Geo Tech Scanner

What does the Geo Tech Scanner detect?

The Geo Tech Scanner fetches any public webpage and analyzes both the HTML source and HTTP response headers to identify geo-targeting technologies. Here's what we look for:

• Geo Targetly — Detects their distinctive script loader signature, CSS classes, script endpoints (g[digits].co), and callback patterns.
• GeoSwap — Identifies GeoSwap's CDN and edge scripts used for server-side geo-targeting.
• Cloudflare Geo Headers — Checks for CF-IPCountry and other Cloudflare headers that indicate geo-aware infrastructure.
• MaxMind / GeoIP — Finds references to MaxMind GeoIP or GeoIP2 databases in page scripts.
• GeoFli — Detects GeoFli's website personalization scripts.
• If-So Dynamic Content — Identifies the If-So WordPress plugin for location-based content.
• Geotargeting WP — Finds the Geotargeting WP WordPress plugin markers.

Why scan for geo-targeting tools?

• Competitive intelligence — Understand what tools your competitors use for geo-targeting. If they're using client-side JavaScript (like Geo Targetly), they may be at risk of SEO cloaking penalties.
• Migration planning — Before switching geo-targeting providers, know exactly what's installed on your site so you can plan a clean transition.
• SEO auditing — Client-side geo redirect scripts can cause search engines to see different content than users, which Google considers cloaking. Identifying these scripts is the first step to fixing the risk.
• Performance analysis — Third-party geo scripts add page weight and execution time. Knowing what's loaded helps you evaluate the performance impact.

Client-side vs. server-side geo-targeting

There are two fundamental approaches to geo-targeting: client-side (JavaScript-based) and server-side (at the CDN or server level).

Client-side tools like Geo Targetly, GeoFli, and If-So inject JavaScript that runs in the browser after the page loads. This means search engine crawlers (which don't execute JavaScript the same way browsers do) may see the original un-targeted content while users see something different — a pattern Google considers cloaking.

Server-side tools like GeoSwap make the geo decision before the HTML reaches the browser. The response is already country-specific, so search engines and users see the same thing. This is the SEO-safe approach recommended by Google.

Limitations

This scanner analyzes the initial HTML response and headers. It cannot detect geo-targeting that only activates after JavaScript execution (e.g., tools that load dynamically via AJAX). It also cannot detect server-side logic that doesn't leave fingerprints in the HTML. For a more complete picture, combine this tool with our Geo Browse tool to test how the site responds from different countries.