Geotargeting
Geotargeting is the practice of delivering specific content, advertisements, or search results to a user based on their geographic location (determined by IP address, GPS, or browser settings). In SEO, it involves signaling to Google that a specific page is relevant for users in a specific region.
Relevance Through Location Intelligence
You don't want to show "Free Shipping to New York" to a user in Paris, or display prices in USD to someone expecting EUR. Geotargeting ensures relevance, which dramatically improves conversion rates and user experience. Google uses geotargeting signals (ccTLD, server location, hreflang, Google Search Console settings) to decide which regional version to show in search results. When implemented correctly, users in Berlin automatically see your German site, users in Tokyo see Japanese, without any manual selection. This "invisible" optimization is what separates amateur international sites from professional global brands.
Generic Global Site vs. Geotargeted Experience
Real-World Impact
E-commerce site shows USD prices to all visitors
UK users confused by pricing, must manually calculate
Conversion rate: 1.8%, high cart abandonment
Geotargeting shows GBP to UK, EUR to France automatically
Users see local currency, relevant shipping costs
Conversion rate jumps to 4.2%, abandonment drops 55%