Strike Social Blog Cover - A Guide To DMA Geo-targeting On TikTok

A Guide To DMA Geo-targeting On TikTok: Reaching Location-based Audience


Strike Overview

  • Designated Market Area (DMA®) geo-targeting is a key feature for TikTok advertisers in North America, especially those targeting regions within the U.S., Hawaii, and parts of Alaska.
  • TikTok ranks as the 5th most-used social network globally, following major platforms like Meta and YouTube, with U.S. users making up roughly 10% of the worldwide user base. In 2024, 107.8 million active U.S. users create a significant opportunity for marketers to reach and engage specific audiences.
  • TikTok’s extensive reach combined with precise geo-targeting tools makes it a highly effective platform for advertisers looking to connect with diverse and localized audiences across the U.S.

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This post was updated in October 2024 to provide you with the latest information.

A Guide To DMA Geo-targeting On TikTok: Reaching Location-based Audience

Like other social media giants, TikTok has adopted Nielsen’s DMA, giving advertisers the advantage of targeting specific regions or cities within the U.S. for more localized campaigns.

This guide will walk you through the basics of using TikTok’s DMA geo-targeting and provide a list of over 100 DMAs for your next marketing strategy.

What is DMA Geo-targeting?

Geotargeting is a marketing strategy that allows you to focus your paid content on a selected consumer’s DMA. With this, TikTok can target app users by matching behavior data on current and recent location visits.

You can target specific demographics when running a video ad campaign on TikTok. This is done by choosing an available area from the drop-down menus in the “location” section. TikTok will show your video ad to users in a particular city based on the IP addresses of their mobile devices.


Further Reading

Marketers guide to TikTok ad specs - Strike Social
Strike Social’s Guide to TikTok Ad Creatives, Formats, and Specifications

We’ve outlined everything you need to ensure your TikTok ad creatives are spot-on and perfectly aligned with your audience’s devices. Explore the different ad formats, specifications, and dimensions essential for crafting a flawless TikTok campaign that captivates your viewers.


Why Use TikTok DMA Geo-targeting?

TikTok’s ad targeting has traditionally focused on audience behavior, such as the content users engage with and the creators or brands they interact with or purchase from. With DMA geo-targeting, brands can take targeting a step further, honing in on specific geographic areas to ensure they’re reaching the most relevant audience.

Beyond this, geo-targeting will enable brands to tap into TikTok’s highly engaged organic content, creating more action for the ad.

TikTok DMA location targeting is most effective when: 

  • Your business has one physical store and location-specific offers
  • Each store location has different landing pages

Where To Locate TikTok Location Targeting Options

  1. Create a campaign on TikTok Ads Manager.
  2. Under Targeting, go to Demographics > Location
  3. Type in a location, and then all the options for that location will come up.
  4. You will see County, State, Market (DMA). Note: Some locations have trademarked “DMA” after them, and you can click to target them. 
Adding TikTok DMA geotargeting on Ads Manager - United States DMA options
Adding TikTok DMA geotargeting on Ads Manager - sample for New York targeting

How To Create An Effective Plan When Targeting By Location

A good advertisement targets the right people so that it appeals to their interests and behaviors. However, advertisers can also go wrong by setting their parameters too broad or too narrow.

Setting the parameters too broad runs the promotion to many unnecessary viewers. In other words, serving the ad to people with no interest can quickly drive up ad costs.

Second, if you set your parameters too narrowly, you may miss an opportunity to learn what works, and at the same time, campaigns may not run consistently due to the small size of the audience pool.

List of Available US TikTok DMA Geo-targeting

We’ve compiled a list of DMAs you can use for geo-targeting on TikTok. You can use these DMAs to reach a broader audience in a specific region.

Available TikTok DMA Geo-targeting by US City

NameCity
New York CityNew York, Kings County, New York, United States
Los AngelesLos Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States
ChicagoChicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States
PhoenixPhoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States
San AntonioSan Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, United States
San DiegoSan Diego, San Diego County, California, United States
DallasDallas, Dallas County, Texas, United States
San JoseSan Jose, Santa Clara County, California, United States
JacksonvilleJacksonville, Duval County, Florida, United States
Fort WorthFort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, United States
CharlotteCharlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States
San FranciscoSan Francisco, City and County of San Francisco, California, United States
SeattleCity and County of San Francisco, California, United States
Oklahoma CityOklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States
BostonBoston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States
PortlandPortland, Multnomah County, Oregon, United States
DetroitDetroit, Wayne County, Michigan, United States
BaltimoreBaltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
AlbuquerqueAlbuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
TucsonTucson, Pima County, Arizona, United States
SacramentoSacramento, Sacramento County, California, United States
Kansas CityKansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, United States
MesaMesa, Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
AtlantaAtlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States
OmahaOmaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, United States
Colorado SpringsColorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado, United States
RaleighRaleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, United States
Long BeachLong Beach, Los Angeles County, California, United States
VirginiaVirginia Beach, Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States
OaklandOakland, Alameda County, California, United States
MinneapolisMinneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
TulsaTulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States
BakersfieldBakersfield, Kern County, California, United States
ArlingtonArlington, Tarrant County, Texas, United States
AuroraAurora, Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States
New OrleansNew Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States
ClevelandCleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States
AnaheimAnaheim, Orange County, California, United States
LexingtonLexington, Fayette County, Kentucky, United States
IrvineIrvine, Orange County, California, United States
StocktonStockton, San Joaquin County, California, United States
Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas, United States
CincinnatiCincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Santa AnaSanta Ana, Orange County, California, United States
GreensboroGreensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina, United States
PittsburghPittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Jersey CityJersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey, United States
St. LouisSt. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
GilbertGilbert, Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
LubbockLubbock, Lubbock County, Texas, United States
ArlingtonArlington, Tarrant County, Texas, United States
SpokaneSpokane, Spokane County, Washington, United States
Baton RougeBaton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States
HialeahHialeah, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
HuntsvilleHuntsville, Madison County, Alabama, United States
RochesterRochester, Monroe County, New York, United States
FontanaFontana, San Bernardino County, California, United States
Salt Lake CitySalt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States
Cape CoralCape Coral, Lee County, Florida, United States
TallahasseeTallahassee, Leon County, Florida, United States
ProvidenceProvidence, Providence County, Rhode Island, United States
KnoxvilleKnoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, United States
AkronAkron, Summit County, Ohio, United States
MurfreesboroMurfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States
Kansas CityKansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, United States
RosevilleRoseville, Placer County, California, United States
Source: TikTok Ads Manager

Available TikTok DMA Geo-targeting by US County

NameCounty
BaltimoreBaltimore, Maryland, United States
Baton RougeEast Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States
DallasDallas County, Texas, United States
El PasoEl Paso County, Texas, United States
JacksonJackson County, Missouri, United States
Los AngelesLos Angeles County, California, United States
LubbockLubbock County, Texas, United States
MadisonMadison County, Alabama, United States
MiamiMiami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Oklahoma CityOklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States
PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States
ProvidenceProvidence County, Rhode Island, United States
SacramentoSacramento County, California, United States
San BernardinoSan Bernardino County, California, United States
San DiegoSan Diego County, California, United States
San FranciscoCity and County of San Francisco, California, United States
SpokaneSpokane County, Washington, United States
St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri, United States
VirginiaVirginia Beach, Virginia, United States
Source: TikTok Ads Manager

Available US TikTok DMA Geo-targeting by Market 

Search among the list of available DMA targeting found inside TikTok Business Manager.


Further Reading

Strike Social Blog Header - TikTok Search Ads - The Game-Changing Ad Strategy Your Business Needs
Why TikTok Search Ads Should Be On Your Radar

TikTok has officially launched search ads, allowing advertisers to capitalize on user search terms to drive conversions. Explore how leveraging search keywords alongside engaging video content can boost your brand’s visibility and amplify user engagement on the platform.


Tips for Creating Effective Geo-targeted Content

To successfully geo-target on TikTok, you’ll want to create content that appeals to the market in your specific target location.

  1. Tailor your content to make it more relatable to the people in a particular city or area because
  2. There are often many different market trends in each US state. 
  3. When crafting a marketing strategy, it is essential to consider your audience’s demographics rather than looking at them state-by-state.
  4. Using relevant hashtags can reach new consumers on TikTok
  5. Laying down DMA regions on top of your existing targeting allows you to prioritize local audiences, focusing on the top market rather than a more general audience.

When to choose State, City, and DMA

  • Target State if you want to cover a larger area
  • Pick City if you wish to target a particular city in a State
  • Choose Market if you want to target everyone in that area. For example, exclude Oklahoma City and Sherman if you wish to target Wichita Falls and Tulsa in Oklahoma on your TikTok ads campaign. You can geo-target each city by choosing the appropriate DMA.

TikTok offers great tool brands can use to deliver more personalized advertising messages, thanks to DMA geotargeting option. Marketers can find more opportunities for audiences across different demographics and geographies by including a more granular location targeting in their media plans. Matching target consumers’ location and the right messaging, campaigns are becoming relevant and exciting, resulting in a more desirable outcome.

You can scale your TikTok campaigns without compromising the efficiency and capabilities of your advertising team. Share your paid social media advertising needs with us, and we’ll guide you through our SWAS (Software with a Service) approach to help you achieve your goals.

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