Question 1

Does this work for Performance Max campaigns?

Accepted Answer

Yes — that's the main reason it exists. PMax serves to every surrounding area you don't explicitly exclude, even when you set 'people in your targeted locations' only. ZipFencer builds the exclusion list for the surrounding ZIPs in seconds so you can paste it straight into your PMax campaign.

Question 2

Can I import locations from Google Ads?

Accepted Answer

Yes — on Starter and Pro. Upload a Google Ads Locations report or Editor CSV from Add Location. Radius rows (e.g. 1.4|mi|(lat,lng)) become location cards; postal codes merge into your include and exclude lists. County selection and custom polygon drawing are Pro-only.

Question 3

Will Google Ads actually accept the CSV?

Accepted Answer

The Starter and Pro CSV export is formatted for Google Ads Editor's bulk-upload location targeting. You import it in Editor, then push to your campaign. Demo users get a watermarked 25-ZIP sample; sign in for the full plain-text list.

Question 4

Can I use this for Search and Display, not just PMax?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The output is just a list of ZIPs — it works for any Google Ads campaign type that supports location targeting (Search, Display, Shopping, Demand Gen, PMax).

Question 5

Why not just use Google Ads' built-in radius targeting?

Accepted Answer

Built-in radius targets a circle around a pin, but it can't break the circle into tiers, can't combine multiple radii cleanly, and can't generate an exclusion list of the surrounding ZIPs — which is exactly what PMax needs.

Question 6

What's a donut targeting mode?

Accepted Answer

A donut is a ring with the middle removed — for example, include ZIPs from 10–25 miles around an address while excluding the inner 10 miles. Useful when you don't want to compete in the immediate area (e.g. you already have a location there).

Question 7

What's bullseye targeting?

Accepted Answer

Bullseye splits a single address into 2–5 concentric rings. Each tier becomes its own ZIP list, which you can bid on separately in different campaigns or ad groups.

Question 8

When should I use polygon zones instead of a radius?

Accepted Answer

Use polygons when your service area isn't circular — neighborhoods, school districts, custom delivery zones, or areas bounded by highways and rivers. Draw the shape on the map, and we'll return every ZIP inside, plus an optional buffer ring for exclusion.

Question 9

How accurate are the ZIP boundaries?

Accepted Answer

We use official Census ZCTA (ZIP Code Tabulation Area) polygons. These are the most accurate publicly available ZIP boundaries and match what Google Ads uses for ZIP-level targeting.

Question 10

Does ZipFencer work outside the United States?

Accepted Answer

No. ZipFencer is built on US Census ZCTA data and only covers ZIP codes within the United States (including DC and US territories where ZCTAs exist). International postal codes — Canadian FSAs, UK postcodes, etc. — are not supported.

Question 11

What happens when ZIPs overlap between locations?

Accepted Answer

Inclusions always win over exclusions. If one location includes a ZIP and another excludes it, the ZIP stays included. This matches how Google Ads resolves conflicting targeting rules.

Question 12

Can I cancel anytime?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Cancel from your billing portal — paid features stay active until the end of your current billing period, then you drop back to a logged-in account with Demo-level limits. Your saved data stays intact.

Question 13

Do I need a credit card to try it?

Accepted Answer

No. The live demo runs with no signup at all. Create an account (email only) to unlock the full plain-text ZIP list and local saved searches — add a card only when you upgrade to Starter or Pro.

Question 14

Is my data private?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your saved searches and polygons are stored in your account and protected by row-level security — only you can read or write them. See our Privacy Policy for details.

Frequently asked questions

Google Ads & Performance Max

Targeting modes

Accuracy & data

Billing & account

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