How to Target Local Customers With Facebook Ads

[vianinja]

When you understand your customers, you can better solve their unique situations in their communications, which helps to increase the effectiveness of your advertising.

Direct any type of Facebook advertisement to local audiences, including four designed specifically for local marketers; you just need to specify the desired geographical area for the audience in the targeting settings.

Thanks to the Facebook advertising targeting features, you can easily target your content to Facebook users living in or around your city.

You can also use the Facebook user audience tool to target people who are already on your mailing list. Or a Facebook-like feature that targets people who have similar interests with people on your mailing list.

To increase conversions, you can also redirect local customers using their email address or phone number. Show the audience relevant advertising campaigns that will encourage them to call again. A target audience similar to your most valuable subscribers is also a good option.

If you are a local business, it makes sense to restrict access to your ads to people who are within a reasonable distance of your location. This applies regardless of whether you are promoting a post, promoting your page or trying to send people to your site.

 

[Marc van Leeuwen]

Thanks for sharing this information but I think Facebook ads only work for any niches and it is difficult to get customers from this networks because people not tend to buy products services there, they only view and giving likes for fun. I spend pretty much into Facebook ads, I targeted audience carefully but the result is not as my expectation.

 

[Aby]

I think Facebook ads are spot on. Even if the visitor doesn't buy a product, he/she likes it and moves on. This can be used as a metric to find out whether one needs to improve or not in making an ad. This can further be refined to know whether what are strides to improve upon.

 

[jeffscott]

Honestly speaking, Facebook ads is not recommended for your direct marketing campaign this is why most of the marketers failed on this kind of paid adverstisements because in reality target users doesn't intend to buy in Facebook.

 

[VanessaChuuy]

To target local customers with Facebook Ads, follow these steps:

1. Set Location Targeting

• Choose "People living in or recently in this location" (for residents).
• Add your city, ZIP code, or radius (e.g., 10-20 miles around your business).

2. Use Detailed Demographics

• Filter by age, gender, interests (e.g., "art buyers," "local shoppers").
• Target "Engaged Shoppers" or "Small Business Supporters."

3. Run Localized Ad Creatives

• Mention your city (e.g., "Exclusive Art Sale in [Your City]!").
• Show local landmarks or customer testimonials.

4. Use Lead Ads for Local Promotions

• Offer discounts, events, or pickup deals to nearby users.

5. Retarget Local Visitors

• Use Facebook Pixel to retarget website visitors from your area.

Best Ad Type?

• "Store Traffic" (if you have a physical location).
• "Lead Generation" (for local inquiries).

 

[angelyca105]

This is spot on. Understanding your customers is the foundation of any effective advertising strategy—and Facebook’s targeting tools make it incredibly easy to put that insight into action.


For local businesses especially, narrowing your audience by location ensures your ads are only seen by the people who are most likely to convert. Pair that with custom and lookalike audiences based on your email list, and you’ve got a powerful way to stay top of mind with both existing and potential customers.


I’ve found that combining geo-targeting with personalized copy that speaks directly to local pain points really helps boost engagement. Great insights here!

 

[RemiBrady121]

Best answer

You're all making solid points. Facebook advertising can definitely be hit-or-miss, especially if you're not targeting correctly or expecting quick conversions.


But for local businesses, it still holds value—if used strategically. You're not just selling a product; you're building awareness in your neighborhood. Using tools like custom audiences (email/phone-based), lookalike audiences, and geo-targeting, you can get your brand in front of the right people—those most likely to visit your shop or call your service.


People might not buy right away, but they’ll remember. That’s where consistent branding + retargeting comes in.


Want to test it out? Just dig a little deeper into how high-performing local businesses set up their campaigns—it’s not just about likes, it’s about layered targeting and message match.