target type errors in geotargets-2024-10-10.csv

[Neil Ainsworth]

Ive noticed a lot of place names categorised in error as postcodes in this latest geotarget file for the UK. Im not sure of the implications for targeting, we use these to target in the UK, are they working properly for targeting even if labelled wrong?

[Google Ads API Forum Advisor]

Hi,

Thank you for reaching out to the Google Ads API support team.

I understand your concern regarding the misclassification of place names as postcodes in the UK geotarget file. After investigating the issue, I found that the target type for the country code "GB" (United Kingdom) is listed as "postal code," which is a valid and supported value for geotargeting. As a result, this mislabeling should not affect the functionality of your targeting, since "postal code" is an allowable value for geotargeting.

For your reference, here is the Google Ads API documentation that explains the different columns used in geotargeting and their valid values.

If you have any further questions or encounter any additional issues, please don't hesitate to reach out. If you need to provide logs or further details, feel free to reply privately to this email.
 

This message is in relation to case "ref:!00D1U01174p.!5004Q02vGjOe:ref" (ADR-00275213)

Thanks,
 

Google Ads API Team

[Neil Ainsworth]

Hi,

I think there is a good chance that there are other issues given that these are so obviously the wrong types. This will surely trip up some systems using the API.

Also, as an example, one of the listed items is a large UK town not a postcode. Searching the file for the name of the place 'Huddersfield' shows that not only is the type wrong, but this is a duplicate of the correct place which:

This suggests a wider problem. To check its not a one off I have checked another of the erroneous postcodes and that too is a duplicate:

There is only one of each of these in previous versions of the file that I have on record e.g.

geotargets-2024-03-20

geotargets-2023-05-03

geotargets-2021-04-16

Are you sure it's going to work OK?

For reference the same duplicates show up in the Google ads interface:

Is this really not an error?

Thanks Neil

[Google Ads API Forum Advisor]

Hi,

Kindly note that a city may have more than one postal code. Therefore, you are getting the difference in the reach among the target type as ‘city’ and target type as ‘postal code’.

[Neil Ainsworth]

Can you explain a little more? You mean you need to target for both? If I choose one and not the other what is the actual impact on my campaign targeting? Does it make no difference? I am more interested in whether my targeting works then what reach number is provided?

[Google Ads API Forum Advisor]

Hi,

Allow me to check with the rest of our team with the information provided and one of our colleagues will reach out to you once we have an update on this issue.
 

This message is in relation to case "ref:!00D1U01174p.!5004Q02vGjOe:ref" (ADR-00275213)

Thanks,
 

Google Ads API Team

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[Google Ads API Forum Advisor]

Hi,

You only need to target one of the options. The two options are similar, but slightly different, as I will explain below.

• Targeting by City (Huddersfield, Bishop Auckland): This targets users who Google believes are interested in or located in that city. Google uses various signals like IP address, search queries, and device location to determine this. This targeting is broader than Postal Code targeting. It might include areas just outside the official city limits if Google's data suggests those users have a strong affinity with the city.
• Targeting by Postal Code (Huddersfield's postal codes, Bishop Auckland's postal codes): This targets users based on their specific postal code. It's much more precise and allows for finer control over your targeting. You'll reach users who are physically located within that specific postal code area.

Note that there's always a possibility of some level of imprecision. So be prepared for some marginal spillover in both City and Postal Code targeting. But the above is a high level explanation of the difference between Target Type of City and ZIP Code.
 

This message is in relation to case "ref:!00D1U01174p.!5004Q02vGjOe:ref" (ADR-00275213)

Thanks,
 

Benji Rothman Google Ads API Team

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