Google Display Ads- ‘Targeting Expansion feature’ explained -By Sarang Kinjavdekar

Google Display ads helps you to expand your targeting reach automatically with the Automatic Targeting feature called Targeting Expansion (previously Targeting Optimization). In this topic, we will talk about how to use it, key features, campaign level benefits and also some of the advantages and disadvantages

Basics- What exactly is Targeting Expansion?

This feature lets Google find more high value traffic to help you get more relevant conversions on top of the audience targeting you have already specified. Think of automatic targeting as a high-impact add-on that supplements the targeting that you’ve already set up.

When to use Targeting Expansion?

This works best for the Advertisers when they want to:

• Find more customers
• Identify the best targeting to reach their most likely customers
• Increase reach without increasing bids or cost per customer

Where to find it/activate it?

This feature can be found under the Ad Group level 

Click image to enlarge

If you move the slider to extreme left, it gets set to zero and that means no Targeting expansion. Use this when you want to deactivate this feature. As you keep on sliding it to right, the more reach you will get. To focus on reach or performance, you can maximise for both by increasing to the maximum reach setting.

Note- All the display campaigns are automatically set at the slider position as seen below. Please bear in mind your campaign targeting restrictions and then deactivate it or otherwise use it by moving the slider to the right position.

When you should not be using this?

Automatic targeting results in new placements, so it's suitable for advertisers who don't have strict brand guidelines about where their ads appear. Also, if you have a very strict requirements and a very specific strategy like Re-targeting, don't use this.

Scope of usage

This works for- 

• For contextual targeting, such as content keywords
• For re-marketing and similar audiences targeting

This does not work for

• Demographics
• Placements 

Examples of Targeting Expansion

Below is an example from Google for the Retargeting strategy and using Targeting Expansion

 If your remarketing list is for people visiting travel sites about Japan, automatic targeting may extend to show your ad to people visiting sites about Tokyo tourist destinations. If your similar audiences list is for people who have previously made a purchase on your site, automatic targeting may expand to include additional, highly relevant audiences. With the setting maximised, targeting might go further based on your performance and available, relevant audiences.

Another example from Google for the Content Strategy using Keywords targeting strategy and using Targeting Expansion

So if your keyword is 'pens', the first stage of slider may extend to 'felt-tip pens' and 'ballpoint pens', but the maximum reach stage might show your ads in contexts related to 'whiteboard markers' or 'mechanical pencils' – if there’s data to suggest that those keywords will lead to conversions. 

Thanks for reading
Sarang Kinjavdekar