Google Ads Content Targeting: Your Guide to Placements, Topics, and Keywords

By: Jyll Saskin Gales, Google Ads Coach

Ever feel like you're sending out invitations to a party, but half of them are going to the wrong address? That's what it can feel like when your Google Display and Video ads show up on irrelevant websites or videos. While a lot of Google Ads is about finding the right people, it's also about finding the right places. This is where content targeting comes in.

Before you can effectively exclude placements, it's important to understand the different ways you can target content in the first place. This guide will walk you through the three types of content targeting for display and video campaigns, how to implement them, and then show you exactly how to exclude the ones that aren't working for you.

In this post, you'll learn:

• The difference between audience targeting and content targeting.

• The three types of content targeting: placements, topics, and keywords.

• How to add keywords, topics, and placements to your campaigns.

• How to find the exclusion section for your display and video campaigns.

• What happens when you exclude keywords, and how it can be more powerful than you might think.

Audience vs. Content Targeting: The Key Difference

Think of it this way: audience targeting is about showing your ads to a specific type of person. It's like inviting people to your party based on their interests or demographics—the people who like board games, for example, or people who live in a certain neighborhood.

Content targeting, on the other hand, is about showing your ads in a specific type of place. It's like making sure your party is held at a board game cafe or a community center in that neighborhood. The focus is on the environment, not the individual.

In Google Ads, this means you can target ads based on:

1. Placements: This is the most specific form of content targeting. You choose a specific website, app, YouTube channel, or even an individual YouTube video where you want your ad to show. For example, if you sell hiking gear, you might choose to place your ad directly on a popular hiking blog or a YouTube channel dedicated to outdoor adventures.

2. Topics: This is a broader approach. Google has hundreds of predefined topics, ranging from "Gossip and Tabloid News" to "Alcohol-Free Beverages." When you select a topic, your ads become eligible to show on any piece of content that Google's algorithm has categorized under that topic.

3. Keywords: This is the most flexible form of content targeting. You provide a list of keywords, and Google will show your ads on content that is related to those keywords. This works more like broad match keywords in Search campaigns, meaning Google looks for a general relationship between your keywords and the content, not an exact match.

How to Target Content with Keywords, Topics, and Placements

Now that you understand the different types of content targeting, let's look at how to actually implement them to start showing your ads where you want them to be seen. You can mix and match these targeting methods within your ad group to broaden your reach, as your ads will be eligible to show on any content that matches at least one of the targeting signals you've added.

To get started, you'll navigate to the "Audiences, keywords, and content" section in your campaign on the left-hand side of your Google Ads dashboard. From there, select "Content." You will see options to add Placements, Topics, and Keywords.

• To Add Placements: You can either manually enter a list of websites, YouTube channels, or videos, or you can browse for ideas based on keywords or topics. For example, if you sell high-end coffee beans, you could search for "coffee blogs" to see a list of relevant websites and add them to your placements. Google will also often suggest placements based on your campaign's goals and existing targeting signals.

• To Add Topics: You can browse a comprehensive list of topics and subtopics provided by Google. The categories are organized in a hierarchy, so you can select a broad topic like "Food & Drink" or get more specific by choosing a subtopic like "Cooking & Recipes." As a general rule, choosing a top-level topic will cast a wider net, while selecting a more specific subtopic will narrow your reach.

• To Add Keywords: You can manually enter keywords that are relevant to your product or service. Google will then look for content that is related to those keywords. Keep in mind that for display and video campaigns, these keywords are treated with a contextual understanding—they are not a direct match like in a Search campaign. For example, if you add the keyword "family-friendly travel," your ad might show on a blog post about traveling with kids, even if the exact phrase "family-friendly travel" isn't in the article.

How to Exclude Unwanted Placements, Topics, and Keywords

Now that you know how to add placements, topics, and keywords to target, let's talk about how to play the role of the bouncer, and turn away the places you don't want to be. The good news is that whether you're dealing with placements, topics, or keywords, the process for exclusion is the same.

You'll start by navigating to the same "Audiences, Keywords, and Content" section of your campaign. From there, select "Content" and then scroll down to the "Exclusions" tab. This is your command center for cleaning up your display and video campaigns.

Here you'll find options to exclude:

• Placements: If you've been running your campaign for a while and notice your ads are showing up on low-quality sites or apps, you can add them to this list. This is also where you can proactively exclude content that isn't brand-safe or relevant to your business.

• Topics: If you find that certain topics are generating a lot of impressions but no conversions, you can exclude that entire category.

• Keywords: This is where you can add negative keywords. For example, if you sell high-end watches, you might add "cheap" or "knockoff" as negative keywords to prevent your ads from showing on content related to those terms.

What's particularly interesting about keyword exclusions is that, according to Google's own language, they may also act as a sort of negative custom segment, preventing your ads from showing to people who are browsing or searching for content related to those keywords. While you can't manually create a negative custom segment, this feature of keyword exclusions can be a powerful tool for refining your targeting even further.

By regularly reviewing your placement reports and proactively excluding placements, topics, and keywords that don't align with your goals, you can ensure your display and video ad spend is as efficient as possible.