DataForSEO Brain

Locations, Languages & Targeting

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Locations, Languages & Targeting

The geo/language/device parameters that pin a query to a market: location_code/location_name/coordinate, language_code, and device/os, plus helper endpoints that list valid values per API. Sits under DataForSEO Brain → Concepts.

Overview

Search results depend on where and how a query is run, so most DataForSEO endpoints accept targeting parameters that specify the market, language, and device. You can target by numeric location code, human-readable location name, or coordinate (for Maps/local), and set the interface language. Each API publishes helper endpoints listing the locations and languages it supports, because coverage differs by module and engine.

What it covers

  • Location targeting: location_code (numeric), location_name (string), or location_coordinate (lat,lng,radius for Maps/Local Finder).
  • Language targeting: language_code (and language_name).
  • Device/OS: device (desktop/mobile) and os where supported.
  • Helper endpoints: per-API locations and languages lists (e.g. serp/google/locations, serp/.../languages) that enumerate valid values.
  • These parameters are shared across SERP, Keywords Data, Labs, Merchant, App Data, and Business Data.

Key parameters / inputs

  • location_code / location_name - one is required for most SERP/keyword endpoints.
  • language_code / language_name.
  • location_coordinate - for Maps/Local Finder geo-grid targeting.
  • device, os - for mobile vs desktop SERP shape.
  • keyword plus targeting determines the exact SERP scraped.

Response / what you get back

  • Helper endpoints return the catalog of supported location_code/location_name and language_code values per API.
  • Result items echo the resolved location and language so you can confirm the market that was queried.
  • Live-observed: SERP and keyword calls in _cost-log.json run with explicit location/language targeting (e.g. Google organic, Maps, News, Images at $0.002 each).

Cost & method notes

Targeting parameters do not themselves add cost, but using a stale/invalid location triggers status 40505 (“Outdated location parameters used”) and the task fails (no charge). Maps/Local Finder coordinate targeting drives local-pack pipelines. Database pricing depends on the location parameters chosen. See cap-queue-priority-cost-model and cap-databases.

When to use / how it fits

Set targeting on every market-specific job: rank tracking (play-rank-tracking-pipeline), local SEO (play-local-seo-tracking), and keyword research (play-keyword-research-workflow). It maps surfaces in plat-google-search, plat-google-maps-local, and plat-bing-search, and feeds routing in dec-which-api-for-which-job.

Gotchas / limits

  • Outdated/invalid location parameters → status 40505; refresh from the helper endpoint.

  • Coverage differs by API and engine - non-Google engines support fewer locations/languages. See cap-serp-non-google-engines.

  • Maps/local require coordinate targeting for accurate geo-grid results, not just a city name.

  • Always resolve location_code from the helper list rather than hardcoding, since codes change.

  • Resolve location_code from the helper endpoint rather than hardcoding, since codes change.

  • Stale or invalid location parameters fail the task with status 40505. See cap-status-error-codes.

  • Maps and Local Finder need location_coordinate (lat,lng,radius) for accurate geo-grid results. See plat-google-maps-local.

  • Coverage differs by API and engine; non-Google engines support fewer locations/languages. See cap-serp-non-google-engines.

  • device and os change the SERP shape (mobile vs desktop). See cap-serp-google-verticals.

  • Targeting parameters add no cost themselves, but Database pricing depends on the location chosen. See cap-databases.

  • Result items echo the resolved location/language so you can confirm the queried market.

  • Helper locations/languages endpoints are free to call. See cap-account-usage-userdata.

  • Targeting is shared across SERP, Keywords Data, Labs, Merchant, App Data, and Business Data. See cap-keywords-data-api.

  • Validate targeting for free in the sandbox before billed runs. See cap-sandbox-testing.

Sources

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