Documentation
Location Optimization surfaces the geographic areas in your Google Ads account that are spending budget without hitting your conversion or efficiency targets. Adnine evaluates city- and region-level performance against the rules you set, then either stores findings as suggestions for manual review or applies location exclusions automatically, depending on the mode you choose.
- Primary tool
- Location Exclusions
- Operating modes
- Suggestion mode (review only) and execution mode (auto-exclusion)
- Location levels
- City and region
- Core metrics
- Impressions, clicks, spend, conversions, conversion value, CPA, ROAS
- Review surfaces
- Dashboard, Suggestions tab, Exclusions tab, Opportunities table, Location Explorer
#What Location Optimization does
The Location Exclusions tool pulls live Google Ads data at city and region level, evaluates each location against the exclusion rules you have configured, and surfaces the locations that meet your criteria as either suggestions or live exclusions.
In suggestion mode nothing in Google Ads changes. Adnine logs the findings, sends an optional email summary, and lets you review before acting. In execution mode Adnine applies the exclusion directly to your campaigns the moment a location matches your rules. Both modes log every run so you always have an auditable record of what was found and what was done.
#Who this is for
Location Optimization is useful whenever geographic performance varies across your account and you want a systematic way to act on it. It is particularly valuable for:
Common use cases
Budget protection
Stop spending on cities or regions that repeatedly collect clicks and spend without generating conversions or conversion value.
Data-backed decisions
Replace gut-feel geographic targeting adjustments with actual CPA, ROAS, spend, and conversion numbers at city and region level.
Multi-account efficiency
Manage location exclusions across multiple Google Ads accounts from one place, with rules tailored per team or per account.
Controlled automation
Validate rules in suggestion mode before enabling auto-exclusions, so automation only runs when you have already confirmed the logic is sound.
#Suggestion mode vs. execution mode
Mode controls whether Adnine makes changes in Google Ads. The analysis, logging, and email notifications work the same in both modes.
Mode comparison
| Mode | What Adnine does | Google Ads changes | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suggestion mode | Identifies underperforming cities and regions, stores them as suggestions, logs the run, and can send an email summary. | None. No exclusions are applied. | You are validating thresholds, need client or team sign-off, or want manual control over each geographic decision. |
| Execution mode | Applies location exclusions automatically when a city or region matches your rules. Logs the run and can send an email summary. | Exclusions applied automatically. | The rules have been validated through multiple suggestion-mode runs and you are confident they catch real waste without blocking valuable locations. |
#How Adnine evaluates locations
Each scheduled run evaluates campaign performance over a configurable lookback period, typically the past 7 or 30 days. Adnine aggregates the data by location and compares each city or region against your exclusion rules.
Metrics used in the evaluation
| Metric | What it tells you | Why it matters for exclusion |
|---|---|---|
| Impressions | How visible the location is in your campaigns. | Prevents excluding locations with too little data to judge fairly. |
| Clicks | Whether the location actively attracts traffic. | Separates low-visibility from high-traffic, low-converting locations. |
| Spend | How much budget has gone into the location. | Focuses exclusion logic on locations that have actually cost something. |
| Conversions | Whether the location produces valuable actions. | Protects locations that convert well even if another metric looks weak. |
| Conversion value | The revenue or value returned by the location. | Essential when ROAS is the primary efficiency target. |
| CPA | Cost per acquisition for the location. | Flags locations where each conversion costs more than your target. |
| ROAS | Return on ad spend for the location. | Flags locations where spend returns less value than it costs. |
For example: a city with 30 impressions, 2 clicks, EUR 20 in spend, and 0 conversions would be flagged if your rule excludes locations with spend above EUR 20 and fewer than 2 conversions. The exact outcome always depends on the thresholds you configure.
#Setting exclusion rules
Rules define what counts as underperformance. The most effective rules pair an efficiency target (CPA, ROAS) with a minimum data guard (spend, impressions, or clicks), so Adnine does not exclude locations that simply have not accumulated enough traffic to evaluate reliably.
Common rule patterns
Rules can be configured per team or per account. Use account-level rules when performance targets differ by advertiser, market, or conversion quality.
| Rule pattern | What it catches | Recommended guard |
|---|---|---|
| CPA above EUR 100 | Locations where each acquisition costs more than your target. | Require at least EUR 30 in spend before the CPA rule applies. |
| ROAS below 1 | Locations where spend returns less value than it costs. | Require at least 5 conversions or EUR 50 in spend. |
| Spend above EUR 20 and conversions below 2 | Locations that consume meaningful budget without producing results. | Add a minimum of 10 impressions to avoid excluding brand-new locations. |
| Clicks above 30 and 0 conversions | High-traffic locations with no conversion activity at all. | Pair with a minimum spend guard to avoid reacting to low-cost clicks. |
#Reading the dashboard
The dashboard gives you the run-level view: what happened in the most recent evaluation, where exclusions are concentrated, when the next check is scheduled, and how much budget the tool has protected.
Dashboard signals and what to do with them
| Signal | What it tells you | Suggested action |
|---|---|---|
| Recent exclusions | Which locations were excluded in the latest or most recent run window. | Cross-check a sample in Google Ads to confirm the exclusions landed correctly. |
| Top accounts and campaigns | Where most suggestions or exclusions are concentrated. | Investigate whether the issue is rule-driven or a real geographic performance pattern. |
| Next run | When Adnine is scheduled to evaluate location performance again. | Use the intervening time to review pending suggestions before the next run adds more. |
| Spend saved | An estimate of budget protected by executed exclusions. | Treat as a directional indicator, not a guaranteed saving. |
| Suggestions tab | Locations that matched the rules but have not been acted on. | Review and approve or dismiss before switching to execution mode. |
| Exclusions tab | Locations Adnine has already excluded in Google Ads. | Audit periodically to catch any exclusions that should be reversed. |
#Using Location Explorer
Location Explorer is the detailed investigation surface for geographic performance. Use it before acting on a location pattern, especially when the same city shows different performance across campaigns or when a regional signal needs more context.
Location Explorer actions and why they matter
The Opportunities table is sortable and filterable. Move from a broad list of eligible locations to a focused decision using these pivots.
| Action | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Sort by spend, CPA, ROAS, or conversions | Surfaces the locations with the largest budget exposure or efficiency gap first. |
| Filter by country, region, campaign, or account | Keeps the review focused on the markets and campaigns you are responsible for. |
| Pivot from city to region | Shows whether a weak result is isolated to one city or part of a broader geographic pattern. |
| Pivot from campaign to account | Reveals whether an issue is confined to one campaign or visible across the whole account. |
| Compare suggestions with existing exclusions | Avoids investigating a location that has already been handled. |
#Recommended workflow
Follow these steps to build reliable exclusion rules and move from manual review to trusted automation at your own pace.
- Define the business target Decide which KPI should drive the rule: maximum CPA, minimum ROAS, acceptable spend without conversions, or a combination of these.
- Add volume guards Set minimum impressions, clicks, or spend so Adnine only evaluates locations with enough data to judge fairly.
- Enable suggestion mode Let Adnine collect suggested cities and regions over one or more scheduled runs without changing anything in Google Ads.
- Review the dashboard and Location Explorer Check the Suggestions tab, Opportunities table, campaign and account pivots, and log history before approving the logic.
- Tune thresholds Raise or lower CPA, ROAS, spend, impression, or conversion thresholds until the suggested exclusions match the decisions you would make manually.
- Switch trusted rules to execution mode Enable automatic exclusions only after multiple suggestion-mode runs confirm that the rule catches real waste without blocking valuable locations.
- Monitor logs and stay aligned Review weekly run history, email summaries, and spend-saved estimates. Adjust thresholds when budgets, markets, offers, or conversion tracking change.
#Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Pitfalls and fixes
| Mistake | Why it causes problems | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Excluding locations with very few impressions | Low data samples produce misleading CPA and ROAS figures. | Add a minimum impressions or spend guard to every rule. |
| Switching to execution mode too quickly | Rules that look right after one run can be too aggressive over time. | Run in suggestion mode for at least 2-3 scheduled cycles before automating. |
| Using the same thresholds for all accounts | Accounts differ in margin, conversion quality, and geographic focus. | Configure account-level rules when performance targets vary by advertiser. |
| Judging a city without checking campaigns | A city can underperform in one campaign and convert well in another. | Use Location Explorer pivots to compare campaign-level context before excluding. |
| Ignoring the Exclusions tab | Exclusions applied months ago may no longer reflect current account goals. | Audit the Exclusions tab periodically and reverse outdated exclusions in Google Ads. |
#Troubleshooting
Common questions
Adnine flagged a location I know is performing well. What should I do?
Why are some locations appearing as suggestions but never reaching the Exclusions tab?
My rules look correct but no suggestions are being generated. What is wrong?
Can I exclude at region level instead of city level?
How do I revert an exclusion that was applied in execution mode?
Does the tool check Performance Max campaigns?
What does 'spend saved' mean on the dashboard?
#Best practices
- Start every new rule in suggestion mode and review at least two or three runs before switching to execution mode.
- Add minimum spend, impression, or click guards to every efficiency rule so low-data locations are not excluded prematurely.
- Review city and region patterns together. A city-level weakness often reflects a broader regional signal.
- Use Location Explorer pivots to check whether a location is weak across the whole account or only in a specific campaign.
- Configure account-level rules when performance targets differ by advertiser, market, margin, or conversion quality.
- Check the Exclusions tab periodically and reverse any exclusions that no longer reflect current account strategy.
- Review run logs weekly and update thresholds when budgets, seasonal patterns, offers, or conversion tracking change.
- Use execution mode only for rules that have produced reliable, consistent suggestions over multiple scheduled runs.