Google Ads has come a long way in the way they function. Google custom audiences from Google Ads give you a much more direct shortcut to target ads. Earlier there were two parts to this – Custom intent audiences and Custom affinity audiences. This is now combined into Google Custom Audiences. Instead of just choosing from among a pre-set list of options from Google, now you will be able to create your own audiences based on their interests and, in some instances, their search history.
What Are The Options In Google Ads Custom Audience?
Custom audiences will help you reach your ideal target audience by entering relevant keywords, apps & URLs. Google Ads will review these keywords and entries to ensure they are in line with advertising policies and then show the ads to people with these interests or purchase intentions on pages, apps and videos. Let us understand the four different options which will help you to strategize Google custom audience targeting to get the most out of your marketing campaigns.
Interest And Behaviour Targeting
The first box you will be presented with is to target users based on their interests or behaviours. When you hover over the support box, this is what Google description displays: “Enter interests, in the form of keywords or phrases that represent your ideal customer. Your ads will reach people likely to be interested in or with purchase intent for your keywords based on their behaviour and activities, such as apps they use or the type of content they search for online.”
It is suggested to use similar keywords to find users who have either been conducting research around specific topics or have shown some interest in a product or service while running searches on Google.
For example, if you are targeting users who are looking to buy used kitchen equipment, you would want to enter something like ‘best used kitchen equipment’.
Moreover, Google will recommend other similar phrases you could use to target what other users search for. As you add more keywords, you will see audience insights chart on the right based on the audience you’ve chosen to include.
Targeting People Who Browse Types Of Websites
Below the keyword section, you will find a new header that says ‘Expand audience by also including’ followed by three additional types of targeting.
The first is people who browse types of websites. Here, Google is asking you to provide URLs that your target audience would visit. This is particularly helpful to capitalize on the audience insights from these sites to find new users.
If you are aware of some of the places where your potential customers hang out online. This could prove to be very powerful type of targeting by Google ads management. For websites, focus on industry-specific and closely related sites rather than broader sites.
As in the above example, it will be a good idea to include websites of locally used kitchen equipment dealers and restaurant websites rather than websites of large manufacturing companies. Users on those websites may have their own reasons for visiting those websites but not necessarily looking for used kitchen equipment.
Targeting People Who Use Types of Apps
This targeting option is similar to the website targeting option, but includes apps instead. It is important for you to try and understand what kind of apps your potential customers would use. These could be permanently installed apps or something more temporary.
In the ‘used kitchen equipment’ example, these apps are more likely to be temporary. Because as you would no longer need the app once you have made your purchase.
As you type names of apps that you think your customers may install. Google will automatically populate a list and suggest apps that are based on the themes you are working with.
Targeting People Who Visited Certain Places
The fourth targeting option as a feature of Google’s custom audience focuses on the types of places your customers recently have visited. There are actually categories of physical locations. They are not the actual places themselves. But they can be very helpful depending on whom you are trying to reach.
If we look at this in perspective with the example of the used kitchen equipment. Then you will find that used kitchen equipment dealer is highly relevant to the used kitchen equipment search.
However, even in a broader ‘kitchen equipment dealership’ search, some interesting options will show up around specific brands. Therefore, this could be a great option for a dealer of one specific brand of kitchen equipment.
Do More with Custom Audiences
Even though Google targeting options continue to change with developmental advances. So, you are in a great position to take advantage of Google custom audiences right now. It is time to go beyond just keyword search. Test and see how Google custom audiences will work for your benefit.
