You set a campaign to target the United States. Most people assume that means people in the United States. By default, it doesn't.
What the default actually does
Google Ads has two location options, and the one every new Search campaign starts on is Presence or interest. Google describes it as reaching people who are likely to be in or regularly in your targeted location, as well as people who have shown interest in it.
Interest is broad. Google detects it from the terms people use in their searches, places they were recently, and content they view related to the location. Google's own example is a Paris bakery: target Paris, and your ads can show to people in Paris or to people who have expressed interest in Paris bakeries.
The other option, Presence, keeps only the first half: people who are likely to be located, or regularly located, where you targeted.
Where the default leaks money
This setting keeps coming up on our calls, and the risk is always the same. A business targets the one place it can serve, leaves the default on, and pays for clicks from people who could never buy.
- Local and radius businesses. If you serve people within a mile of your door, someone elsewhere who searched about your area is a wasted click.
- Country-restricted B2B. If you can only sell, ship or contract in certain countries, interest from outside them is spend you can't convert.
- Anything where the buyer has to be there. In-person services, delivery, appointments. Being interested in a place doesn't make someone a customer in it.
For all three, we switch the campaign to Presence. It is one setting in the campaign's location options.
When to leave the default on
Presence or interest exists for a reason. Travel, relocation, property, and gifts all have buyers who research a place before they're in it. If someone in London planning a trip to Dubai is a real customer for you, the default is doing its job. Google's own data backs this: advertisers in travel, real estate and education who switched from Presence to Presence or interest saw about 5% more conversions on Search. The question is simple: can you actually serve someone who isn't physically in the location?
Check what the default has been buying
Before you change anything, look, but not in Matched locations. When an ad matches on interest, the matched location is the place you targeted, and Google's location reports only show locations inside the country you target. A US campaign buying clicks from abroad still reports as the US there.
Open Report editor under Insights and reports and use the Locations table, in the When and where ads showed category. Google describes it as showing users' physical locations regardless of the location used to match the ad. If you see spend from places you can't sell to, that's the default at work.
Location exclusions need nothing from you. They always use Presence, which excludes people likely to be in the excluded areas; Google no longer lets Search, Display, Performance Max or Shopping campaigns exclude by interest. The rest of the exclusion toolkit is in our Google Ads exclusions guide.
The takeaways
- New Search campaigns start on Presence or interest, which also targets people interested in your location from anywhere.
- If your buyer has to be physically in the location, switch to Presence.
- Keep the default for travel, relocation and other offers people research from elsewhere.
- Check the Locations table in Report editor, not Matched locations, to see where the people who clicked actually were.
Common questions
What is the difference between Presence and Presence or interest in Google Ads?
Presence shows your ads to people who are likely to be in, or regularly in, the locations you target. Presence or interest, the default, also reaches people who have shown interest in those locations, which Google detects from their search terms, places they were recently, and content they view related to the location.
Which Google Ads location option is the default?
Presence or interest is the default and the option Google recommends for Search, Display and Demand Gen campaigns. You have to change it to Presence yourself in the campaign's location options. Hotel campaigns use only Presence.
When should I use Presence instead of Presence or interest?
Use Presence when you can only serve people who are physically in the area: local services, a delivery or service radius, or a B2B offer restricted to certain countries. Keep Presence or interest when people plan from elsewhere, such as travel, relocation, or buying something for someone in that location.
How do I see where my Google Ads clicks actually came from?
Use the Locations table in Report editor, in the When and where ads showed category. Google describes it as showing users' physical locations regardless of the location used to match the ad. The Matched locations view won't show this: when an ad matches on interest, the matched location is the place you targeted.
Do location exclusions use the same setting?
No. Location exclusions always use Presence, which excludes people likely to be located in the excluded areas. Google no longer lets Search, Display, Performance Max or Shopping campaigns exclude by interest, so there is nothing to change on the exclusion side.