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Audience targeting for Google Ads

Google's targeting toolset allows for precise ad targeting by age, gender, income, and more.

Updated over 4 months ago

Google provides powerful tools for reaching specific audiences based on user data. You can target audiences by age, gender, parental status, and other demographics for your campaigns and ad groups in Search, Display, Discovery, and YouTube.


Campaign and ad group targeting options

When adding targets, you can choose from various options to define your audience. Note: Target rules and capabilities can change based on the campaign type.

  • Age Range: Select specific age groups like 18-24, 25-34, and 35-44.

  • Content Labels: Choose labels like Embedded Video, Live Stream Video, Social Issues, Profanity, etc. (Search and Display only)

  • Devices: Target users on computers, mobile phones, tablets, or TV screens.

  • Genders: Focus on female, male, or unknown users.

  • Income Ranges: Target specific income ranges like top 10%, 11-20%, 21-30%, etc.

  • IP Addresses: Exclude users from specific IP ranges or data tags.

  • Mobile App Category: Target specific categories in mobile ads.

  • Mobile Application: To exclude a mobile app, enter a mobile app id (e.g., Google Play apps: mobileapp::2-com.example.app, iOS apps: mobileapp::1-123456789).

  • Named Audiences: Use custom audiences you've created in Manage. Note: To use multiple rules, add additional Named Audience targets.

  • User Interests: Specify interests like Affinity, Brand, Geo, In-Market, etc.

  • Parental Status: Parent, Not a Parent, Undetermined

  • Placements: Website where your ad can appear on YouTube or the Google Display Network.

  • Topics: Select specific topics for your targeting (e.g. Real Estate).

  • YouTube Channel

  • YouTube Video

You can also include multiple targets within one category. For example, you can create multiple targets for Named Audiences using matching values (see image below). You can both exclude and include words at the same time.


Adding targets

In Blueprints

  1. Go to Blueprints in the top menu.

  2. Select a campaign or ad group from the list.

  3. Expand open the Targeting & Negative Keywords or Targeting section.

  4. Click + Add Target and choose a type of target.

  5. Click the dropdown and select the target range.

  6. Input the relevant preferences—for example, select Increase by or Decrease by and add a % number. You can also select Exclude.

  7. Republish if applicable.

In Manage

  1. Go to Manage in the top menu.

  2. Select an account from the list and then a campaign (or ad group).

  3. Click Campaign Settings on the top-right.

  4. Go to the Targets tab.

  5. Click + Add Target and then choose a type of target.

  6. Input the relevant preferences—for example, select Increase by or Decrease by and add a % number. You can also select Exclude.

  7. Click Save Targets.

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