In today’s on-demand digital world, being able to zero in on the right customer at the right time is crucial to your online success. If you’re looking to tap into the Australian market, Google Ads offers a multitude of options for audience targeting. This article dives deep into maximising targeting options with Google Ads, focusing particularly on custom audiences.
Google Ads is an invaluable tool that lets you connect with your potential customers through precise targeting. This goes well beyond age, gender, and location; Google Ads allows for what is known as custom audiences, a feature that lets you define and choose your audience more accurately.
How Do I Target Custom Audiences on Google Ads?
Before you jump right in to target custom audiences on Google Ads, it’s important to keep a few points in mind:
Consider Intent Alongside Demographics
While it’s common to target audiences based on demographics like age, gender, or location, it’s equally crucial to consider user intent. Google Ads allows you to incorporate keywords that potential customers might be using in their search queries. This enables you to capture audiences who are actively interested in products or services similar to what you’re offering, rather than just targeting based on who they are. This two-pronged approach is particularly useful for businesses looking to reach audiences at different stages of the purchase journey.
Layer Your Audiences
Custom audiences don’t have to be mutually exclusive. In fact, you can layer different audiences to fine-tune your targeting. For example, you could combine a demographic audience like “Women aged 25-34” with an interest-based audience like “Fitness Enthusiasts” to target a very specific subgroup. Layering allows for highly specialised targeting, but it’s essential to be careful not to make your audience too narrow. An overly specific audience may not generate enough volume to make your ad spend worthwhile.
Leverage Existing Data
If you’ve been running campaigns or have other customer data, leverage that information to create lookalikes or similar audiences. These are audiences that exhibit similar characteristics to your existing customers, making them more likely to be interested in your offerings. Import your customer email lists, site visitor data, or app user data to create these ‘mirror’ audiences.
Relevance Over Reach
While it might be tempting to aim for the widest reach possible, a smaller, more focused audience often brings more value. A targeted ad campaign aimed at a custom audience that has been well-researched and aligned with your business goals is usually more cost-effective and yields a higher ROI than a broad, unfocused campaign.
How to Target Custom Audiences Step-by-Step
- Login to your Google Ads account and navigate to the ‘Audiences’ section.
- Create New Audience: Click on the ‘+’ button to create a new audience.
- Select Custom Audiences: Choose the ‘Custom Audiences’ option.
- Define Parameters: Here you can input various criteria such as interests, keywords, or even specific URLs that your audience might visit.
- Save and Apply: Once you’re happy with your audience parameters, save your settings and apply them to your desired campaign.
What is the Benefit of Custom Audiences in Google Ads?
Utilising custom audiences in Google Ads allows advertisers to create more effective campaigns due to the increased precision that Custom Audiences offers. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the biggest benefits:
Higher ROI
Data-Driven Decisions: Custom audiences are generally built using your own data, so they are more likely to be interested in your offerings. This leads to a greater likelihood of conversions, thereby increasing your Return on Investment (ROI).
Engagement: Custom targeting allows for more personalised messaging, meaning your audience is more likely to engage with your ad, further pushing up ROI.
Lower Costs
Quality Over Quantity: Custom audiences let you to pinpoint potential customers with laser-like precision, thus ensuring your ad spend is not wasted on the wrong demographic. Fewer wasted clicks mean lower costs per acquisition.
Bid Optimisation: Knowing your audience allows you to optimise your bids better during the ad auction process, saving you money.
Brand Relevance
Stronger Brand Affinity: When you show highly relevant ads to a custom audience, it increases the likelihood of those people developing a stronger affinity for your brand.
Customer Lifetime Value: A more engaged and loyal audience is more likely to become repeat customers, increasing their lifetime value to the brand.
What is the Best Target Audience for Google Ads?
There is no “one size fits all” best target audience. The ‘best’ target audience is highly industry-specific and relies on several variables including your product or service, market conditions, and the particular objectives of the campaign. Here are some tips to help you hone in more specifically on who your best target audience is for Google Ads:
- Experiment and Analyse: Use Google Ads’ analytics tools to assess the performance of different custom audiences.
- A/B Testing: Split your audience into different segments and run similar campaigns to them. Measure key performance indicators (KPIs) to determine which audience is more effective.
- Sales Funnel Positioning: Understand where your audience is in the sales funnel. Tailoring your ad and custom audience for awareness, consideration, or conversion stages can make a huge difference.
What is Optimise Targeting in Google Ads?
Audience optimisation involves a continuous cycle of refining your targeting options based on performance data. Optimising your targeting in Google Ads includes:
Eliminate Underperforming Keywords
If certain keywords are not leading to clicks or conversions, it’s time to revisit and possibly eliminate them from your custom audience criteria.
Focus on High-Engagement Locations
If data shows that certain geographic locations are yielding better results, it makes sense to focus your efforts there, which is especially relevant in the diverse Australian market.
Seasonal Trends
Being aware of seasonality and optimising your audience accordingly can be incredibly beneficial. For example, targeting audiences interested in “swimwear” would probably be more effective in the lead-up to Australia’s summer months.
Review and Adapt
Continually assess the performance of your ads and be ready to tweak your audience settings in real-time to ensure ongoing ad effectiveness.
Australia Audience Targeting: Getting the Most Out of Your Google Ads Campaign
In a diverse and expansive market like Australia, honing in on your target audience is crucial for the success of your Google Ads campaign. Whether you’re a local business aiming to expand or an international brand looking to make an entry into the Australian market, understanding the nuances of Australia audience targeting can significantly impact your ROI.
Here’s what you need to know about Australia Audience Targeting for the best possible results:
Regional Preferences
Australia is a continent, but it’s also a country divided into states and territories, each with its own set of consumer behaviours and preferences. For example, targeting audiences in Sydney may require a different approach than targeting those in Adelaide or Perth. You might find that some products that are popular in the eastern states might not resonate as much in the western states.
Urban vs Rural
Another consideration is the divide between urban and rural populations. Life in Sydney or Melbourne is very different from life in rural Queensland or the Northern Territory. This division could affect the types of products or services people are interested in, as well as their shopping behaviour.
Cultural Diversity
Australia is a melting pot of cultures, and this can be leveraged in Google Ads by targeting specific ethnic groups that might be interested in your product or service. Consider adding languages other than English in your ad copy or researching traditional holidays and seasons where specific groups might have heightened purchasing intent.
Age and Lifestyle
While millennials in Australia might be more inclined to spend on tech gadgets, experiences, and dining, older generations might be more interested in home improvement, healthcare, and travel. Understanding age demographics and how they correlate with lifestyle choices can make your campaigns more efficient.
Seasonal Behaviour
Australia’s seasons are opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere. When targeting an Australian audience, make sure your ad content is seasonally appropriate. For example, if you’re advertising clothing, remember that December to February is summer in Australia. Seasonal targeting is crucial for sectors like retail, tourism, and outdoor activities.
Local Events and Holidays
Apart from the global events and holidays, Australia has its own set of public holidays and events like Australia Day, ANZAC Day, and the Melbourne Cup. These can be good opportunities to target a more engaged audience with specific offers or promotions.
Real-time Analytics
Keep an eye on performance metrics and be ready to pivot your strategy based on what the data is telling you. For instance, if you notice that your ads are performing exceptionally well in Brisbane but not in Sydney, you could consider increasing your ad spend for Brisbane to maximise your ROI.
Compliance and Regulations
Last but not least, make sure that your Google Ads comply with Australian laws and guidelines. This is particularly important for industries like healthcare, finance, and alcohol.
The Bottom Line on Google Ads Audience Targeting
Custom audience targeting with Google Ads offers a treasure trove of opportunities for businesses aiming to make an impact in the Australian market. By maximising targeting options, employing precise targeting strategies, and continually tweaking your campaigns for audience optimisation, you can ensure that you’re getting the best possible return on investment for your marketing budget.
Keep in mind that Google Ads Audience Targeting isn’t the only thing you should know about efficient Google Ads Optimisation when it comes to Australian campaigns; it’s just one piece of a very large and detailed puzzle. We invite you to learn more about a variety of other techniques you can leverage to target the right audience, including in-market audiences, location targeting and much more.
If you need more in-depth help with your Google Ads campaigns, work with one of Australia’s leading search engine marketing and paid ads management companies. At Cliq, we can help you focus on the right audience with the right keywords and phrases to get the right kind of response every time. No matter what you have to sell, or if you’re new to targeting the Australian market, our seasoned search engine professionals can help your ads get the reach and exposure they deserve.
Contact our Google Ads agency in Adelaide for more information or to set up a one-on-one consultation with our experienced team. There’s no cost and no obligation, and together we can create an impactful strategy that gets you results.
