Audience Targeting lets you target your ads to specific audiences. The audiences you can select are predefined by the Publisher's network and can range from demographics (like age, gender, income) to behavioral groups based on interests.
Important Considerations
Before you select multiple audiences, you must understand two key points:
-
Audience Logic: The system uses a specific "AND" and "OR" logic between and within targeting groups. It is critical to understand this to avoid incorrectly defining your audience. (See the logic example below).
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Campaign Viability: Narrowing your audience too much will significantly reduce its size. There may not be enough individuals in a highly specific audience group for a Campaign to deliver your budget within the selected time frame.
How Audience Logic Works (AND vs. OR)
The logic for combining targeting options follows two simple rules:
-
The logic between different audience groups (e.g., Gender, Age, Interest) is AND.
-
The logic within a single audience group (e.g., multiple Interests) is OR.
Example Scenario
Imagine you want to reach females, aged 18-45, who are interested in fashion and/or travel. You would configure your targeting as follows:
|
Targeting Group |
Selections |
Logic Used |
|---|---|---|
|
Gender |
Female |
(Single selection) |
|
Age |
18-25, 25-34, 35-44 |
OR (within the group) |
|
Interest |
Fashionistas, Health Enthusiasts, Luxury Shoppers, Travel |
OR (within the group) |
Resulting Audience
Because the logic between the groups is AND, the final target audience is:
(Users who are Female) AND (Users who are in the Age range of 18-45) AND (Users who have an Interest in either Fashionistas, Health Enthusiasts, Luxury Shoppers, OR Travel).
The Audience Targeting options available to you are specific to the network where you wish to advertise. Depending on the websites and publisher setup, options will vary or may not be available at all.
Advanced Targeting
Other "Advanced Targeting" options might also be available for you, depending on the Publisher's configuration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the most important thing to understand about Audience Targeting?
A: The most critical concept is the logic: selections within a group (like multiple interests) are combined with OR, while the different groups themselves (like Age AND Gender) are combined with AND.
Q: What happens if I make my targeting too specific?
A: If you select too many restrictive criteria, your potential audience may become too small. This can prevent your Campaign from delivering its full budget, as there won't be enough people to show your ads to.
Q: Why don't I see the same targeting options for all my Campaigns?
A: The available Targeting options are determined by the Publisher and can be different for each network or Product you select.