How to Create Geo-Targeted Links in useclick.io

Create location-specific links to deliver targeted content to your audience.

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Video tutorial demonstrating How to Create Geo-Targeted Links in useclick.io. Create location-specific links to deliver targeted content to your audience.

Geo-targeting is a powerful feature that allows you to deliver different content to users based on their geographic location. Instead of sending everyone to the same destination, you can customize where each visitor lands based on their country—making your campaigns more relevant, personalized, and effective.

What is Geo-Targeting?

Geo-targeting (also called location-based routing) automatically redirects visitors to different URLs based on their geographic location. When someone clicks your link, UseClick detects their country and sends them to the most relevant destination you've configured for that location.

For example, a single link like useclick.io/sale could redirect:

  • US visitors to your US store with USD pricing
  • UK visitors to your UK store with GBP pricing
  • German visitors to your German store with EUR pricing
  • Everyone else to your international store

Key Features

  • Country-Level Targeting: Route visitors based on 195+ countries
  • Default Fallback URL: Automatic redirect for unmatched countries
  • Unlimited Geo Rules: Add as many country destinations as you need
  • Real-Time Detection: Instant location detection with high accuracy
  • Per-Country Analytics: Track performance by geographic region
  • Easy Testing: Preview mode to test each country destination
  • Works Everywhere: Compatible with all link types and campaigns

Why Use Geo-Targeting?

Improved User Experience

Visitors land on content in their language, currency, and relevant to their region. No more confusing international visitors with US-only offers or wrong currency pricing.

Higher Conversion Rates

Localized content converts better. Studies show geo-targeted campaigns can improve conversion rates by 20-50% compared to generic campaigns.

Compliance & Legal Requirements

Some products, services, or promotions may only be available in certain countries due to legal restrictions, licensing, or compliance requirements.

Optimized Affiliate Marketing

Send visitors to region-specific affiliate programs to maximize commissions. Many affiliate programs pay different rates or have different products by country.

A/B Testing by Region

Test different landing pages, offers, or messaging for different geographic markets to optimize performance.

Plan Requirements

Geo-targeting is available on Starter, Growth, Pro, and Business plans. Free plan users can upgrade to access this feature.

Plan Geo-Targeting Countries Supported
Free Not available -
Starter Available All countries
Growth Available All countries
Pro Available All countries
Business Available All countries

Getting Started: Create Your First Geo-Targeted Link

Step 1: Create or Edit a Link

  1. Log into your UseClick dashboard
  2. Click "Create Link" or edit an existing link
  3. Enter your default destination URL (fallback for countries without specific rules)
  4. Create the link as normal

Step 2: Access Geo-Targeting Settings

  1. After creating your link, find it in your dashboard
  2. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to the link
  3. Select "Geo-Targeting" from the dropdown
  4. The Geo-Targeting Manager modal will open

Step 3: Add Country-Specific Destinations

  1. In the Geo-Targeting Manager, click "Add Geo Target"
  2. Select a country from the dropdown (searchable list)
  3. Enter the destination URL for that country
  4. Click "Add Target" to save
  5. Repeat for additional countries as needed

Step 4: Set Your Default URL

The default URL (your original link destination) is where visitors from unmatched countries will be sent. This acts as your fallback destination.

Example: If you've added geo rules for US, UK, and Canada, but a visitor from Australia clicks your link, they'll be sent to the default URL.

Step 5: Test Your Geo-Targeted Link

  1. In the Geo-Targeting Manager, you'll see all your configured countries
  2. Click the "Preview" icon next to any country to test that destination
  3. Or copy your short link and test it with a VPN to simulate different locations

Common Use Cases

1. E-Commerce Regional Stores

Scenario: You run an online store with separate sites for different regions.

Setup:

  • US visitors → store.com/us (USD pricing)
  • UK visitors → store.co.uk (GBP pricing)
  • EU visitors → store.eu (EUR pricing)
  • Default → store.com/international

Result: Everyone sees prices in their local currency, reducing cart abandonment.

2. Affiliate Marketing by Region

Scenario: You're promoting a software product with different affiliate programs per country.

Setup:

  • US visitors → Your US affiliate link (higher commission)
  • Canada visitors → Your Canadian affiliate link
  • UK visitors → Your UK affiliate link
  • Default → International affiliate link

Result: Maximize commissions by using region-specific affiliate programs.

3. Event Registrations

Scenario: You're hosting events in multiple cities.

Setup:

  • US visitors → New York event registration
  • UK visitors → London event registration
  • Germany visitors → Berlin event registration
  • Default → Virtual event registration

Result: Visitors automatically see the event closest to them.

4. App Store Links

Scenario: Promote your mobile app with a single link.

Setup:

  • US visitors → US App Store link
  • UK visitors → UK App Store link
  • Android users (all countries) → Google Play Store
  • Default → Landing page with app info

Result: Users land directly in their regional app store.

5. Legal Compliance & Restricted Content

Scenario: Your product is only available in certain countries due to regulations.

Setup:

  • Approved countries → Product page
  • Restricted countries → "Not available in your region" page
  • Default → General information page

Result: Comply with legal requirements while maintaining a single promotional link.

6. Language-Specific Content

Scenario: You have content translated into multiple languages.

Setup:

  • Spain visitors → Spanish version
  • France visitors → French version
  • Germany visitors → German version
  • Default → English version

Result: Visitors see content in their native language automatically.

Best Practices for Geo-Targeting

Plan Your Geo Strategy

  • Start with top markets: Add geo rules for your largest traffic sources first
  • Research your audience: Check your analytics to see where visitors are coming from
  • Consider time zones: Think about when different regions will see your content
  • Group similar countries: For efficiency, you can send similar regions to the same destination

Optimize Your Destinations

  • Match language and currency: Ensure destination pages match visitor expectations
  • Test each destination: Verify every country's URL works and loads correctly
  • Use relevant offers: Tailor promotions, products, and messaging to each region
  • Mobile optimization: Ensure all destination pages work well on mobile devices

Set a Strong Default URL

  • Universal appeal: Your default should work for any country
  • Clear messaging: Consider a page that helps visitors find their regional option
  • International content: Use neutral language, currency, and examples
  • Contact information: Include support for international customers

Testing & Quality Assurance

  • Use VPN testing: Connect through VPNs to test different country experiences
  • Preview mode: Use UseClick's preview feature to test each destination
  • Ask team members: Have colleagues in different countries test your links
  • Monitor error rates: Watch for 404s or broken destination URLs

Managing Your Geo-Targeted Links

Editing Geo Targets

  1. Open the Geo-Targeting Manager for your link
  2. Find the country you want to modify
  3. Click the Edit icon to change the destination URL
  4. Click "Update" to save changes

Removing Geo Targets

  1. Open the Geo-Targeting Manager
  2. Find the country you want to remove
  3. Click the Delete/Trash icon
  4. Confirm deletion

Once removed, visitors from that country will be sent to your default URL instead.

Bulk Management Tips

  • Document your strategy: Keep a spreadsheet of which countries go where
  • Use naming conventions: Name your links clearly (e.g., "product-launch-geo")
  • Regular audits: Review and update your geo rules quarterly
  • Archive old campaigns: Remove geo rules for expired promotions

Analytics & Performance Tracking

Understanding Geo Analytics

UseClick provides detailed analytics for geo-targeted links:

  • Clicks by Country: See which countries are clicking your links
  • Conversion by Region: Track which geographic areas convert best
  • Default URL Traffic: Monitor how many visitors hit your fallback
  • Time-Based Data: See when different regions are most active

Key Metrics to Monitor

Click Distribution:

  • Are your targeted countries generating expected traffic?
  • Is one country dominating? Consider more granular targeting
  • Are there countries with high traffic but no geo rule? Add them!

Performance by Destination:

  • Which country-specific pages convert best?
  • Are there destinations with high bounce rates?
  • Do certain regions need different offers or content?

Default URL Usage:

  • High default URL traffic might indicate missing geo rules
  • Check which countries are hitting the default most often
  • Consider adding geo rules for high-volume default countries

Advanced Geo-Targeting Strategies

Regional Grouping

Group similar countries for efficiency:

Example: Europe:

  • Create one destination for all EU countries
  • Or separate destinations for major markets (UK, Germany, France) and group smaller countries

Example: Latin America:

  • Single destination for Spanish-speaking countries
  • Separate destination for Brazil (Portuguese)

Seasonal Campaigns

Adjust geo-targeting for seasonal offers:

  • Black Friday: Different start times across time zones
  • Holidays: Region-specific holiday promotions
  • Sports events: Super Bowl (US), World Cup (global)
  • Weather-based: Summer products (Northern vs Southern hemisphere)

Combining with Other Features

Geo + UTM Parameters:

  • Add ?utm_country=US to track geo-targeted traffic in Google Analytics
  • Automatically append region codes to your destination URLs

Geo + A/B Testing:

  • Test different landing pages for different countries
  • Run region-specific experiments

Geo + Campaigns:

  • Organize geo-targeted links by campaign
  • Track performance across multiple geo-targeted links

Testing Your Geo-Targeted Links

Method 1: Preview Mode (Recommended)

  1. Open the Geo-Targeting Manager for your link
  2. Click the Preview icon next to any country
  3. Your browser will open that country's destination
  4. Verify the page loads correctly and displays appropriate content

Method 2: VPN Testing

  1. Connect to a VPN server in the country you want to test
  2. Open an incognito/private browser window
  3. Click your short link
  4. Verify you're redirected to the correct destination
  5. Repeat for each country you've configured

Method 3: URL Parameter Override (Testing Only)

UseClick supports testing parameters (this is for testing only, not for production use):

  • Append ?test_country=US to your short link
  • This simulates a visitor from that country
  • Replace US with any ISO country code
Pro Tip: Create a test checklist for each geo-targeted campaign. Verify every country destination works before launching your campaign to avoid sending visitors to broken links.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Visitors aren't being redirected correctly

Solutions:

  • Check that the country code is correct (use ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes)
  • Verify the destination URL is complete and valid (include https://)
  • Clear your browser cache and test in incognito mode
  • Confirm the link isn't cached on the visitor's end

Default URL is being used too often

Solutions:

  • Check your analytics to see which countries are hitting default
  • Add geo rules for high-traffic countries you're missing
  • Verify your geo rules are saved correctly
  • Consider if VPN users are being counted as default traffic

Geo-targeting option is grayed out

Solutions:

  • Verify you're on a paid plan (Starter or higher)
  • Check that your subscription is active
  • Try refreshing the dashboard
  • Contact support if the issue persists

Analytics showing wrong countries

Solutions:

  • Remember that geolocation is based on IP address and ~95% accurate
  • VPN users will show their VPN server's country
  • Mobile carrier data can sometimes be mislocated
  • Check if you have bot traffic or scrapers hitting your links

Destination URL has query parameters already

Example: Your destination is store.com/product?id=123

Solution: This works fine! UseClick preserves existing query parameters. Your geo-targeted destination can include any parameters you need.

Country Codes Reference

UseClick uses ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes. Here are some common ones:

Country Code Country Code
United States US United Kingdom GB
Canada CA Australia AU
Germany DE France FR
Spain ES Italy IT
Brazil BR Mexico MX
Japan JP China CN
India IN South Korea KR

The UseClick dashboard uses full country names in the dropdown, so you don't need to memorize codes—they're automatically applied.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is geo-location detection?

UseClick's geo-location is approximately 95-98% accurate at the country level. We use industry-leading IP geolocation databases that are updated regularly.

Can I target by city or region, not just country?

Currently, UseClick supports country-level geo-targeting only. City and region-level targeting may be added in the future.

What happens if a visitor uses a VPN?

Visitors using VPNs will be detected based on their VPN server's location, not their actual location. This is a limitation of all geo-targeting systems.

Can I see which geo rule was triggered for each click?

Yes! Your analytics show the detected country for each click, allowing you to see which geo rules are being used most often.

How many countries can I target per link?

There's no limit! Add as many country-specific destinations as you need for each link.

Does geo-targeting work with branded domains?

Absolutely! Geo-targeting works with all link types, including branded domains, custom slugs, and default useclick.io links.

Can I copy geo rules from one link to another?

Currently, you need to set up geo rules individually for each link. We recommend documenting your geo strategy to make setup faster for similar campaigns.

Will geo-targeting slow down my redirects?

No! Geo-targeting adds less than 10ms to redirect time. Visitors won't notice any difference in speed.

What if I change a geo target destination?

Changes take effect immediately. Anyone clicking the link after you save will be redirected to the new destination.

Can I temporarily disable geo-targeting without deleting rules?

Currently, to disable geo-targeting, you'd need to delete the rules. Consider creating a duplicate link if you want to preserve your geo setup.

Geo-Targeting Limits by Plan

Feature Starter Growth Pro Business
Geo-Targeting Available Yes Yes Yes Yes
Countries per Link Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited
Geo-Targeted Links Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited
Analytics Retention 12 months 24 months 36 months Unlimited

Need Help?

If you're having trouble with geo-targeting:

  • Email us at [email protected]
  • Check out our video tutorial above
  • Review your analytics to identify issues
  • Join our community for tips from other users

Start creating geo-targeted links today and deliver the right content to the right audience, no matter where they are in the world!