The short answer
Geofencing uses real GPS location to narrow where ads show up
Geofencing narrows ad delivery to a specific area or venue by using a real-time GPS location from an app on a buyer's phone, one where that buyer has already given location permissions. Once someone's device shows up inside the drawn area, we use ad networks to start serving ads to that device while, and after, they're in the geofenced area.
Can ads target a specific neighborhood
Yes, and the mechanic behind it is called geofencing. Hugo draws a boundary around the neighborhood in question, and that boundary becomes the trigger for ad delivery. Rather than guessing who lives or shops in an area based on old data, geofencing checks for a real-time GPS location coming from an app on someone's phone, an app where that person has already given location permissions. When a device shows up inside the drawn boundary, that person becomes eligible to see ads tied to that geofence. This is different from targeting someone based on where they live, which works off broader signals rather than a live location check.
How to target a venue with listing ads
Targeting a venue with listing ads works by drawing a boundary directly around that venue, whether it is a corporate headquarters, a members-only social club, or a spot where luxury buyers in that market tend to spend time. Once the boundary is set, geofencing watches for real-time GPS location from potential buyers' phones and starts serving ads to anyone who shows up inside it. This means a listing ad can reach someone standing at a pilates studio, taking their child to a robotics club, or spending time at a high-end retailer, all without needing that person's contact information ahead of time. The Compass agent supplies the physical address, Hugo handles drawing and running the boundary.
Expand targeting to a nearby area
Targeting can expand beyond a single address by widening the geofencing boundary to cover a nearby area instead of just the exact spot. This matters when a listing would benefit from reaching people in the surrounding blocks, a nearby retail strip, or a cluster of streets rather than only the people standing right at the property. The same real-time GPS mechanic applies, it just gets applied to a larger drawn shape. An agent working with the Hugo team can decide how tight or how wide that shape should be based on what the listing needs, and that boundary can be adjusted as the strategy around a listing changes. Geofences can be drawn as wide as a quarter mile, as narrow as a single building.
Can ads target a specific neighborhood?
Yes. Geofencing lets an agent draw a boundary around a neighborhood or any other area, and ads only start reaching devices once they show up inside that boundary through real-time GPS location.
Hugo editorial guidance, August 2026: This is about the mechanics of location targeting: a real-time GPS location, from an app the buyer has given location permissions to, is used to narrow ad delivery to a specific area.
How does targeting a venue with listing ads work?
An agent provides a physical address, like the address of the sales center for a new development or the offices of a company that will IPO next quarter, and geofencing draws a boundary around it so ads reach devices that show up there in real time.
Hugo editorial guidance, August 2026: This is about the mechanics of location targeting: a real-time GPS location, from an app the buyer has given location permissions to, is used to narrow ad delivery to a specific area.
Can I target multiple areas with geofencing?
Yes. You can target dozens of physical addresses. A Compass agent with a listing that has a Tesla Wall Connector in the garage can geofence nearby Tesla Supercharger stations. A Compass agent with a listing that is steps from a golf course can target all golf courses within a 30 minute drive and feature an ad with a drone photo of the home next to the course, headline reading "Image being a 5 minute walk from your tee time."
Hugo editorial guidance, August 2026: This is about the mechanics of location targeting: a real-time GPS location, from an app the buyer has given location permissions to, is used to narrow ad delivery to a specific area.