland, New Zealand, use this style of URL assuming that 60.234.0.39 is an IP address in Auckland:

    https://www.mycompany.com?mboxOverride.browserIp=60.234.0.39

    Clear your cookies before doing testing the activity.

    NOTE
    mboxOverride.browserIp is supported in at.js 1.x only. This functionality is not supported in at.js 2.x.
  • at.js 2.x: To override your IP address with at.js 2.x, install a browser extension/plugin (such as X-Forwarded-For Header for Chrome or Firefox). This extension lets you pass the x-forwarded-for header in your page requests.

How are territories, such as Puerto Rico and Hong Kong, mapped into the geo-targeting structure?

See details
Puerto Rico, Hong Kong, and other territories are treated as separate “Country” values.

Does Target capture (and store) information such as Zip Code when activity is targeted with geo-location targeting capabilities?

See details
No, Target uses geo data during the session only, then the data is discarded.

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This video includes information about using audience categories.

  • Create audiences
  • Define audience categories

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