Master Google Ads Custom Segments for Better Results
▼ Summary
– Custom segments in Google Ads allow advertisers to target users based on their recent interactions with content, interests, search terms, websites, or apps.
– The most effective use of custom segments is based on search terms, which targets users who have searched for specific or similar terms on Google properties.
– Search term-based custom segments work best in Demand Gen campaigns, as they ensure ads are shown only on Google-owned platforms where user search data is accessible.
– Using custom segments in Demand Gen can reach the same high-intent audience as Search campaigns at a significantly lower cost per click.
– Custom segments have different names and functionalities across campaign types, such as “custom interest” in Video and Performance Max, and are not compatible with Search or Shopping campaigns.
Mastering Google Ads custom segments can dramatically improve your campaign performance by connecting with users based on their demonstrated interests and search behaviors. This powerful feature transforms how you approach audience targeting, moving beyond simple content placement to reach individuals actively engaging with relevant topics. While the concept offers tremendous potential, many advertisers find the implementation process confusing, which prevents them from leveraging its full capabilities.
Custom segments essentially allow you to build targeted audiences using Google’s extensive data resources. Rather than displaying ads on websites about specific topics, you’re targeting people who have recently shown interest in those subjects. Think of it as converting content targeting into audience targeting – you’re reaching the person, not just the webpage.
Creating a custom segment begins in either Audience Manager or the Audiences section of compatible campaigns. After naming your segment, you can incorporate up to four distinct input types: interests for people with specific interests or purchase intentions, search terms for those searching particular phrases on Google properties, websites for people browsing certain types of sites, and apps for users of specific applications. For optimal performance, consider creating separate segments for each input type rather than combining them, allowing you to identify which performs best in your reporting.
The most effective application of custom segments involves search term targeting. These segments reach people who search for your specified terms and similar phrases, functioning similarly to exact match close variants. To implement this strategy, begin by extracting your top 20-30 non-branded search terms from existing Search, Shopping, or Performance Max campaigns. Focus on terms with strong conversion rates or those you wish received more impressions. Next, create a new custom segment using these search terms as your sole input under the “People who searched for any of these terms on Google” option. Finally, apply this segment to a new Demand Gen campaign with optimized targeting disabled.
Demand Gen campaigns provide the ideal environment for search term-based custom segments because they only appear on Google-owned properties. When you restrict your ads to YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Maps, Google can accurately identify users and their recent search history. If you attempt to use the same segment in a Display campaign, which serves ads across millions of third-party websites and apps, Google cannot reliably identify all users. In this scenario, your “search terms” essentially become “interests,” diminishing the valuable search intent component.
This approach delivers identical user intent at significantly lower costs. By deploying search term-based custom segments in Demand Gen campaigns, you’re reaching the same individuals you target in Search or Shopping campaigns while they engage in other online activities. Consider someone who recently searched for “best small business CRM” – while a Google Ads click might cost over $20, reaching that same person as they check email or browse YouTube could reduce your cost per click to approximately $1. That represents substantial savings for accessing identical user intent.
When building custom segments using website URLs or apps, recognize the critical distinction from placement targeting. You aren’t necessarily displaying ads on those specific websites or within those particular apps, nor are you targeting people who have visited those exact destinations. Instead, you’re reaching individuals who frequent similar websites or use comparable applications. This subtle difference significantly impacts your targeting strategy, which explains why search term-based segments often provide more predictable results.
Custom segments appear under various names across different campaign types. In Demand Gen and Display campaigns, they’re called custom segments and can incorporate interests, search terms, websites, and apps. Video campaigns refer to them as “custom interests,” while search term targeting requires selecting “custom search terms.” Performance Max campaigns also use the “custom interest” terminology, treating these as audience signals rather than true targeting. Notably, Search and Shopping campaigns don’t support custom segments.
These audience-building tools serve as an excellent introduction to expanded targeting within Google Ads, particularly for advertisers accustomed to search-only campaigns. Beginning with straightforward search term segments allows you to leverage existing performance data while exploring how high-intent audiences respond when encountered during different online activities.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
