How do I exclude specific locations from my targeting in Bing Ads?

Excluding specific locations from your targeting in Bing Ads (Microsoft Advertising) helps refine your audience and ensure that your ads are not shown to users in locations where they are less likely to convert or where you do not want to spend your budget. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to exclude specific locations from your targeting:

### **1. Access Your Bing Ads Account**

- **Log In**: Sign in to your Bing Ads account.
- **Navigate to Campaigns**: Go to the "Campaigns" tab to access the list of your campaigns.

### **2. Select the Campaign or Ad Group**

- **Choose Campaign**: Select the campaign where you want to exclude locations. You can also apply exclusions at the ad group level if needed.
- **Open Settings**: Click on the campaign or ad group to view its settings.

### **3. Go to Location Targeting Settings**

- **Settings Tab**: Find and click on the "Settings" tab for the selected campaign or ad group.
- **Location Targeting**: Locate the "Location Targeting" section. This is where you manage where your ads are shown geographically.

### **4. Add Location Exclusions**

- **Edit Locations**: Look for an option such as "Edit Locations" or "Manage Locations." This will allow you to modify your location targeting settings.
- **Location Exclusions**: Find the section for "Location Exclusions" or "Exclude Locations." This is where you can specify which locations you want to exclude from your targeting.

### **5. Enter Locations to Exclude**

- **Search for Locations**: Use the search functionality to find specific locations you want to exclude. You can enter cities, states, countries, or postal codes.
- **Select Locations**: Choose the locations you wish to exclude from the list of search results.
- **Add Exclusions**: Click on the "Add" or "Exclude" button to apply these locations as exclusions for your campaign.

### **6. Review and Apply Changes**

- **Review Exclusions**: Double-check the list of excluded locations to ensure accuracy.
- **Save Changes**: Click on "Save" or "Apply" to confirm and implement your changes.

### **7. Monitor Performance**

- **Track Impact**: After excluding locations, monitor your campaign performance to evaluate the impact of the changes. Look for improvements in metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and return on ad spend (ROAS).
- **Adjust as Needed**: Based on performance data, you may need to adjust your location exclusions further to optimize your targeting strategy.

### **Example Scenario**

**Scenario**: You are running a national campaign for a product that is only available in specific states, and you want to exclude locations outside these states.

1. **Go to Campaigns**: Access the "Campaigns" tab in Bing Ads.
2. **Select Campaign**: Choose the campaign you wish to edit.
3. **Settings Tab**: Navigate to the "Settings" tab.
4. **Location Targeting**: Find "Location Targeting" and click on "Edit Locations."
5. **Add Exclusions**: Search for states or cities outside your target area (e.g., exclude all states except New York, California, and Texas).
6. **Apply Exclusions**: Select the locations to exclude and click "Save."

### **Additional Tips**

- **Negative Location Targeting**: Consider using negative location targeting if you want to exclude locations where you are getting poor performance but do not want to exclude them entirely from all campaigns.
- **Geographic Performance Data**: Use performance data to identify which locations are underperforming or not relevant, and use this data to make informed exclusion decisions.
- **Review Regularly**: Periodically review and update your location exclusions as your business needs and market conditions change.

By carefully managing location exclusions in Bing Ads, you can ensure that your ads are shown only to the most relevant audience, thereby optimizing your budget and improving overall campaign effectiveness.