Audience Targeting
Audience targeting reaches people based on who they are and what they do rather than only the keyword they typed. Segments include in-market audiences actively researching a category, affinity audiences with long-term interests, custom audiences built from URLs and search behavior, and first-party lists uploaded by the advertiser.
Why It Matters
Layering audiences onto campaigns sharpens who sees your ads and supports smarter bidding. Even in observation mode, audience data reveals which segments convert best, informing where to push budget and which groups to bid up or exclude.
Common Mistake
Applying audiences in targeting mode too early, which narrows reach before there is enough data to trust. Start in observation mode to gather performance signals, then tighten to targeting once a segment clearly outperforms.