Audience list targeting

Audience list targeting lets you target a suite of audiences. All of the targeted audiences can be of different types.

All audiences are targeted using a single assigned targeting option of type TARGETING_TYPE_AUDIENCE_GROUP.

Audience targeting logic

An assigned audience targeting option contains an audience targeting details object. Audience targeting is the aggregate result of the detail object's fields. This result is based on the following logic:

Each audience group object is a list of audiences combined by UNION.
The includedFirstPartyAndPartnerAudienceGroups field contains a list of audience groups. It combines their audience groups by INTERSECTION.
All fields with the prefix "included" represent user lists to target. These are combined by UNION. This results in a list of users to include in targeting.
All fields with the prefix "excluded" represent user lists to exclude from targeting. These are combined by UNION. This results in a list of users to exclude from targeting.
All included users not in the list of excluded users will be targeted. If user lists are only excluded, all users except for those excluded will be targeted.

In practice, this means two things. First, a user won't be targeted if they are present in an audience in an "excluded" field. Second, a user will be targeted if any of the following are true:

They are present in an audience in every audience group in includedFirstPartyAndPartnerAudienceGroups.
The are present in any audience in any other "included" field.
No "included" field is set.

Update audience targeting

Audience list targeting uses an assigned targeting option with the ID value "audienceGroup". To set audience targeting, you need to:

Retrieve any existing audience list assigned targeting option.
Build a new assigned targeting option object. If there is existing targeting, this object should be based on existing targeting, with any wanted changes.
Delete any existing assigned targeting option, if needed.
Create a new assigned targeting option.

This can be done with the list and bulkEditAssignedTargetingOptions methods.

Here's how to update the audience targeting of a line item:

Java

// Provide the ID of the parent advertiser.
long advertiserId = advertiser-id;

// Provide the ID of the line item whose targeting will be updated.
long lineItemId = line-item-id;

// Provide a list of Google Audience IDs to add to line item targeting.
List<Long> addedGoogleAudienceIds = google-audience-ids-to-add;

// Build Google Audience targeting settings objects to add to audience
// targeting.
ArrayList<GoogleAudienceTargetingSetting> newGoogleAudienceSettings =
    new ArrayList<GoogleAudienceTargetingSetting>();

// Convert list of Google Audience IDs into list of settings.
for (Long googleAudienceId : addedGoogleAudienceIds) {
  newGoogleAudienceSettings.add(
      new GoogleAudienceTargetingSetting().setGoogleAudienceId(googleAudienceId));
}

// Create relevant bulk edit request objects.
BulkEditAssignedTargetingOptionsRequest requestContent =
    new BulkEditAssignedTargetingOptionsRequest();
requestContent.setLineItemIds(Arrays.asList(lineItemId));

AudienceGroupAssignedTargetingOptionDetails updatedAudienceGroupDetails;
ArrayList<DeleteAssignedTargetingOptionsRequest> audienceGroupDeleteRequests =
    new ArrayList<DeleteAssignedTargetingOptionsRequest>();

try {
  // Retrieve existing audience group targeting.
  AssignedTargetingOption existingAudienceGroupTargetingOption =
      service
          .advertisers()
          .lineItems()
          .targetingTypes()
          .assignedTargetingOptions()
          .get(advertiserId, lineItemId, "TARGETING_TYPE_AUDIENCE_GROUP", "audienceGroup")
          .execute();

  // Extract existing audience group targeting details.
  updatedAudienceGroupDetails = existingAudienceGroupTargetingOption.getAudienceGroupDetails();

  // Build and add delete request for existing audience group targeting.
  ArrayList<String> deleteAudienceGroupAssignedTargetingIds = new ArrayList<String>();
  deleteAudienceGroupAssignedTargetingIds.add("audienceGroup");

  audienceGroupDeleteRequests.add(
      new DeleteAssignedTargetingOptionsRequest()
          .setTargetingType("TARGETING_TYPE_AUDIENCE_GROUP")
          .setAssignedTargetingOptionIds(deleteAudienceGroupAssignedTargetingIds));
} catch (Exception e) {
  updatedAudienceGroupDetails = new AudienceGroupAssignedTargetingOptionDetails();
}

// Set delete requests in edit request.
requestContent.setDeleteRequests(audienceGroupDeleteRequests);

// Construct new group of Google Audiences to include in targeting.
GoogleAudienceGroup updatedIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup =
    updatedAudienceGroupDetails.getIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup();
if (updatedIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup != null) {
  List<GoogleAudienceTargetingSetting> updatedGoogleAudienceSettings =
      updatedIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup.getSettings();
  updatedGoogleAudienceSettings.addAll(newGoogleAudienceSettings);
  updatedIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup.setSettings(updatedGoogleAudienceSettings);
} else {
  updatedIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup = new GoogleAudienceGroup();
  updatedIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup.setSettings(newGoogleAudienceSettings);
}

// Add new Google Audience group to audience group targeting details.
updatedAudienceGroupDetails.setIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup(updatedIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup);

// Create new targeting option to assign.
AssignedTargetingOption newAudienceGroupTargeting = new AssignedTargetingOption();
newAudienceGroupTargeting.setAudienceGroupDetails(updatedAudienceGroupDetails);

// Build audience group targeting create request and add to list of create
// requests.
ArrayList<AssignedTargetingOption> createAudienceGroupAssignedTargetingOptions =
    new ArrayList<AssignedTargetingOption>();
createAudienceGroupAssignedTargetingOptions.add(newAudienceGroupTargeting);
ArrayList<CreateAssignedTargetingOptionsRequest> targetingCreateRequests =
    new ArrayList<CreateAssignedTargetingOptionsRequest>();
targetingCreateRequests.add(
    new CreateAssignedTargetingOptionsRequest()
        .setTargetingType("TARGETING_TYPE_AUDIENCE_GROUP")
        .setAssignedTargetingOptions(createAudienceGroupAssignedTargetingOptions));

// Set create requests in edit request.
requestContent.setCreateRequests(targetingCreateRequests);

// Configure and execute the bulk edit request.
BulkEditAssignedTargetingOptionsResponse response =
    service
        .advertisers()
        .lineItems()
        .bulkEditAssignedTargetingOptions(advertiserId, requestContent)
        .execute();

// Display API response information.
if (response.getUpdatedLineItemIds() != null && !response.getUpdatedLineItemIds().isEmpty()) {
  System.out.printf(
      "Targeting configurations for %s were successfully updated.%n",
      response.getUpdatedLineItemIds().get(0));
}
if (response.getFailedLineItemIds() != null && !response.getFailedLineItemIds().isEmpty()) {
  System.out.printf(
      "Targeting configurations for %s failed to update.%n",
      response.getFailedLineItemIds().get(0));
}
if (response.getErrors() != null && !response.getErrors().isEmpty()) {
  System.out.println("The failed updates were caused by the following errors:");
  for (Status error : response.getErrors()) {
    System.out.printf("Code %s: %s%n", error.getCode(), error.getMessage());
  }
} else {
  System.out.println("No successful or failed updates were reported.");
}

Python

# Provide the ID of the parent advertiser.
advertiser_id = advertiser-id

# Provide the ID of the line item whose targeting will be updated.
line_item_id = line-item-id

# Provide a list of Google Audience IDs to add to line item targeting.
added_google_audiences = google-audience-ids-to-add

# Build Google Audience targeting settings objects to create.
new_google_audience_targeting_settings = []
for google_audience_id in added_google_audiences:
  new_google_audience_targeting_settings.append(
      {'googleAudienceId': google_audience_id}
  )

try:
  # Retrieve any existing line item audience targeting.
  retrieved_audience_targeting = (
      service.advertisers()
      .lineItems()
      .targetingTypes()
      .assignedTargetingOptions()
      .get(
          advertiserId=advertiser_id,
          lineItemId=line_item_id,
          targetingType='TARGETING_TYPE_AUDIENCE_GROUP',
          assignedTargetingOptionId='audienceGroup',
      )
      .execute()
  )
except Exception:
  print(
      'Error retrieving existing audience targeting. Assuming no '
      'existing audience targeting.'
  )
  retrieved_audience_targeting = {}
updated_audience_group_details = {}

# Copy over any existing audience targeting.
if 'audienceGroupDetails' in retrieved_audience_targeting:
  updated_audience_group_details = retrieved_audience_targeting[
      'audienceGroupDetails'
  ]

# Append the new Google Audience IDs to any existing positive Google
# audience targeting.
if 'includedGoogleAudienceGroup' in updated_audience_group_details:
  updated_audience_group_details['includedGoogleAudienceGroup'][
      'settings'
  ].extend(new_google_audience_targeting_settings)
else:
  updated_audience_group_details['includedGoogleAudienceGroup'] = {
      'settings': new_google_audience_targeting_settings
  }

# Build bulk edit request.
bulk_edit_request = {
    'lineItemIds': [line_item_id],
    'deleteRequests': [{
        'targetingType': 'TARGETING_TYPE_AUDIENCE_GROUP',
        'assignedTargetingOptionIds': ['audienceGroup'],
    }],
    'createRequests': [{
        'targetingType': 'TARGETING_TYPE_AUDIENCE_GROUP',
        'assignedTargetingOptions': [
            {'audienceGroupDetails': updated_audience_group_details}
        ],
    }],
}

# Update the audience targeting
response = (
    service.advertisers()
    .lineItems()
    .bulkEditAssignedTargetingOptions(
        advertiserId=advertiser_id, body=bulk_edit_request
    )
    .execute()
)

# Print the line item IDs the successfully updated.
if 'updatedLineItemIds' in response:
  for id in response['updatedLineItemIds']:
    print(
        f'Line Item ID {id} has been updated to target the following '
        f'Google Audiences: {added_google_audiences}.'
    )

# Print the line item IDs that failed to update.
if 'failedLineItemIds' in response:
  for id in response['failedLineItemIds']:
    print(f'Could not update the audience targeting for Line Item ID {id}')
  if 'errors' in response:
    print('The updates failed due to the following errors:')
    for error in response['errors']:
      print(f'Error code: {error["code"]}, Message: {error["message"]}')

PHP

// Provide the ID of the parent advertiser.
$advertiserId = advertiser-id;

// Provide the ID of the line item whose targeting will be updated.
$lineItemId = line-item-id;

// Provide a list of Google Audience IDs to add to line item targeting.
$addedGoogleAudienceIds = array($audienceId);

// Build Google audience targeting setting objects to add.
$newGoogleAudienceTargetingSettings = array();
foreach ($addedGoogleAudienceIds as $googleAudienceId) {
    $googleAudienceSetting =
        new Google_Service_DisplayVideo_GoogleAudienceTargetingSetting();
    $googleAudienceSetting->setGoogleAudienceId($googleAudienceId);
    $newGoogleAudienceTargetingSettings[] = $googleAudienceSetting;
}

// Build bulk edit request.
$bulkEditRequest = new Google_Service_DisplayVideo_BulkEditAssignedTargetingOptionsRequest();
$bulkEditRequest->setLineItemIds(array($lineItemId));

// Call the API, retrieving the existing audience targeting for the
// line item.
try {
    $existingAudienceGroupTargetingOption = $this
        ->service
        ->advertisers_lineItems_targetingTypes_assignedTargetingOptions
        ->get(
            $advertiserId,
            $lineItemId,
            AppendAudienceAssignedTargetingOption::AUDIENCE_TARGETING_TYPE,
            AppendAudienceAssignedTargetingOption::AUDIENCE_TARGETING_OPTION_ID
        );

    $updatedAudienceGroupDetails = $existingAudienceGroupTargetingOption->getAudienceGroupDetails();

    $deleteAudienceGroupAssignedTargetingIds = array(AppendAudienceAssignedTargetingOption::AUDIENCE_TARGETING_OPTION_ID);
    $audienceTargetingDeleteRequest = new Google_Service_DisplayVideo_DeleteAssignedTargetingOptionsRequest();
    $audienceTargetingDeleteRequest->setTargetingType(AppendAudienceAssignedTargetingOption::AUDIENCE_TARGETING_TYPE);
    $audienceTargetingDeleteRequest->setAssignedTargetingOptionIds($deleteAudienceGroupAssignedTargetingIds);
    $bulkEditRequest->setDeleteRequests(array($audienceTargetingDeleteRequest));
} catch (\Exception $e) {
    $updatedAudienceGroupDetails = new Google_Service_DisplayVideo_AudienceGroupAssignedTargetingOptionDetails();
}

// Build new targeting object with updated list of Google Audience IDs.
$updatedIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup = new Google_Service_DisplayVideo_GoogleAudienceGroup();
if (!empty($updatedAudienceGroupDetails->getIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup())) {
    $updatedIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup
        ->setSettings(
            array_merge(
                $updatedAudienceGroupDetails
                    ->getIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup()
                    ->getSettings(),
                $newGoogleAudienceTargetingSettings
            )
        );
} else {
    $updatedIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup->setSettings($newGoogleAudienceTargetingSettings);
}
$updatedAudienceGroupDetails->setIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup($updatedIncludedGoogleAudienceGroup);

$newAudienceAssignedTargetingOption = new Google_Service_DisplayVideo_AssignedTargetingOption();
$newAudienceAssignedTargetingOption->setAudienceGroupDetails($updatedAudienceGroupDetails);

$createAudienceTargetingRequest = new Google_Service_DisplayVideo_CreateAssignedTargetingOptionsRequest();
$createAudienceTargetingRequest->setTargetingType(AppendAudienceAssignedTargetingOption::AUDIENCE_TARGETING_TYPE);
$createAudienceTargetingRequest->setAssignedTargetingOptions(array($newAudienceAssignedTargetingOption));
$bulkEditRequest->setCreateRequests(array($createAudienceTargetingRequest));

// Call the API, replacing the audience assigned targeting option for the
// line item.
try {
    $response = $this
        ->service
        ->advertisers_lineItems
        ->bulkEditAssignedTargetingOptions(
            $advertiserId,
            $bulkEditRequest
        );
} catch (\Exception $e) {
    $this->renderError($e);
    return;
}

// Print information returned by the bulk edit request.
// List updated line item IDs.
if (empty($response->getUpdatedLineItemIds())) {
    print '<p>No line items were successfully updated.</p>';
} else {
    print '<p>The targeting of the following line item IDs were '
        . 'updated:</p><ul>';
    foreach ($response->getUpdatedLineItemIds() as $id) {
        printf('<li>%s</li>',$id);
    }
    print '</ul>';
}

// List line item IDs that failed to update.
if (empty($response->getFailedLineItemIds())) {
    print '<p>No line items failed to update.</p>';
} else {
    print '<p>The targeting of the following line item IDs failed to '
        . 'update:</p><ul>';
    foreach ($response->getFailedLineItemIds() as $id) {
        printf('<li>%s</li>',$id);
    }
    print '</ul>';
}

// List the errors thrown when the targeting was updated.
if (empty($response->getErrors())) {
    print '<p>No errors were thrown.</p>';
} else {
    print '<p>The following errors were thrown when attempting to '
        . 'update the targeting:</p><ul>';
    foreach ($response->getErrors() as $error) {
        printf(
            '<li>%s: %s</li>',
            $error->getCode(),
            $error->getMessage()
        );
    }
    print '</ul>';
}

Optimize audience targeting

Display & Video 360 can expand beyond the reach of your selected audiences to new and relevant users through the optimized targeting feature.

Set optimized targeting for a line item using the targetingExpansion field in the line item.