Understand targeting

Whenever users visit webpages with Campaign Manager 360 placement tags, requests are sent to our ad servers. As part of the standard protocol for delivering content, the ad servers read the user's IP address, the HTTP headers associated with the request, and the user's DoubleClick cookie (if available). Devices that don't have a detectable or passed IP address, such as traditional set-top boxes, aren't supported for most Campaign Manager 360 targeting and serving features, such as geographic targeting.

If the ad is displayed on the results page for a search, the ad servers might also be sent the user's search query.

Based on this information, the ad server is able to infer information about the user. This information is then compared with the targeting set for each ad. Ads are only served when their targeting criteria are a match with the user.

The more targeting criteria you require, the more information you have about the kind of user who will see your ad. However, you also narrow your potential audience when you combine criteria.

For example, if a user only has to be in the United States to see your ad, plenty of users will be eligible. If the user must also meet other criteria, such as searching for certain keywords at a certain time of day, then fewer users are likely to be eligible. But the users who do meet all your targeting criteria may be exactly the audience you want to reach.

Multiple targeting types

A user has to meet one targeting criterion from each targeting type you use.

For example, say you target an ad to several cities and several browser types. That means a user has to be in one of your targeted cities and use one of your browser types to be eligible for your ad.

Multiple criteria in a single targeting type

Include more options in a targeting type to broaden your audience.

For example, if you target an ad to Japan in your Geography targeting section, only users in Japan can see the ad. But if you target an ad to Japan, Belgium, Spain, and China, users in any of those countries can see the ad.