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Understanding TikTok Location Targeting: How to Reach Your Ideal Audience

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Have you ever wondered if TikTok’s location targeting could limit your reach to specific regions?

For instance, if you’re in South Korea, can you only target South Korean users? Or if you’re in the Netherlands, are you restricted to targeting Europe? Simply put, the answer is yes—location matters on TikTok.

In this blog post, we discuss the relation between location and visibility with your target audience.

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The Challenge with VPNs and Location Changes

Many people have tried to bypass TikTok’s location restrictions using VPNs or changing their device settings. My team and I tested this ourselves, attempting to use VPNs and altering the location on our phones and web browsers.

Unfortunately, we found these methods ineffective, and our trusted business network reports the same. So, if you’re considering spending money on a premium VPN for this purpose, it might not be worth the investment. However, since technology can change, we will continue to test it on our end.

My Workaround: Leveraging a Global Team

My team works remotely from various parts of the world, which offers a unique advantage. For example, one of our team members is based in the Netherlands. When she logs into our TikTok account and schedules content from her location, we can successfully target the European market.

Analytics also showed evidence on this theory. I recently filmed a TikTok video and analyzed its performance. When my team member from the Netherlands scheduled the video, the majority of the audience was from Europe.

In contrast, when I scheduled content from South Korea, 90% of the audience was Korean. This is not the most ideal outcome as my content targets English-speaking audiences, which is comparatively small among the broader Korean audience.

This clearly illustrates that TikTok heavily relies on the location from where the content is uploaded.

Scheduling Tools and Location Issues

We also experimented with third-party scheduling tools like Metricool. Despite changing the location settings within these tools, the results remained the same. Content scheduled from South Korea continued to target mostly Korean users. This highlights that the issue isn’t just with TikTok’s app but also with third-party schedulers.

Strategic Solutions for Global Targeting

If you’re aiming to reach a global audience but are limited by your geographical location, consider the following strategies:

1. Hire a Virtual Assistant (VA)

Use platforms like Upwork to hire a VA based in your target region. This is a cost-effective solution for scheduling content without breaking the bank.

2. Collaborate with a Freelancer or Agency

If you have the budget, hiring a freelancer or an agency can help you devise a comprehensive content strategy and handle the scheduling from the desired location.

Remember, sometimes it’s not about the content but where you are when you upload it. If you want to target a global audience, you need to strategically manage your location. Determine your ideal market—whether it’s the US, Europe, or Asia—and adjust your approach accordingly.

I hope you found this information helpful! If you are looking for social media marketing support detailed for your business, feel free to fill in a request form for a 1-on-1 consultation with me!

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Hyein

I’m an award-winning global marketing expert running HY Marketing in South Korea. We help businesses succeed in South Korea, Japan, and English-speaking markets through social media and Facebook ads.

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