Using Audience Segments for Google Ads in CRM

Understanding Audience Segments for Google Ads

Audience Segments allow you to organize potential customers into specific groups that can be targeted in your Google Ads campaigns. By creating and managing these segments directly within your CRM, you can streamline your advertising workflow while maintaining privacy-compliant targeting strategies across all your campaigns.

The CRM supports four main types of audience segments for Google Ads:

• Customer Match
• Website Visitors
• Interest Segments
• Lookalike Segments

Key Benefits

• Faster Workflow: Create and select audiences without leaving your CRM interface
• Full Google Integration: Access all core Google audience types from a single location
• Inline Creation: Build segments during campaign setup to maintain momentum
• Precise Targeting: Utilize detailed interest categories and subcategories for better ad relevance
• Improved Performance: Target high-intent audiences to boost click-through and conversion rates
• Centralized Management: Maintain consistent audience usage across team campaigns

Creating Audience Segments

To create a new audience segment:

1. Navigate to Marketing > Ad Manager from your sub-account dashboard
2. Click the Settings button
3. Select Google Ads > Audience Segments tab
4. Click + Create New Segment
5. Choose your preferred segment type
6. Click Next to configure specific details
7. Click Create to finalize your segment

Segment Types and Configuration

Customer Match Segments

Target users from your existing customer or contact lists. Ideal for re-engagement campaigns or creating seed audiences for expansion.

Setup Steps:

• Select Customer Match as your segment type
• Upload a CSV file or choose a Smart List for dynamic synchronization
• Set membership duration (maximum 540 days)
• Ensure compliance with Google's Customer Match policies
• Name and create your segment

Website Visitor Segments

Retarget users who have interacted with your website, perfect for follow-up campaigns targeting specific page visitors.

Setup Steps:

• Choose Website Visitors as your segment type
• Define conditions (e.g., "Visited checkout page")
• Set tracking time window (30-60 days recommended for high-intent audiences)
• Combine multiple rules using AND/OR logic
• Name and create your segment

Interest Segments

Reach users based on their interests and online behavior, excellent for awareness and discovery campaigns.

Setup Steps:

• Select Interest Segments as your type
• Name your segment
• Add interests using keywords or phrases that represent your ideal customer
• Alternatively, add website URLs that your target audience might visit
• You can also enter bundle IDs of apps your ideal customers use
• Create the segment

Lookalike Segments

Expand your reach by targeting users similar to your best-performing audiences, ideal for customer acquisition.

Setup Steps:

• Choose Lookalike Segment as your type
• Add a segment name
• Select up to 10 seed lists
• Choose target countries
• Define reach size: Narrow (2.5%), Balanced (5%), or Broad (10%)
• Create the segment

Using Segments in Google Ad Campaigns

To apply your audience segments to campaigns:

1. Go to Marketing > Ad Manager > + Create Campaign
2. Select Google as your platform and click Next
3. Create a campaign from scratch or choose a template
4. Navigate to the Intended Audience section
5. Select the Audience Segments tab
6. Choose existing segments or click + Create a New Audience Segment to build one during setup

Target Interests: Affinity and In-Market Audiences

Target Interests are predefined Google audience categories that help you reach people based on either long-term interests (Affinity) or immediate purchase intent (In-Market). These are particularly useful for advertisers looking to expand their reach beyond their own customer data.

Affinity Audiences

Affinity audiences represent users with long-standing interests in specific topics or activities. These audiences are built around what people are passionate about and consistently engage with over time.

In-Market Audiences

In-Market audiences target users who are actively researching or comparing products and services, indicating they're closer to making a purchase decision.