Location targeting in AON is the use of canonical location IDs in an Offer's targeting rules to express geographic eligibility.
Integrations can use the Location Search API or static registry to resolve a location ID for an Offer, while the public Query v1.0 request does not expose viewer location fields. Location Search is a lookup and normalization surface, not a caller-side Offer search filter.
Location targeting in AON
AON uses canonical location IDs for Partner targeting and documented registry lookup. Deployments can supply runtime context without changing the portable Query v1.0 shape.
Read Location Targeting docsHow AON location targeting works
Resolve the location
Use Location Search or the static registry to map a known location signal to a canonical AON location ID.
Declare Offer targeting
A Partner places canonical IDs in the Offer's supported targeting rules, including geographic include or exclude entries when applicable.
Keep Query inputs bounded
Send only the fields declared by the public Query v1.0 schema; viewer location and age are not public Query fields.
Let the deployment evaluate
The applicable deployment evaluates supported Offer targeting and runtime policy; the caller does not invent a separate Offer filter.
Location targeting surfaces
AON separates geographic lookup from the Offer targeting declarations used for eligibility.
| Concept | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Static registry | Provides deterministic location records and parent links for offline integration behavior. |
| Location Search | Finds supported IDs by name, level, parent, country, or external subdivision signals. |
| Location Resolve | Normalizes supported external codes and headers into canonical AON IDs. |
| Deterministic rule semantics | Declared dimensions within one targeting rule are ANDed, separate rules are ORed, exclusions take precedence, and unknown context fails closed for the affected dimension. |
- Location Search is not a caller-side Offer search filter; it resolves IDs for registry and targeting workflows.
- External codes are lookup aliases, not canonical Offer targeting values.
- The public Query v1.0 contract does not accept viewer location or age fields.
- A location ID does not prove that an Offer is currently available, bookable, or eligible for every user in that location.
Location targeting vs category taxonomy
Location targeting declares geographic eligibility for an Offer. Category taxonomy classifies Offer meaning and supports explicit Query constraints. They are separate dimensions and should not be exchanged as one another. See the Category taxonomy definition.
Example in practice
A Partner resolves US-CA to a canonical AON location ID and uses it in an Offer targeting rule. The public Query v1.0 request remains limited to its declared intent, category constraints, and bounded platform or session context.
Common questions about location targeting
Is Location Search an Offer filter?
No. Location Search resolves supported location IDs for registry and targeting workflows. It does not filter Offers or create a caller-side Query filter.
Can I send viewer location values in a public Query v1.0 request?
No. Query v1.0 does not expose viewer location or age fields. Resolve location IDs when an Offer-side targeting workflow needs them, and use only fields declared by the selected request contract.
What location levels does AON publish?
The current public levels are COUNTRY, REGION, and CITY. The selected registry or API surface defines the exact returned fields.
Does a location match guarantee an eligible Offer?
No. A location rule is one eligibility condition. Current inventory, the complete Offer rules, and the active deployment still determine whether an Offer can be returned.
Why use AON location targeting instead of a provider-specific geo field?
AON gives the Offer a canonical location key, explicit hierarchy behavior, and a documented separation between lookup and eligibility. That makes the geographic declaration easier to validate and reuse across compatible integrations, while the active deployment still controls the runtime context and final eligibility decision.
Sources
- AON Location TargetingAON documentation
- AON Location Search APIAON documentation
- AgentOffer Protocol v1.0 sourcesAON specification
- Read the Offer Query referenceAON documentation