Targeting Settings for Remarketing

Once you've added a user list to an ad group or campaign as a criterion, it's ready to go. However, it may not be targeting exactly how you'd expect.

To verify that the targeting is working as intended, check the targeting_setting on ad groups or campaigns by requesting the ad_group.targeting_setting.target_restrictions field from the ad_group resource in a search query.

You can set up details on how your various criteria types are used for targeting by setting the TargetingSetting field with an array of target_restrictions. Each TargetRestriction lets you control whether a type of criteria uses the bid_only option or not.

When setting bid_only to true, the targeting setting will be set to "Observation", and the criteria won't be used to restrict traffic, but will allow you to bid differently for different users on your lists. Setting bid_only to false sets targeting setting to "Targeting" and enables the criteria to restrict ad group traffic only to users on the targeted list.

By default, bid_only is set to false, which means the targeting setting will be set to "Targeting". If you're adding remarketing lists to your main search campaign, consider changing the targeting setting of bid_only to true. If you're setting up a duplicate campaign for remarketing lists for search ads, keep the targeting of bid_only set to false.

Here's an example that uses the Java client library to update the targeting_setting on an ad group so that bid_only is true for TargetRestriction instances with a targeting_dimension of AUDIENCE. First, we retrieve all the ad_group.targeting_setting.target_restrictions from the ad group with the provided ID.

String searchQuery =
    "SELECT ad_group.id, ad_group.name, ad_group.targeting_setting.target_restrictions "
        + "FROM ad_group "
        + "WHERE ad_group.id = "
        + adGroupId;
UpdateAudienceTargetRestriction.java
      

string query = $@"
    SELECT ad_group.id, ad_group.name, ad_group.targeting_setting.target_restrictions
    FROM ad_group
    WHERE ad_group.id = {adGroupId}";
UpdateAudienceTargetRestriction.cs
      

$query = "SELECT ad_group.id, ad_group.name, " .
    "ad_group.targeting_setting.target_restrictions " .
    "FROM ad_group " .
    "WHERE ad_group.id = $adGroupId";
UpdateAudienceTargetRestriction.php
      

query = f"""
    SELECT
      ad_group.id,
      ad_group.name,
      ad_group.targeting_setting.target_restrictions
    FROM ad_group
    WHERE ad_group.id = {ad_group_id}"""
update_audience_target_restriction.py
      

query = <<~QUERY
  SELECT ad_group.id, ad_group.name,
         ad_group.targeting_setting.target_restrictions
  FROM ad_group
  WHERE ad_group.id = #{ad_group_id}
QUERY
update_audience_target_restriction.rb
      

my $query =
  "SELECT ad_group.id, ad_group.name, " .
  "ad_group.targeting_setting.target_restrictions FROM ad_group " .
  "WHERE ad_group.id = $ad_group_id";
update_audience_target_restriction.pl
      

Next, we loop through the target restrictions and reconstruct the TargetingSetting objects. If we encounter a TargetRestriction with a targeting_dimension of AUDIENCE and a bid_only value of false, we'll update the TargetRestriction object's bid_only field to true (or "Observation") and add it to our TargetingSetting object.

Otherwise, we add the TargetRestriction object as returned from the server to the TargetingSetting. It is important to note that we must reconstruct and pass the entire TargetingSetting object back to Google Ads. Google will assume that any target_restrictions missing from the TargetingSetting should be removed.

for (TargetRestriction targetRestriction : targetRestrictions) {
  TargetingDimension targetingDimension = targetRestriction.getTargetingDimension();
  boolean bidOnly = targetRestriction.getBidOnly();
  System.out.printf(
      "- Targeting restriction with targeting dimension '%s' and bid only set to '%b'.%n",
      targetingDimension, bidOnly);
  // Adds the target restriction to the TargetingSetting object as is if the targeting
  // dimension has a value other than AUDIENCE because those should not change.
  if (!targetingDimension.equals(TargetingDimension.AUDIENCE)) {
    targetingSettingBuilder.addTargetRestrictions(targetRestriction);
  } else if (!bidOnly) {
    shouldUpdateTargetingSetting = true;
    // Adds an AUDIENCE target restriction with bid_only set to true to the targeting
    // setting object. This has the effect of setting the AUDIENCE target restriction to
    // "Observation". For more details about the targeting setting, visit
    // https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7365594.
    targetingSettingBuilder.addTargetRestrictions(
        TargetRestriction.newBuilder()
            .setTargetingDimensionValue(TargetingDimension.AUDIENCE_VALUE)
            .setBidOnly(true));
  }
}
UpdateAudienceTargetRestriction.java
      

foreach (TargetRestriction targetRestriction in targetRestrictions)
{
    TargetingDimension targetingDimension =
        targetRestriction.TargetingDimension;
    bool bidOnly = targetRestriction.BidOnly;

    Console.WriteLine("\tTargeting restriction with targeting dimension " +
        $"'{targetingDimension}' and bid only set to '{bidOnly}'.");

    // Add the target restriction to the TargetingSetting object as is if the
    // targeting dimension has a value other than AUDIENCE because those should
    // not change.
    if (targetingDimension != TargetingDimension.Audience)
    {
        targetingSetting.TargetRestrictions.Add(targetRestriction);
    }
    else if (!bidOnly)
    {
        shouldUpdateTargetingSetting = true;

        // Add an AUDIENCE target restriction with bid_only set to true to the
        // targeting setting object. This has the effect of setting the AUDIENCE
        // target restriction to "Observation". For more details about the
        // targeting setting, visit
        // https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7365594.
        targetingSetting.TargetRestrictions.Add(new TargetRestriction
        {
            TargetingDimension = TargetingDimension.Audience,
            BidOnly = true
        });
    }
}
UpdateAudienceTargetRestriction.cs
      

foreach (
    $adGroup->getTargetingSetting()->getTargetRestrictions() as $targetRestriction
) {
    // Prints the results.
    $targetingDimension = $targetRestriction->getTargetingDimension();
    $bidOnly = $targetRestriction->getBidOnly();
    printf(
        "- Targeting restriction with targeting dimension '%s' and bid only set to " .
        "'%s'.%s",
        TargetingDimension::name($targetingDimension),
        $bidOnly ? 'true' : 'false',
        PHP_EOL
    );

    // Adds the target restriction to the TargetingSetting object as is if the targeting
    // dimension has a value other than AUDIENCE because those should not change.
    if ($targetingDimension !== TargetingDimension::AUDIENCE) {
        $targetRestrictions[] = $targetRestriction;
    } elseif (!$bidOnly) {
        $shouldUpdateTargetingSetting = true;

        // Adds an AUDIENCE target restriction with bid_only set to true to the
        // targeting setting object. This has the effect of setting the AUDIENCE
        // target restriction to "Observation".
        // For more details about the targeting setting, visit
        // https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7365594.
        $targetRestrictions[] = new TargetRestriction([
            'targeting_dimension' => TargetingDimension::AUDIENCE,
            'bid_only' => true
        ]);
    }
}
UpdateAudienceTargetRestriction.php
      

for target_restriction in target_restrictions:
    targeting_dimension = target_restriction.targeting_dimension
    bid_only = target_restriction.bid_only

    print(
        "\tTargeting restriction with targeting dimension "
        f"'{targeting_dimension.name}' "
        f"and bid only set to '{bid_only}'."
    )

    # Add the target restriction to the TargetingSetting object as
    # is if the targeting dimension has a value other than audience
    # because those should not change.
    if targeting_dimension != targeting_dimension_enum.AUDIENCE:
        targeting_setting.target_restrictions.append(target_restriction)
    elif not bid_only:
        should_update_targeting_setting = True

        # Add an audience target restriction with bid_only set to
        # true to the targeting setting object. This has the effect
        # of setting the audience target restriction to
        # "Observation". For more details about the targeting
        # setting, visit
        # https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7365594.
        new_target_restriction = targeting_setting.target_restrictions.add()
        new_target_restriction.targeting_dimension = (
            targeting_dimension_enum.AUDIENCE
        )
        new_target_restriction.bid_only = True
update_audience_target_restriction.py
      

ad_group.targeting_setting.target_restrictions.each do |r|
  # Prints the results.
  targeting_dimension = r.targeting_dimension
  bid_only = r.bid_only
  puts "- Targeting restriction with targeting dimension " \
    "#{targeting_dimension} and bid only set to #{bid_only}."

  # Adds the target restriction to the TargetingSetting object as is if the
  # targeting dimension has a value other than AUDIENCE because those should
  # not change.
  if targeting_dimension != :AUDIENCE
    target_restrictions << r
  elsif !bid_only
    should_update_targeting_setting = true

    # Adds an AUDIENCE target restriction with bid_only set to true to the
    # targeting setting object. This has the effect of setting the AUDIENCE
    # target restriction to "Observation".
    # For more details about the targeting setting, visit
    # https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7365594.
    target_restrictions << client.resource.target_restriction do |tr|
      tr.targeting_dimension = :AUDIENCE
      tr.bid_only = true
    end
  end
end
update_audience_target_restriction.rb
      

foreach my $target_restriction (@target_restrictions) {
  my $targeting_dimension = $target_restriction->{targetingDimension};

  printf
    "\tTargeting restriction with targeting dimension '%s' and bid " .
    "only set to '%s'.\n",
    $targeting_dimension,
    $target_restriction->{bidOnly} ? "TRUE" : "FALSE";

  # Add the target restriction to the TargetingSetting object as is if the
  # targeting dimension has a value other than AUDIENCE because those
  # should not change.
  if ($targeting_dimension ne AUDIENCE) {
    $target_restriction->{bidOnly} =
      $target_restriction->{bidOnly} ? "true" : "false";
    push @{$targeting_setting->{targetRestrictions}}, $target_restriction;
  } elsif (!$target_restriction->{bidOnly}) {
    $should_update_target_setting = 1;

    # Add an AUDIENCE target restriction with bid_only set to true to the
    # targeting setting object. This has the effect of setting the
    # AUDIENCE target restriction to "Observation". For more details about
    # the targeting setting, visit
    # https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7365594.
    my $new_restriction =
      Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V13::Common::TargetRestriction->new({
        targetingDimension => AUDIENCE,
        bidOnly            => "true"
      });
    push @{$targeting_setting->{targetRestrictions}}, $new_restriction;
  }
}
update_audience_target_restriction.pl
      

Finally, if we do encounter a target restriction that requires updating, we will update the ad group with the new targeting settings.

private void updateTargetingSetting(
    GoogleAdsClient googleAdsClient,
    long customerId,
    long adGroupId,
    TargetingSetting targetingSetting) {
  // Creates the ad group service client.
  try (AdGroupServiceClient adGroupServiceClient =
      googleAdsClient.getLatestVersion().createAdGroupServiceClient()) {
    // Creates an ad group object with the proper resource name and updated targeting setting.
    AdGroup adGroup =
        AdGroup.newBuilder()
            .setResourceName(ResourceNames.adGroup(customerId, adGroupId))
            .setTargetingSetting(targetingSetting)
            .build();
    // Constructs an operation that will update the ad group, using the FieldMasks utility to
    // derive the update mask. This mask tells the Google Ads API which attributes of the
    // ad group you want to change.
    AdGroupOperation operation =
        AdGroupOperation.newBuilder()
            .setUpdate(adGroup)
            .setUpdateMask(FieldMasks.allSetFieldsOf(adGroup))
            .build();
    // Sends the operation in a mutate request.
    MutateAdGroupsResponse response =
        adGroupServiceClient.mutateAdGroups(
            Long.toString(customerId), ImmutableList.of(operation));
    // Prints the resource name of the updated object.
    System.out.printf(
        "Updated targeting setting of ad group with resource name '%s'; set the AUDIENCE "
            + "target restriction to 'Observation'.%n",
        response.getResults(0).getResourceName());
  }
}
UpdateAudienceTargetRestriction.java
      

private void UpdateTargetingSetting(GoogleAdsClient client, long customerId, long
    adGroupId, TargetingSetting targetingSetting)
{
    // Get the AdGroupService client.
    AdGroupServiceClient adGroupServiceClient =
        client.GetService(Services.V13.AdGroupService);

    // Create an ad group object with the updated targeting setting.
    AdGroup adGroup = new AdGroup
    {
        ResourceName = ResourceNames.AdGroup(customerId, adGroupId),
        TargetingSetting = targetingSetting
    };

    // Construct an operation that will update the ad group, using the FieldMasks utility
    // to derive the update mask. This mask tells the Google Ads API which attributes of the
    // ad group you want to change.
    AdGroupOperation operation = new AdGroupOperation
    {
        Update = adGroup,
        UpdateMask = FieldMasks.AllSetFieldsOf(adGroup)
    };

    // Send the operation in a mutate request.
    MutateAdGroupsResponse response =
        adGroupServiceClient.MutateAdGroups(customerId.ToString(), new[] { operation });
    // Print the resource name of the updated object.
    Console.WriteLine("Updated targeting setting of ad group with resource name " +
        $"'{response.Results.First().ResourceName}'; set the AUDIENCE target restriction " +
        "to 'Observation'.");
}
UpdateAudienceTargetRestriction.cs
      

private static function updateTargetingSetting(
    GoogleAdsClient $googleAdsClient,
    int $customerId,
    int $adGroupId,
    TargetingSetting $targetingSetting
) {
    // Creates an ad group object with the proper resource name and updated targeting setting.
    $adGroup = new AdGroup([
        'resource_name' => ResourceNames::forAdGroup($customerId, $adGroupId),
        'targeting_setting' => $targetingSetting
    ]);

    // Constructs an operation that will update the ad group with the specified resource name,
    // using the FieldMasks utility to derive the update mask. This mask tells the Google Ads
    // API which attributes of the ad group you want to change.
    $adGroupOperation = new AdGroupOperation();
    $adGroupOperation->setUpdate($adGroup);
    $adGroupOperation->setUpdateMask(FieldMasks::allSetFieldsOf($adGroup));

    // Issues a mutate request to update the ad group.
    $adGroupServiceClient = $googleAdsClient->getAdGroupServiceClient();
    $response = $adGroupServiceClient->mutateAdGroups(
        $customerId,
        [$adGroupOperation]
    );

    // Prints the resource name of the updated ad group.
    printf(
        "Updated targeting setting of ad group with resource name '%s'; set the AUDIENCE " .
        "target restriction to 'Observation'.%s",
        $response->getResults()[0]->getResourceName(),
        PHP_EOL
    );
}
UpdateAudienceTargetRestriction.php
      

def update_targeting_setting(
    client, customer_id, ad_group_id, targeting_setting
):
    """Updates the given TargetingSetting of an ad group.

    Args:
        client: The Google Ads client.
        customer_id: The Google Ads customer ID.
        ad_group_id: The ad group ID for which to update the audience targeting
            restriction.
        targeting_setting: The updated targeting setting.
    """
    # Get the AdGroupService client.
    ad_group_service = client.get_service("AdGroupService")

    # Construct an operation that will update the ad group.
    ad_group_operation = client.get_type("AdGroupOperation")

    # Populate the ad group object with the updated targeting setting.
    ad_group = ad_group_operation.update
    ad_group.resource_name = ad_group_service.ad_group_path(
        customer_id, ad_group_id
    )
    ad_group.targeting_setting.target_restrictions.extend(
        targeting_setting.target_restrictions
    )
    # Use the field_mask utility to derive the update mask. This mask tells the
    # Google Ads API which attributes of the ad group you want to change.
    client.copy_from(
        ad_group_operation.update_mask,
        protobuf_helpers.field_mask(None, ad_group._pb),
    )

    # Send the operation in a mutate request and print the resource name of the
    # updated object.
    mutate_ad_groups_response = ad_group_service.mutate_ad_groups(
        customer_id=customer_id, operations=[ad_group_operation]
    )
    print(
        "Updated targeting setting of ad group with resource name "
        f"'{mutate_ad_groups_response.results[0].resource_name}'; set the "
        "audience target restriction to 'Observation'."
    )
update_audience_target_restriction.py
      

def update_targeting_setting(
  client,
  customer_id,
  ad_group_id,
  targeting_setting)
  # Constructs an operation that will update the ad group with the specified
  # resource name.
  ad_group_resource_name = client.path.ad_group(customer_id, ad_group_id)
  operation = client.operation.update_resource.ad_group(ad_group_resource_name) do |ag|
    ag.targeting_setting = targeting_setting
  end

  # Issues a mutate request to update the ad group.
  response = client.service.ad_group.mutate_ad_groups(
    customer_id: customer_id,
    operations: [operation],
  )

  # Prints the resource name of the updated ad group.
  puts "Updated targeting setting of ad group with resource name " \
    "#{response.results.first.resource_name}; set the AUDIENCE target " \
    "restriction to 'Observation'."
end
update_audience_target_restriction.rb
      

sub update_targeting_setting {
  my ($api_client, $customer_id, $ad_group_id, $targeting_setting) = @_;

  # Construct an ad group object with the updated targeting setting.
  my $ad_group = Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V13::Resources::AdGroup->new({
      resourceName =>
        Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V13::Utils::ResourceNames::ad_group(
        $customer_id, $ad_group_id
        ),
      targetingSetting => $targeting_setting
    });

  # Create an operation that will update the ad group, using the FieldMasks
  # utility to derive the update mask. This mask tells the Google Ads API which
  # attributes of the ad group you want to change.
  my $ad_group_operation =
    Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V13::Services::AdGroupService::AdGroupOperation->
    new({
      update     => $ad_group,
      updateMask => all_set_fields_of($ad_group)});

  # Send the operation in a mutate request and print the resource name of the
  # updated resource.
  my $ad_groups_response = $api_client->AdGroupService()->mutate({
      customerId => $customer_id,
      operations => [$ad_group_operation]});

  printf "Updated targeting setting of ad group with resourceName " .
    "'%s'; set the AUDIENCE target restriction to 'Observation'.\n",
    $ad_groups_response->{results}[0]{resourceName};
}
update_audience_target_restriction.pl
      

The process for setting the bid_only field on campaigns is nearly identical.