Why targeting matters
Websites show different things to different places. Search results, ad placements, prices, shipping options, stock, language and even which products exist all vary by location. If your proxy exits in the wrong place, your data is wrong, however clean the IP. Our geo-targeted proxies guide covers the basics.
What Rayobyte lets you target
On Rayobyte's Premium Residential proxies, at the time of writing, you can target:
| Level | Example use |
|---|---|
| Country (190+) | Country-level SERPs, pricing and catalogs |
| State or region | State-specific pricing, tax display, regulation-dependent content |
| City | Local search, local ads, delivery availability |
| ZIP code | Hyperlocal checks: store inventory, delivery slots, local pack rankings |
| ASN | A specific internet provider, for carrier-specific behavior or ISP-level testing |
| Device OS | Content or prices that vary by platform |
ZIP and device OS targeting are less common in the market. Scale Residential has no targeting at all, and static products are fixed to the country you buy.
How to set it
Targeting is set through your proxy credentials, as described on the connection options page in the Rayobyte dashboard. Typically you add parameters for country, then optionally state, city, ZIP or ASN. The dashboard's generator shows the exact format and lets you copy a ready-made proxy string. Keep the targeting in configuration, not hard-coded, so you can widen it without redeploying.
The narrow-targeting trade-off
Every level of targeting shrinks the pool:
- Country: large pool in most markets, fast to connect, few drops.
- City: much smaller pool; fine in big cities, thin in small towns.
- ZIP: can be very small; expect slower connections and more failed sessions.
- ASN plus city: the narrowest; only use when the job truly needs it.
Narrow pools also mean you reuse the same IPs more often, which can raise block rates on sensitive sites. The rule: use the broadest level that still gives correct results. Check by comparing a sample of results at city level against ZIP level; if they match, stay at city level.
Residential tip: You can test most of this guide for free: Rayobyte offers a no-card trial on Premium Residential, rotating ISP and rotating datacenter proxies. Move to a paid plan once the pilot works. See our complete Rayobyte guide.
Which jobs need which level
- National rank tracking: country. See Rayobyte for SEO rank tracking.
- Local SEO and map packs: city, sometimes ZIP.
- Ad verification: city for local campaigns, country for national ones. See Rayobyte for ad verification.
- Retail pricing and stock: ZIP when prices depend on the nearest store; otherwise state or country. See Rayobyte for price monitoring.
- Travel fares: country, since point-of-sale pricing is usually national. See Rayobyte for travel fares.
- ISP-specific testing: ASN.
- Mobile versus desktop content: device OS, or mobile proxies.
Checking your exit location
Always verify. Before a big run, send a few requests to an IP geolocation service through each target setting and confirm the country, region and city. Different geolocation databases disagree, especially at city level, so check with the same database the target site is likely to use if you can. Our guide to checking if a proxy works has a quick method.
Combining targeting with sessions
Sticky sessions on a narrow target drop more often, because fewer devices are available to replace one that goes offline. Keep sessions short when targeting cities or ZIP codes. See Rayobyte sticky sessions.
Proxy tip: For a second opinion on hard targets, run the same test through Geonode residential proxies, which support sticky sessions up to 24 hours and ASN targeting. We compare the two in Rayobyte vs Geonode.
How it compares
Webshare's rotating residential also offers country, state, city, ZIP and ASN targeting. Geonode targets country, state, city and ASN but not ZIP. Rayobyte adds device OS. See Rayobyte vs Geonode geo-targeting, Rayobyte vs Webshare geo-targeting and all three compared.
Not sure this is the right proxy type for the job? The best proxies in 2026 guide compares residential, ISP, datacenter and mobile options, and our cheap proxies guide covers budget picks that still work. To understand the IP type behind this, read our residential proxies guide.
Budget tip: For jobs where a fixed IP list is enough, Webshare is one of the cheapest options: shared datacenter proxies are sold by the IP, and static residential (ISP) proxies cost well under a dollar per IP per month at the time of writing. More in Webshare geo-targeting.
Key takeaways
- Rayobyte residential targeting covers country, state, city, ZIP, ASN and device OS.
- Narrower targeting means a smaller pool, slower connections and more drops.
- Use the broadest level that still produces correct results, and verify exit locations.
- Scale Residential has no targeting; static products are fixed to the country you buy.
FAQ
Can I target a specific city with Rayobyte?
Yes, on Premium Residential. Pool depth varies by city.
Does Rayobyte support ZIP code targeting?
Yes, on Premium Residential at the time of writing.
Can I target by mobile carrier?
ASN targeting lets you choose an internet provider on residential. For true carrier IPs, use Rayobyte's mobile proxies.
Editorial note: Proxy providers change their pools, features and prices often, so treat any figures here as typical ranges at the time of writing and confirm current terms with the provider before you buy.