SFMF PRO | I'm targeting specific countries in my campaign, but I'm also receiving conversions from non-targeted countries. How is this possible?
First and foremost; Google can speak for themselves as we do not like to speak on Google's behalf.
But the following are possible scenarios as to why you may be seeing conversions from countries you are not targeting in your campaign. The information below is not absolute. This is our findings from running Google Ads campaigns for many years and it is based from our experience.
Possibility #1: Google is not 100% accurate. Google has algorithms in place that are close to 100% accurate. In our opinion; we believe Google's country specific targeting is about 99.9% accurate. So sometimes you will receive traffic or conversion from countries you are not targeting. But it is extremely rare.
Possibility #2: You can sometimes get visitors using incognito or are behind a firewall and do not like to be tracked. Or maybe even using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Now this can work in opposite ways. For example:
First Scenario:
Say you are targeting USA as a country in your campaign but NOT targeting Canada.
I can be in Canada using a VPN that says I am in USA however I am in Canada.
Second Scenario:
OR... I could be using incognito or hiding my IP address but I am from USA (which you are taregting); but because I am hiding my IP; it shows I am from Canada.
All these scenarios causes some of the traffic and conversion to fall through the cracks and present itself as inaccurate or traffic and conversion that you did not ask for or target
And THIS IS OK.. Do not look so deeply into it. As long as your targeting "country-wise" is more than 95% accurate then this is the best you can really in our opinion, and you are on the right track.
If you need further assistance; it is best you contact Google Ads for that.