# How to target tier 2 and tier 3 cities on Meta

> Meta has no tier setting, so you pick cities by name. How to set locations, avoid spill into big cities, group cities into ad sets and read the results.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-16
- **Category**: India
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-target-tier-2-and-tier-3-cities-on-meta

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To target tier 2 and tier 3 cities on Meta, list the cities yourself, because Meta has no tier setting: in the ad set, go to **Audience**, then **Locations**, and add each city by name. Then write the ad in the local language and group similar cities into one ad set.

"Tier 2" and "tier 3" are informal labels for mid-sized and smaller cities. Meta's location list is built from countries, regions, cities and postal codes, not tiers. So the first job is to decide which cities you mean.

Steps follow Meta's help page on [choosing locations](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/365561350785642), checked 2026-10-20.

## Step by step

1. **Make your list from data.** Start with cities where you already get orders or enquiries. Then add cities you want to test. Do not rely on a tier label.
2. **Open Locations.** In Ads Manager, open the ad set, go to **Audience**, then **Locations**.
3. **Add cities.** Enter city names in the box. Meta says one location at a time works best, and that you can bulk upload if you have many. You can search up to 250 cities.
4. **Control the radius.** Meta picks a radius for you. Click a city and use the slider, or choose **Current city only**. Meta warns the audience includes everything inside the radius, so a wide radius around a small city can reach a big neighbour.
5. **Exclude big cities if needed.** Under India, hover and click the three dots to choose **Only include cities** or **Exclude cities**. Meta also says you can exclude cities within a population range.
6. **Check the reach box.** For a city or region, **Reach more people likely to respond to your ads** is ticked by default. Untick it to stay inside your list.
7. **Group cities.** Put cities that behave alike in one ad set. Do not make one ad set per city. Meta says combining similar ad sets combines learnings.
8. **Write for the place.** Use the language of the city. See [how to make ads in regional Indian languages](/guides/how-to-make-ads-in-regional-indian-languages).
9. **Compare fairly.** To compare big cities with smaller ones, use separate ad set budgets. See [CBO vs ABO](/compare/cbo-vs-abo).

## What to expect from Meta's targeting

Meta says complete accuracy is not guaranteed, so you may see some impressions or leads from outside your locations. It also says reach counts people who live in, were recently in, or often visit a place. It does not mean only people who live there.

## A worked example

Say you sell kitchen appliances with cash on delivery. You run two ad sets with the same ad and the same INR 2,000 a day each. The numbers are made up.

| Ad set | Cities | Spend (14 days) | Orders | Cost per order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metros | 6 big cities | INR 28,000 | 40 | INR 700 |
| Smaller cities | 40 cities | INR 28,000 | 56 | INR 500 |

INR 28,000 / 40 = INR 700. INR 28,000 / 56 = INR 500. The smaller cities are 29% cheaper per order here. Before you shift money, check returns. Say 30% of smaller-city cash on delivery orders come back, against 10% in the metros. Then the cost per kept order is INR 500 / 0.7 = about INR 714, against INR 700 / 0.9 = about INR 778. The smaller cities still win, but by far less than the first view suggested.

## Mistakes to avoid

- One ad set per city, so none gets enough results
- English-only ads in places where people read Hindi or a regional language
- Judging by cost per order, and ignoring returns
- A radius that spills into a bigger city and skews the numbers

Running ads for one shop or clinic instead? See [how to run ads for a local business in India](/guides/how-to-run-ads-for-a-local-business-in-india).

## FAQ

### Does Meta have a tier 2 and tier 3 targeting option?

No. Meta lets you target countries, regions, cities and postal codes. You choose the cities that fit your own idea of tier 2 and tier 3.

### Should I use broad targeting in smaller cities?

It is worth a test. Smaller cities have fewer people, so very narrow interests can leave a tiny audience. See [broad vs interest targeting](/compare/broad-targeting-vs-interest-targeting).

### Can I target by pin code in India?

Meta lists ZIP or postal codes as a location type. Availability can vary by country, so type a few of your pin codes into Locations and see if Meta accepts them.

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