Advanced targeting in Google Ads

Is it possible to "dig into the settings" of Google Ads to improve the targeting of media advertising and expand it, increasing the effectiveness of the advertising campaign? Of course you can! Anything that can be improved is worth improving so that your campaign brings in more conversions and bids. 

 

It used to be that the success of an advertising campaign depended solely on the right semantic core and the correct selection of keyword phrases. Those days are a thing of the past - thanks to the possibility of inaccurate keyword matches, things have become more complicated, to say the least, and using audiences in Google Ads isn't very easy either. Now, audience targeting can't just be included in campaigns - it's just part of an overall well-thought-out strategy. You have to be an advanced expert to understand exactly how to use audience targeting.

 

Remarketing lists

 

Use remarketing audiences to customize your search campaigns. You should have data on the behavior of your site visitors - you can use it to customize your targeting settings specifically for them. 

 

For example, targeting can be set up for audiences who make purchases for more than your expected average check. This tactic works to attract shoppers who bring you higher than expected revenue and it makes sense to outbid your competitors to get that audience for yourself.

 

Example: A grocery store wants to set up ads in search for those customers who spend more than the average order in a certain amount of time. You can use remarketing settings so that ads are shown to exactly those users on the list who are searching for you or your competitors in Google. This allows you to see if your budget is being spent on attracting and retaining really paying and profitable customers.

 

Method of use: First, determine what the average revenue from purchases in your store is. You can do this by using Google Analytics, using the "Monetization" section.

 

 

It shows the average cost of the order in the store (on the site). Then also go to the audience settings and create a list of audiences that make purchases for a higher amount.

 

 

For example, set up a purchase event for an amount above your average.

 

 

Who the method is suitable for: a niche where consumers often switch to competitors in search of a better price. Very relevant for retailers where the average check is not very high. Such a remarketing move needs additional reinforcement - if you want to attract and retain profitable customers, then offer them a loyalty program. 

 

Combine remarketing audiences with social media

 

Facebook* still has no competition when it comes to large audiences. Okay, huge audiences - almost 3 billion monthly active users. Don't dare miss them! Plus, this is where you can detail your ads and snag the right audience. 

 

The fact is that Facebook* stores information about the behavior of users - what groups they are subscribed to, what they like and share, the data from their profile (social and demographic, geolocation). Therefore, there are undeniable advantages here.

 

Using targeting to individualized audiences on Facebook*, some brands are showing great results: increasing brand awareness and memorability, loyalty, not to mention conversions. 

 

Some advertisers don't integrate data from one platform into the other or use Google and Facebook* together. 

 

Example: Facebook* can help any segment of the business to find leads and their new audience to then target them in search ads and increase the effectiveness of the campaign in search. Facebook* is used to extend your reach so that users start searching for your products or brands in search. 

 

Method of use: Facebook* ads must be tagged to create a new audience segment. Clicks just so later will bring in new customers when users become familiar with your products and learn more about you. That's why you should first create a brand new campaign specifically on Facebook* aimed at finding new customers. This should not include members from your mailing list database or those who have already visited your site, no unnecessary remarketing audience. 

 

 

The messages and creatives will be different, so you need to separate your visitors. Tag the campaign with UTM tags and then use Google Analytics to create a new list based on that campaign's audience later.

 

 

Keep in mind, it should have at least a thousand visitors. After creating a list based on traffic from Facebook ads*, you should create a search campaign in Google Ads using keywords that are set up for the top of the funnel. High-frequency keywords are needed because this audience won't be searching for your product or website yet. Next, you should use the remarketing list obtained from Facebook* on those ads that are placed in your search campaign.

 

Who the method is suitable for: companies that are currently experiencing stagnant or declining demand through search in their niche. Lists with Facebook* traffic can create additional demand through search, attract new users and increase brand awareness.

 

Audiences by interest

 

Google offers the ability to customize audiences by interest in quite some detail. There is no one-size-fits-all audience by interest, so the platform solved problems by launching customizable lists. 

 

Example: an advertiser wants to promote several different products and is going to select a separate audience for each of the products, taking into account the different interests of the target audience. 

 

Method of use: you need to enter the campaign in the contextual media network, in the "Targeting" section and select "Audience segments". Then you create your own audience based on the interests as keywords, as well as with the help of URLs used as proxies to combine groups of users' interests. 

 

 

For example, targeting by URL and using keyword interests will create a specific audience interested in your product and user data will come in real-time, detailing the TA. 

 

Who the method is suitable for: Those who are just going to build their lists, their brand and increase their loyalty to it.

 

Remarketing plus known market segments

 

By following the sales funnel further, you can set up a combination of remarketing with already known segments of interested buyers in a way that reaches those people who definitely want to make a purchase.

 

 

Example: a company wants to know the difference between customer interest and purchase intent. Adjusting the audience by interest, as in the method above, is no longer necessary; there is a desire to move further down the sales funnel and get specific conversions, not just traffic and clicks. 

 

Method of use: under "Targeting," you should find "Market Segments," where Google Ads offers about 500 market audiences that can also be segmented. On top of the remarketing lists, you can place interest-based customer segments from that section. This will increase reach and boost conversions as audiences are aggregated.

Who the method is suitable for: Those who are already moving to the last step in the sales funnel and know what kind of audience they need.

 

Conclusion

 

Paid search is getting more expensive year by year. You will have to exercise wonders of ingenuity to keep demand from dropping, and coverage from growing. That's why some are using budgets not only in search campaigns, but also in social networks, where you can better target your audience, not just adjust for user intent. Perhaps Google will expand its targeting options and make them more confidential, especially given the active automation of Google Ads settings. 

 

*The Meta organization, as well as its Instagram and Facebook products, are recognized as extremist and banned in the Russian Federation.