Geofences

Geofence perimeters can be established by tracing an area on a map, or from uploading a KML file containing coordinates of a target area. You can choose between only mailing in or not mailing to the selected area. A physical address and custom fields can be added and dynamically referenced in creative artwork. Each individual fence can be selected for use on a campaign level from the campaign's Suppressions tab.

Should I use a Geofence or Saved Location?

Saved Locations are best suited for storing a brick & mortar address and encompassing a set mile radius around that location for targeting or creative personalization. Geofences are slightly more custom, use adjustable perimeters, and are best suited for either targeting or suppressing certain areas and utilizing location-specific creative personalization.

Saved Locations Define a radius (aka circular area) around an address with the option to suppress mailings outside this radius.
Geofences Define any custom area for mailing or suppression.

Geofences must be turned on under the campaign's Suppressions tab. They are not automatically applied across all campaigns.

1

Draw A Map

To draw your geofence, zoom in or expand the map to the area you need, and click Draw. Click a starting point on the map, then continue clicking multiple points to pin down the desired boundaries of your geofence.

You can adjust or clear the polygon at any point. Non-polygons, broken shapes, and lines won't be accepted. You'll know your geofence is valid and complete when the polygon turns green.

2

Upload a KML File

Using an application such as Google Maps "My Maps" you can draw multiple geofences, export as a KML file, and upload directly to the platform. Layers can be exported together or individually by clicking the three dots to the right of the map's name and selecting Export to KML/KMZ:

When uploading to Poplar, if your KML file contains multiple polygons, you'll see the option to flip through each one and specify the settings.

3

Add Details

Give the area a descriptive name then choose if you want to suppress mailers inside OR outside this area:

Add an Address (Optional)

Adding a physical address allows you to dynamically pull this information into creative artwork by using Location Based Merge Tags. This is a useful feature if you'd like to point customers to a nearby retailer, information center, or any other relevant destination.

Add Merge Fields (Optional)

Merge Fields are custom values you can add into creative artwork via merge tag. They're helpful if you need to list location-specific contact info or want to feature location-specific promotional offers.
The value set for each merge field can be populated in dynamic creative design by using the following Location Based Merge Tags
  • {{geofence.merge_field_1}}
  • {{geofence.merge_field_2}}
  • {{geofence.merge_field_3}}
4

Finish Geofence

Once you hit Finish you'll return to the Geofences tab, where you'll see a list of your geofences. We show the Name, Status (Active or Inactive) and Type (Included or Excluded) in each geofence, along with a map.

  • Inclusive geofences are green and will only mail to addresses that fall within the area.
  • Exclusive geofences are grey and will not mail to addresses that fall within the area.
If an inclusive geofence overlaps with an exclusive geofence, the exclusive geofence will be honored.

When you click into an individual geofence, you can download a CSV of all the zip codes that fall into that geofence and the percentage of each zip code that does.You can also download a copy of the uploaded KML file, if you originally uploaded one.

You can also Edit, Deactivate, or Delete the Geofence under the Actions section on the right. If you click into Edit, you can also change a geofence from Inclusive to Exclusive or vice versa.

5

Applying Geofence Suppressions

Finally, you'll want to enable your geofence from within your campaign's Suppressions tab. Click Edit Geofence Suppressions to select your inclusive or exclusive fences then hit Save Changes:

Our location and area-based checks are performed on the original address that you provide. These checks are run prior to NCOA, meaning if your recipient has moved, we do not account for the move in our suppression checks.