The challenge
A proposal came in to expand the local search campaign to the whole state. The reason was coverage: the state was excluded from a nationwide campaign, and the plan was to fill that gap. There was no conversion data to support the change.
What we did
- Pulled year-to-date results by campaign and by city.
- Found that the data did not support a wider map. Most of the account's conversions came from the Performance Max campaign at a 50-mile radius. The 25-mile local campaign spent $1,528 for 1 conversion.
- Found that out-of-market cities in the nationwide campaign had spend but almost no conversions. This showed what a wider map was likely to produce.
Our recommendation
- Do not expand a weak campaign to more geography. Find out why the local campaign does not convert first.
- Expand only to areas where the conversion data shows demand.
- Get more reach with audience signals, such as rental and relocation intent, not with a wider map.
Why this matters for multifamily
Renters search by city and commute, not by state lines. Wide geo-targeting looks like more reach, but it often buys clicks from people who will not move to your market. We make each targeting decision from your own conversion data.
Conversions are as reported in Google Ads at the time of review (year to date, spring 2026).
Client name withheld. Figures come from client accounts.