3 reasons to consider topic targeting

With the insights and reports we get from Google Ads and Google Analytics, we are more and more able to tell who our customers are. So, if we know more about them than the product they are searching for, we can use more accurate forms of targeting. One of them is topic targeting. Although this method has several limits, if set up correctly, it can be a powerful help for your business.Your customers are interested in a variety of topics that may or may not be directly related to your products or services. Topic targeting means placing your ad in the Google Display Network on websites or apps with content related to topics you choose. You can select more or just one.

How does it look in practice?

Here’s an example… You’re an outdoor clothing retailer. You can therefore target your advertising on topics such as Hiking, Outdoor, but also Health. Your ads will then appear on sites that have content related to these topics. This way you can reach people who were not looking for hiking boots, but who were looking for tips for weekend trips or are browsing hiking sites generally. However, hiking boots may come in handy for the trip.There are two ways to fine-tune your targeting. Within broader topics, you can also define narrower subtopics. At the same time, you can exclude topics you don’t want to associate with.Of course, since you don’t target users who were directly searching for your product, you should also customize your ad copy.

3 main reasons you need to consider topic targeting for your business

1. Approach wider audience

By not only offering your products to users who search for them, you will bring them to a much wider range of people. They can also be interested in your products or services for visiting the web on the topic you are targeting. They just haven’t searched for them yet. By correctly wording your ad copy, you can make these users become your customers.

2. Strengthen and raise awareness of your brand

By not exposing your products or services directly to people searching for them, your ad’s success may not be directly reflected in conversions. But by displaying it, you continue to build awareness of your brand among people who are interested in the selected topics and can return to the purchase later. Following our example, we can explain this as follows: When people who hike this weekend look for better hiking boots in two weeks, they can recall your e-shop and buy it.

3. Test what works and adjust your bids

With the performance of your ads, you can track which topics are driving interactions for your ad. These phenomena will help you identify which topics are worth targeting and which are not. At the same time, you can gain valuable insight into who your customers are and customize other settings for your Google Ads campaigns.

The pricing works the same way as for other types of targeting

As with keyword targeting, you set bids manually or with a selected automated strategy for topics. Google Ads will then search for a position for your ad on Google Display Network sites and apps that are related to the topic. Set up topic targeting with this simple tutorial by Google.Topic targeting may not be a breakthrough feature for your campaign, bringing a 100% increase in conversions overnight. But with the right settings, it will strengthen your brand position in the market and raise awareness. At the same time, you can get a complete picture of what customers are attracting your products or services, and you can use it in other campaign settings.