As a pet business owner, your "territory" is everything. If you're a dog groomer in Sydney, a click from someone in Perth isn't just useless: it's costing you money.
Google Ads is a powerhouse for finding new clients, but only if your ads show up where your four-legged customers actually live. Based on the latest best practices and Google's own technical guides, here is how to set up your geo-targeting so you only pay for local leads.
1. The "Where": Choosing Your Target Areas
In the world of pet services, "close to home" is the number one reason clients choose a provider. Google offers three main ways to define your boundary:
Radius Targeting (The "Service Area" Hero)
Perfect for mobile dog walkers or groomers. You can set a 5km or 10km radius around your business address. This ensures you are not spending 45 minutes in traffic just to get to one appointment.
Specific Suburbs or Postcodes
If you know certain neighbourhoods are "high-pet-density" or match your target demographic better, you can hand-pick specific postcodes. But how do you know which postcodes are actually producing revenue for you? More on that below.
Bulk Locations
Opening a franchise or have multiple locations? You can paste up to 1,000 locations at once in the "Advanced Search" menu.
How to set it up: Navigate to Campaigns > Settings > Locations. Click the blue pencil icon to enter your specific suburbs, or switch to "Radius" mode to drop a pin on your shop.
2. The "Presence" Trap: Do Not Let Tourists Eat Your Budget
This is where 90% of local businesses make a mistake. By default, Google targets "Presence or Interest."
What this means: Someone in London searching for "Vets in Brisbane" because they are moving next month might see your ad.
The pet business reality: Unless you are a pet-friendly hotel, you probably only want people who are physically in your area right now.
The fix: Under Location Options, change your setting to "Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted locations." This ensures your ads only show to locals who can actually walk through your door today.
3. The Power of Exclusion
Sometimes, the best way to define where you are is to define where you are not.
Let's say you target a 20km radius, but there's a specific suburb across a bridge or a toll road that you refuse to service because of the commute. You do not have to delete your whole radius. Just exclude that specific suburb.
In your Location settings, search for that "trouble area" and click Exclude instead of Target. Google will "carve out" that section from your map.
4. Pro Tip: Use "Location Negatives" in Your Keywords
Geo-targeting is not just about settings; it is about language. If you are a dog trainer in Chelsea, London, you should add other "Chelseas" (like Chelsea, New York) as Negative Keywords.
Even with great geo-targeting, someone might search for "Pet store Chelsea NY." By adding "NY" or "New York" as a negative keyword, you add a second layer of protection to your budget.
Know Your Territory Before You Target It
Here is the thing most advertising guides won't tell you: the best geo-targeting starts with knowing where your customers already are.
If 60% of your revenue comes from three suburbs but you're running ads across a 20km radius, most of your budget is going to areas that aren't converting. Conversely, if there's a high-value suburb next door where you have zero customers, that is the suburb worth targeting.
This is one of the reasons we built Geographic Intelligence into Petboost. Our Map view breaks down your revenue by suburb, shows you customer density by area, and even highlights high-value suburbs where you have low penetration. It is data you already have (from your bookings, addresses, and payments) surfaced in a way that directly informs where your ad spend should go.
Think of it this way: instead of guessing which postcodes to target, you can look at a map that shows exactly where your money comes from and where the growth opportunities are.
The connection to the 8 signs of a healthy pet business: a healthy business has one system of record where bookings, payments, and customer data live together. When all that data is unified, you can extract geographic insights that would be impossible with separate tools for booking, payments, and CRM. Your data becomes your strategy.
Checklist for Your Next Campaign
Before you launch (or after you audit your current setup), run through this list:
- Is your radius realistic? Do not target 50km if you only want to drive 10km
- Is "Presence" selected? Avoid "Interest" unless you are targeting travellers
- Are your exclusions set? Block the areas you do not want to service
- Are Location Extensions on? Connect your Google Business Profile so your address shows in the ad
- Have you checked your data? Use your booking data to identify which suburbs actually produce revenue before deciding where to spend
Sources for Further Reading
Use Your Data, Not Your Gut
Great local advertising is not just about configuring the right settings in Google Ads. It is about understanding your business geography first.
If you're running a pet business and want to see exactly where your revenue comes from, which suburbs are underserved, and where your next customers might be, Petboost gives you that visibility as part of a platform built specifically for pet businesses. Start your free trial at business.petboost.com/register.
Related Petboost Features
- Self-Service Booking: Let clients book themselves 24/7 so you can focus on the work
- Pro Automations: Automate booking confirmations, reminders, and payments
- Reporting and Insights: See where your revenue comes from with Geographic Intelligence
- Prepaid Packages: Build loyalty with prepaid bundles your clients can purchase online
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I set up geo-targeting in Google Ads for my pet business?
Navigate to Campaigns > Settings > Locations in Google Ads. Click the blue pencil icon and choose either specific suburbs/postcodes or radius targeting. For most pet businesses, a 5-10km radius around your location is a good starting point. Always change Location Options to "Presence" only, not "Presence or Interest."
What is the difference between "Presence" and "Presence or Interest" in Google Ads?
"Presence" targets people physically in your selected area. "Presence or Interest" also shows ads to people elsewhere who have searched for your area. For local pet services, "Presence" is almost always the correct choice, as you want clients who can physically visit your business.
Can I exclude specific suburbs from my Google Ads targeting?
Yes. In your Location settings, search for the suburb you want to exclude and click Exclude instead of Target. Google will carve that area out of your targeting radius. This is useful for suburbs separated by toll roads, bridges, or long commutes.
How do I know which suburbs to target with Google Ads?
The best approach is to use your existing booking data. Petboost's Geographic Intelligence maps your revenue by suburb, showing you which areas produce the most bookings and where growth opportunities exist. This data directly informs your ad targeting decisions.
What are negative keywords in Google Ads and why do pet businesses need them?
Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant searches. If your business is in Chelsea, Melbourne, adding "New York" and "London" as negative keywords stops your ad from appearing when someone searches for pet services in a different Chelsea. This protects your budget from irrelevant clicks.