Your competitors aren’t just competing with you after a customer calls.
They’re competing for attention long before that.
Potential customers may visit several businesses, research multiple providers, compare websites, read reviews and see advertisements from different companies before deciding who gets their business.
Geo-conquesting is one advertising strategy designed to help your business become part of that consideration process.
Despite the aggressive-sounding name, the idea is fairly straightforward: use location-based advertising to reach audiences associated with relevant competitor locations and give them another business to consider.
Done well, it isn’t about “stealing” anyone’s customers.
It’s about giving potential customers another choice.
Quick Answer: Geo-conquesting is a specialized form of location-based advertising that focuses on audiences associated with selected competitor locations. The goal isn’t to attack the competitor; it’s to introduce your business as another option to people who may already be researching or shopping within your category. It works best when competitor-location activity provides a meaningful signal of potential buying interest.
What Is Geo-Conquesting?
Geo-conquesting is a form of location-based advertising that focuses on competitor locations.
It is closely related to geofencing.
With traditional geofencing, a business may build audiences around any number of relevant locations—events, venues, commercial areas or places associated with its target customer.
Geo-conquesting narrows that idea specifically to competitive locations.
Depending on the advertising platform and available data, an audience associated with selected locations can potentially be reached through eligible digital advertising inventory.
The business can then introduce its brand, products, services or offers to people who may already be considering that type of purchase.
What Does Geo-Conquesting Look Like in Practice?
Suppose you operate an RV dealership.
People visiting other RV dealerships in your regional market may be actively comparing models, prices, floor plans and dealerships.
A geo-conquesting campaign could make your dealership visible to an appropriate audience associated with selected competitive locations.
The message might highlight:
A particular RV model.
Available inventory.
Financing options.
A trade-in opportunity.
A dealership advantage.
A useful buyer’s guide.
Or simply another place to shop and compare.
The goal isn’t necessarily to convince someone to abandon another dealership on the spot.
For a considered purchase like an RV, vehicle, home-improvement project or professional service, that’s often unrealistic.
The goal may simply be to get your business onto the customer’s consideration list.
When Does Geo-Conquesting Make Sense?
This strategy tends to make the most sense when visiting a competitor’s location suggests meaningful purchase intent.
Consider a few examples.
A vehicle shopper visiting multiple dealerships may still be comparing options.
Someone evaluating home-improvement products or services may visit several showrooms.
A prospective resident or family member evaluating senior-living communities may research multiple facilities.
Customers shopping for furniture, recreational products or other significant purchases may visit several retailers before making a decision.
In each situation, competitor-location activity may indicate that the person is actively researching a category.
That’s very different from targeting people simply because they happen to live nearby.
Your Competitive Advantage Still Has to Matter
Targeting a competitor’s location doesn’t automatically make your business appealing.
You still need to answer the customer’s underlying question:
“Why should I consider you?”
That doesn’t always mean offering the lowest price.
Your advantage might be:
Better selection.
Specialized expertise.
Faster service.
A convenient location.
Better availability.
A unique product.
Stronger customer support.
A particular guarantee.
A useful consultation.
A more personalized experience.
Your advertising should focus on a real reason for someone to learn more about you rather than simply announcing that you exist.
Don’t Make Every Ad About the Competitor
Geo-conquesting is based on competitive targeting, but that doesn’t mean your advertisement needs to attack or even name another company.
In many cases, focusing on your own strengths creates a better message.
Instead of:
“Don’t buy from them.”
Think:
“Here’s another option worth considering.”
That’s a more natural customer experience and gives you room to communicate your own value rather than building the entire campaign around somebody else’s business.
What Happens After Someone Clicks?
This is just as important as the targeting.
If your advertisement highlights a particular product, service or offer, the destination should continue that conversation.
Someone clicking an advertisement for a specific RV model should ideally reach information about that RV or closely related inventory.
Someone clicking an advertisement about a particular home service should land on a page explaining that service.
Don’t make interested prospects start over at your homepage.
The easier it is for someone to continue researching, the better the customer journey.
Reputation Matters Too
Competitive advertising can introduce someone to your business.
Then they may Google you.
What happens next?
They might read your reviews.
Look at your Google Business Profile.
Visit your website.
Check your social media.
Compare your business with the company they were already considering.
That means geo-conquesting doesn’t operate in isolation.
Your advertising may be excellent, but your online reputation and website still have to support the decision.
This is why advertising, local visibility, reviews and conversion should work together rather than as separate marketing activities.
How Should a Geo-Conquesting Campaign Be Measured?
Start with the goal.
Are you trying to create awareness?
Generate website visits?
Produce calls or form submissions?
Increase showroom visits?
Promote specific inventory?
Generate appointments?
Different goals require different measurements.
Advertising metrics such as impressions and clicks are useful, but they should not automatically be treated as business results.
Whenever possible, look further down the customer journey.
Did the campaign generate meaningful website activity?
Did prospects contact you?
Did you receive qualified inquiries?
Did appointments or visits increase?
Did the campaign contribute to sales opportunities?
Those are much more useful questions than simply asking how many times an ad appeared.
Is Geo-Conquesting Ethical?
This deserves a more thoughtful answer than simply saying yes.
Responsible location-based advertising should use reputable platforms and data practices, follow applicable privacy requirements and advertising policies, and avoid sensitive or inappropriate targeting.
Businesses should also consider how the campaign would feel from the customer’s perspective.
Just because technology makes a particular type of targeting possible doesn’t automatically make it appropriate for every situation.
A good marketing strategy respects both the customer and the business.
Geo-Conquesting Is a Tactic—Not a Marketing Plan
Geo-conquesting can be useful because it focuses advertising on an audience that may already be demonstrating interest in your category.
But it still needs to connect with everything that comes next:
Targeting → Message → Landing Page → Trust → Lead Capture → Follow-Up → Measurement
If those pieces aren’t working, more sophisticated targeting won’t solve the underlying problem.
When they are working, geo-conquesting can become a useful addition to a broader advertising and lead-generation strategy.
FAQ
What is geo-conquesting?
Geo-conquesting is a form of location-based advertising that focuses on audiences associated with selected competitor locations. Its purpose is to introduce your business as another option to people who may already be considering products or services in your category.
What is the difference between geofencing and geo-conquesting?
Geofencing is a broad location-based advertising strategy that can use many types of relevant locations. Geo-conquesting is a more specific strategy that focuses on competitor locations.
How does geo-conquesting advertising work?
A campaign identifies appropriate competitor locations and, depending on the advertising platform and available data, uses those locations as signals for building relevant advertising audiences. Ads can then introduce your business, products or offers to eligible members of that audience.
What types of businesses can use geo-conquesting?
It can be particularly useful when customers commonly compare several businesses before making a purchase. Examples may include vehicle and RV dealerships, home-improvement businesses, retailers, furniture stores and other considered-purchase categories.
Does geo-conquesting mean advertising against a specific competitor?
Not necessarily. Competitor locations may help define the audience, while the advertising itself can focus entirely on your own products, services, benefits or offers.
Is geo-conquesting legal and ethical?
Businesses should use reputable advertising platforms, comply with applicable privacy requirements and platform policies, and avoid sensitive or inappropriate targeting. The fact that a targeting method is technically available doesn’t automatically mean it is appropriate for every campaign.
How should a geo-conquesting campaign be measured?
Measurement should reflect the campaign objective and may include qualified website activity, calls, form submissions, appointments, showroom visits, leads and sales opportunities in addition to advertising metrics such as impressions and clicks.
Want to Know if Competitive Targeting Makes Sense for Your Business?
Marketing Services USA helps businesses evaluate advertising strategies based on their customers, competitive market, goals and budget.
If geo-conquesting or other location-based advertising could fit your market, a free Discovery Session can help identify the opportunity and how it would connect with the rest of your marketing.
Also Read:How Google Reviews Can Transform Your Business Reputation (And How You Can Get More)