Google Adwords Adds Demographic Targeting

Google Adwords Adds Demographic Targeting

Google AdWords is going beyong localized, contextual, and keyword targeting to add a new demographic targeting option for its advertisers. Released just hours ago, Google Adwords Demographic Site Selection is a way to add pinpoint targeting to AdWords campaigns.

Using the new Demographic Site Selection, Adwords advertisers can target by age, gender, income or other factors. Multiple demographics can also be used in a precise targeted campaign, for example women living in rural America between the ages of 45 and 60.

Google Adwords Demographic is integrated with Google AdWords Content Network, ie. Google Adsense, and works by identifying Google partner sites which are popular with your intended audience.

Google adds : The demographic site selection option is found on the ‘Identify sites’ page when you create a new site-targeted campaign, or on the site tool in an existing site-targeted campaign. In both cases you’ll also be able to use two other options to find sites: listing site URLs and describing topics that match your ad. We recommend using those methods along with demographic site selection to identify the very best sites for your ad to appear.

Demographic site selection seems to be only available for Google Adwords Content (AdSense) and in the US only. No word from Google yet if they plan to expand demographic targeting into search. Despite Google patents on targeting Adwords search and content ads to behavioral information gathered through their network, Demographic site selection is now targeting via info from comScore Media Metrix.

I spoke with Andy Beal of Fortune Interactive about Google Demogrpahics and he added his thoughts on Google’s timing of the announcement; “One of the strongest cards MSN had with adCenter was their demographic targeting. With Google adding demographics to AdWords, MSN is going to have a tougher time convincing advertisers that they have something unique to offer.”

Additionally, AdWords Demographic is only available for ad campaigns geotargeted to the United States.

Demographic targeting will add an extra incentive for Adwords advertisers to take advantage of both the Adwords Search & Content networks. Google recently sent out an email trying to persuade those AdWords advertisers who advertise in search only to try Content Network again. Demographic Site Selection is most definately a reason for doing so.