When setting up a campaign, we select the targeted areas where you want your ads to appear. This might be a town, a group of postcodes, or a radius around a business location.
However, there’s an important detail hidden within the campaign’s settings tab that many people don’t realise exists: location options.
By default, Google Ads is set to show your ads to:
- People in your targeted locations
- People regularly in your targeted locations
- People who show interest in your targeted locations
This is known as “presence or interest” targeting.
That means your ads don’t only appear to people physically standing in your service area. Google may also show your ads to someone researching services in that area, planning to visit, or frequently travelling there.
This setting exists because, in many cases, it improves performance. For example, someone searching for a service in a specific town may be planning a move, booking in advance, or arranging something for a family member.
The Location Setting Most People Don’t Know About
Within Google Ads, there’s another option you can select called “presence” targeting.
This focuses on:
- People in your targeted locations
- People regularly in your targeted locations
It removes the “interest” element, meaning Google will try to only show your ads to people physically connected to the area.
Depending on the type of business, we may adjust this setting. For some clients, it makes sense to select presence only. For others, the broader approach works better because it captures people’s planning.
We carefully review this when setting up and managing campaigns to determine what will deliver the best-quality leads.
Why You Can Still Get Leads From Outside Your Area
Even with carefully chosen location settings, it’s still possible to receive the occasional enquiry from outside your targeted areas. There are several reasons for this.
Interest-Based Searches
Someone might search for a service in a specific location while physically being elsewhere. If they type in a location-specific query, Google may still decide your ad is relevant and show it to them.
People Who Regularly Travel Into The Area
Google looks at behaviour patterns. If someone works in your town but lives elsewhere, they may still be considered part of the ad location audience. From Google’s perspective, they are regularly in your targeted locations.
Device Location Isn’t Perfect
Google uses signals such as IP addresses, mobile data, and device settings to determine a user’s location. This isn’t always 100% accurate.
For example:
- A mobile device may appear to be in a nearby town.
- A user’s connection might route through another area.
- Location data can lag behind real movement.
All of this can occasionally result in ads being shown slightly outside the intended area.
The VPN Factor
This is one of the biggest reasons people don’t expect.
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) allows someone to appear as if they’re browsing from a completely different place. It’s commonly used for privacy, security, or accessing content from other regions.
If someone is using a VPN set to London, for example, Google may think they’re physically in London even if they’re not. That means your ads can show to them, and if they click and submit a form, it will appear as if the lead came from outside your service area.
There is no way to control or prevent this fully. It sits entirely outside the advertiser’s control.
What We Do To Minimise Out-Of-Area Leads
While it’s not possible to eliminate this, we take several steps to keep things as accurate and relevant as possible.
These include:
- Carefully selecting targeted locations.
- Choosing the most appropriate location settings
- Reviewing location reports regularly
- Refining campaign setup over time
- Excluding areas that consistently generate irrelevant enquiries
The goal is always to make sure your ads only show to the most relevant audience possible.
Over time, this approach significantly reduces out-of-area leads and improves overall quality.
Not Every “Out-Of-Area” Lead Is A Bad Lead
It’s also worth noting that not all leads from outside your area are necessarily wasted.
Sometimes people:
- Are moving into the area
- Work locally but live elsewhere.
- Are researching before making a decision.
- Are willing to travel for the right service.
We often see cases where what first appears to be an “out-of-area” enquiry turns into a genuine opportunity.
Setting The Right Expectations
Google Ads is incredibly advanced, but it doesn’t operate like a strict border control system. It uses signals, intent, and behaviour to decide who to show your ads to.
That means a small number of enquiries from outside your targeted areas is completely normal, even in well-managed campaigns.
Our focus is always on:
- Relevance
- Lead quality
- Consistent optimisation
We continually review performance, adjust targeting, and monitor results to make sure your ads are working as effectively as possible.
If you’ve ever wondered why you’re getting leads from outside my target area in Google Ads, the simple answer is that location targeting is intelligent, not absolute. And with the right setup and ongoing management, we can keep things tightly focused while still capturing the opportunities that matter.
If you’re still unsure whether your location settings are working as they should, or you’d simply like a second pair of eyes on your campaigns, we’re always happy to help. At The Bright Click, we manage Google Ads for businesses across Staines, Surrey, and beyond, and we regularly review and refine location targeting to ensure budgets are spent in the right places. If you’d like advice, a quick sense-check, or support improving the quality of your leads, get in touch with our team, and we’ll be glad to take a look.