Audience targeting adds a second dimension to keyword targeting: not just what someone searched, but who they are and what they have done before.
Observation vs. Targeting: The Rule
Start in Observation mode for any new audience segment.
Ads still show to everyone; you collect performance data per segment.
Switch to Targeting mode only after confirming the segment significantly outperforms.
Targeting = ads show only to that audience. High exclusion risk if segment is wrong.
The High-Value Segments for Search
RLSA (Remarketing Lists for Search Ads):
Prior visitors to your pricing page, case studies, or contact page who search your keyword again.
These are warm, high-intent users. Bid adjustment: +50–100%.
Customer Match:
Upload your customer list. Google matches them when they search.
Bid higher for existing customers (upsell) or suppress them (if irrelevant to this campaign).
In-market audiences:
Users actively researching your product category.
Add in Observation mode. If they convert at 2x the base rate: Apply +50% bid.
Practical Bid Adjustments
| Segment Performance | Bid Adjustment |
|---|---|
| 2x+ base conversion rate | +50–100% |
| 1x–2x base | +15–30% |
| 0.5x–1x base | No adjustment |
| < 0.5x base | -30 to -50% |
| Near-zero conversions | -90% (de-facto exclusion) |
Audience strategy and Google Ads management: yositeup.com
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