What is Google AdWords' New Detailed Demographics Feature?
Google has rolled out the Detailed Demographics beta to select advertisers, making it the most advanced demographic targeting yet in AdWords.
Here’s an overview of what detailed demographics are, how they can improve your ability to reach new audiences, and some tips from our PPC experts that have used the feature.
“You can now go beyond the standard age, gender, and location data and target based on education, parental status, marital status, and home ownership. Adding these audiences to your campaigns is an easy way to see if certain demographics engage and buy your brand on Google.”
-Michael Ward, Lead Retail Search Manager at CPC Strategy
What Are Detailed Demographics?
Detailed demographics are an expansion of the current demographics in Google AdWords, allowing advertisers to now target audiences by marital status, home ownership, education, and parental status.
What Does This Mean for Marketers?
More sophisticated demographic targeting means more marketers have more control over exactly who sees their ads. It also means being able to refine current audiences and prospect for new ones.
The current demographic targeting options in AdWords is restricted to four variables: age, gender, parental status, and household income.
Expanding these variables provides marketers with more options to refine your audience. This increases the chances of reaching your most qualified consumers.
These new data points also give marketers a chance to easily test their targeting outside their usual audience.
“Even if you think any of these audiences aren’t relevant to your business or industry, you can add them to the campaigns at no risk,” says Michael Ward.
“From there, you let the data tell you if these audiences are relevant or not.”
Tips for Using Detailed Demographics
Like other AdWords targeting, you can achieve better results after you’ve gathered enough data to identify your best-performing audiences.
A bid modifier strategy that prioritizes your highest converting audiences will yield better ROAS.
“I added detailed demographic audiences using the Observation setting at a 0% bid modifier. When audiences have accumulated enough data (30 days worth), I change bid modifiers based on performance. For audiences with strong conversion rates and high ROI, I raised the bid modifiers so we can get more aggressive with our ads and generate higher order volume.”
How to Use Detailed Demographics
You can access the new Detailed Demographics in 4 simple steps.
#1 Log into AdWords (the new version).
#2 Select a Search Campaign.
#3 Go to Audiences – Demographics. Now select the blue edit button.
#4 Pick and add your new detailed demographics variables.
Note: detailed demographics are still in beta and only available to select accounts.
Want to learn more about AdWords audience targeting?
Check out our post What are Google Custom Intent Audiences?
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