Google expands ad targeting with new prospects mode
▼ Summary
– Google is launching a “new prospects” targeting mode this year to help advertisers reach consumers completely unfamiliar with their brand.
– The mode automatically excludes users who have previously purchased, searched for brand terms, visited the website/app, or engaged with brand content.
– The goal is to focus ad spend entirely on “cold” audiences still in the discovery phase, improving acquisition efficiency.
– Advertisers using Google’s New Customer Acquisition Value Mode saw a 9% improvement in ROAS when valuing new customers at twice average order value.
– The effectiveness of “new prospects” mode depends on Google’s ability to accurately identify brand-unaware users while balancing reach, efficiency, and privacy restrictions.
Google is rolling out a new “prospects” targeting mode, designed to help advertisers connect with consumers who have never encountered their brand before. This expansion of its New Customer Acquisition tools is set to launch later this year.
Unlike standard new customer targeting, which typically excludes only past purchasers, this new mode aims to reach people completely unfamiliar with a brand. Google explains that the system will automatically exclude users who have previously purchased, searched for brand-specific terms, visited a website or app, or engaged with brand content across Google and YouTube. The objective is to direct ad spend exclusively toward “cold” audiences still in the discovery phase.
Why this matters. Google is offering brands greater control over how aggressively they pursue incremental customer growth, rather than repeatedly targeting existing audiences. This “prospects” mode could enable advertisers to reach entirely new users earlier in the buying journey, improving acquisition efficiency through AI-powered audience exclusions and automation.
The broader context. Google is increasingly positioning AI-driven audience targeting as a way for advertisers to balance growth with efficiency. The company reports that advertisers using New Customer Acquisition Value Mode , which assigns higher value to new buyers while still reaching existing customers , saw a 9% improvement in ROAS when valuing new customers at twice the average order value.
What this means. As AI-driven targeting expands, platforms are increasingly relying on behavioral signals, first-party data, and automated exclusions to identify users earlier in the purchase funnel.
What to watch. The effectiveness of “new prospects” mode may hinge on Google’s ability to accurately identify brand-unaware users while balancing reach, efficiency, and privacy restrictions tied to audience tracking.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
