Platforms
Dynamic Radius Targeting for Event Ticket Ads
Dynamic radius targeting is a geo-targeting method for time-bound events. It starts broad, at state level or 200+ miles, to build awareness and clean data, then tightens to 15–50 miles around the venue as the date approaches. Bidding and creative move with each phase, so the campaign concentrates on local, high-intent buyers.
What problem does dynamic radius targeting solve?
Most event campaigns pick one target area and leave it alone. That ignores how buyers behave. Weeks out, interest is regional and early. In the final days, the people still buying are mostly close to the venue and ready to act.
A fixed area gets both phases wrong. Too wide late on, and ads reach people who will never travel. Too tight early on, and the campaign starves the bidding algorithms of the data they need. Dynamic radius targeting changes the area as the event gets closer, so the targeting matches where buyers are at each point.
How does the phased approach work?
We plan four phases against the event calendar:
Phase | Timing | Target area |
|---|---|---|
Awareness | 12–6 weeks before | Surrounding states, or 200 miles |
Consideration | 6–2 weeks before | 100+ mile radius |
Conversion | 2 weeks to the event | 15–50 mile hyper-local radius |
Optimization | Throughout | Weekly adjustments, with conversion tracking through Google tags and Meta pixels |
The early phase gathers clean data while the radius is wide, and the campaign leans in as the radius shrinks and intent peaks. The early phase is longer and suits feed-based awareness on Meta. The late phase is shorter and leans on Search, where buyers are actively looking for tickets.
How do bidding and creative change with each phase?
The radius isn't the only thing that moves.
Bidding. We start on Manual CPC while data builds, then move to value-based strategies such as Target ROAS or Maximize Conversion Value once there is enough conversion data.
Creative. Early ads build awareness with broad storytelling. Mid- and late-phase creative shifts to urgency, venue visuals and local messaging.
Keywords. Negative keywords filter out searches that look relevant but don't convert.
Audience. We layer demographics with lookalikes from past events, keeping early phases inclusive and tightening later. We also A/B test broad against narrow audience groups.
What does it look like in practice?
A first-year golf event. For a first-time golf tournament featuring retired athletes from major pro leagues, we ran the method on Google and Meta in stages:
Awareness: the surrounding states, with 55M combined reach, starting small while the campaign gathered clean data.
Semi-awareness: the host state alone, with 31M reach.
Refined consideration: a 170-mile radius around the venue, plus a 100-mile radius around a nearby major city.
Conversion: 50-mile pins on the venue and a nearby major city. Two to three weeks out, we pushed the radius under 50 miles, when intent was at its peak.
By the late phase, the audience had narrowed to 346K-407K specific profiles. The source doesn't record ticket or ROAS results for this event, so we don't quote any.
A large fan event. For a large fan event, the dynamic radius narrowed to under 50 miles in the final week. The campaign delivered 5.03 Google Ads ROAS and 2.63 Meta ROAS, with 1,930 Google Ads conversions. A/B tests on keywords and video length, along with negative keywords, refined it along the way.
A global live entertainment event. Narrowing the radius as the date approached was part of how we reached 41.20 Google Search ROAS for a global live entertainment event.
A pro football client. For a pro football client's ticketing campaign on Google Ads, we narrowed the target area in three phases:
Broad phase (awareness): the home state and surrounding states, with a 2.9M-3.5M est. audience size.
Mid phase (consideration): a 200mi radius around the stadium, as intent sharpened.
Final phase (conversion): a 15mi pin on the home city, to reach local fans near the venue.
When doesn't dynamic radius targeting fit?
It's built for time-sensitive, location-bound campaigns: sports events, concerts, festivals, fan activations and pop-ups. It isn't a fit for:
Evergreen ecommerce or national brand campaigns with no geographic tie, where static broad targeting works better.
Virtual events, where there's no physical pull and narrowing adds nothing.
If you're unsure, A/B test it against a static setup on Google and Meta and let the results decide.
Which platforms does it work on?
We've run it mainly on Google and Meta, including YouTube. The same logic adapts to other platforms with geo-targeting, such as TikTok and X, and we plan the mix around each event. ChatGPT Ads and other channels can sit alongside it where they earn a place.
We review performance regularly against a verified baseline. See our live events work, sports work, and related Insights on ticket ads for theatre and touring, promoting a fan convention, Search, YouTube and Meta for one fan event and pro football Search ads.
Planning an event with a fixed date and venue? Let's map your radius phases together. Book a call
See the case study: Dynamic Radius Targeting: States to a 15-Mile Pin.
Related: fan event case study · 41.20 ROAS for a global live entertainment event
Frequently asked questions
What is dynamic radius targeting? A geo-targeting method for time-bound events. It starts broad, at state level or 200+ miles, and tightens to 15–50 miles around the venue as the date approaches, with bidding and creative moving with each phase.
When should the radius tighten? We plan awareness 12–6 weeks out, consideration with a 100+ mile radius 6–2 weeks out, and a 15–50 mile hyper-local radius in the final two weeks.
Does dynamic radius targeting work for ecommerce? Not for evergreen ecommerce or national brand campaigns without a geographic tie. It's built for events and activations with a physical venue and a fixed date.
What results has it been part of? For a large fan event, 5.03 Google Ads ROAS and 2.63 Meta ROAS. For a global live entertainment event, 41.20 Google Search ROAS.
Which platforms does it work on? Mainly Google and Meta, including YouTube. The approach adapts to other platforms with geo-targeting, such as TikTok and X.