05/19/2022

The Best Practices for Google Ads Targeting

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Google Ads is a great way for you to generate leads for your business.

Let’s get started!

What are the targeting options for Google Ads?

Google Ads has many targeting options. You will see two main categories of targeting.

  1. Target Audience
  2. Targeted content

Let’s take a look at these types of targeting.

Target Audience

Google Advertising Audience Targeting focuses primarily on targeting people most interested in your company’s products and services. This allows you to target your audience more efficiently to generate valuable leads.

Let’s look at some targeting options in Google Ads.

1. Demographic targeting

Demographic targeting, the most common form of Google Ads targeting, focuses on people based on demographic information. Demographic information may include:

  • Localization
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Type of device

This information can be specific to each member of your audience. Demographic targeting allows you to target leads more effectively and reach the most interested people.

2. Targeted Interest

Google uses web behavior to target users. People might make actions that indicate that they are more likely than others to buy your products or use your services.

There are two types of interest targeting.

  • In marketing targeting: This allows users to see ads to people who are looking for similar products or services to yours. 
  • Affinity targeting. This data is collected whenever a user interacts with YouTube pages, apps, and channels. Google creates an individual profile that allows you to target them based on their affiliations.

This is an easy way for your companies to target people interested in your products or services. Contextual targeting is another option.

3. Remarketing

Remarketing is a popular form of advertising.

Targeting users at every stage of the digital advertising buying funnel is possible.

Targeted content

Targeting audiences with content is another option. 

1. Keyword targeting

Google will display ads that match keywords with relevant content. For example, you might target the keyword “women’s fashion for winter” to have your ads appear alongside an article about fashionable winter pieces.

2. Topic targeting

You can target multiple pages that are related to a topic when you decide on your Targeting Strategy. Google analyzes web content to determine each page’s main theme.

Target ads based on topic selections This lets you reach interested people.

3. Placement targeting

Placement targeting lets your business choose which websites your ads should appear on. You can also select the domains that best suit your business.

This allows your focus to be on placing your ads where your audience is most likely to see them. 

They must charge you the same price to place your advertisement on their site as your bid amount.

3 best practices for doing Google Ads targeting

These are some of the best tips to run a successful campaign now that you know the different targeting options in Google’s Display Network.

1. Segment your audience to determine their preferences

It is essential to understand your target audience to make an advertising campaign successful. Knowing your audience will help you reach more people.

Target people who are interested in your business. This is done by getting to know their demographics. These subgroups will be interested in the products or services your business offers.

Segmenting can help you create a more personalized experience.

2. Display targeting exclusions

There may be aspects of your Google display advertising campaign you want to eliminate. Exclusions can be used to prevent poor performance or filter out leads that are not related.

This is an excellent benefit for your business because it takes you away from keywords and people who only drive high prices, but few convert.

3. Focus on location targeting

Location targeting is one of the best ways to build an audience. How do you double up on location targeting?

Targeting local customers is the best way to reach them. Use keywords like “hair salons Harrisburg”, PA. These keywords will bring more people to your business, and help you get new customers.

There are three options available when you go into your location targeting settings.

  • People who live in these areas or have an interest in them are targeting your target areas.
  • Only target those who live in your local area
  • Target people only who are looking for your location

You will get the best results if you focus on the people who live or are looking for it. This can result in wasted advertising dollars.

While someone may be able to search for your business from 1000 miles away, it is unlikely they will. Choosing to focus on the other two options will yield more valuable results.

Targeting with Google Ads will help you to create more effective ad campaigns.

About the author

Kobe Digital is a unified team of performance marketing, design, and video production experts. Our mastery of these disciplines is what makes us effective. Our ability to integrate them seamlessly is what makes us unique.