AdWords Targeting and Placements

Overview of Targeting and Placements

Introduction to Targeting and Placements

About the Google Network

The Google Network helps advertisers reach users across the Internet, from small blogs to large search engines.

The Google Network is split into the Search Network (which includes Google and other search sites like AOL) and the Display Network (which includes a collection of websites that have partnered with Google -- display partners --, YouTube, and specific Google properties, such as Gmail).
Together, these networks make up thousands of sites that display targeted Google AdWords ads.

By default, AdWords keyword-targeted campaigns are opted in to the entire Google Network: Google search, search partners, and the Display Network (with "Relevant pages across the entire network" as the setting). You can opt in or out of either network at any time from the Settings tab for any campaign page. Here are some key things to know about the Google Network:

•Keyword-targeted ads can appear across search and Display Network pages in the Google Network. Google uses search targeting to match keywords to search queries on search sites. For Display Network pages, Google uses contextual targeting to match keywords to webpage content (these are called "automatic placements").

•Placement-targeted ads can appear only on pages in the Display Network. You choose a specific audience and site, or portion of a site, to target (these are called "managed placements"). If the ad group also has keywords, the keywords and placements will work together to determine where ads should appear. Keywords will continue to match your ads to placements through contextual targeting, and you can add your own placements to bid more when your ad appears on certain sites, or to limit your ad to appearing only on the placements you target.

•Google displays ads across the Search and Display Networks based on relevancy. Quality Score is calculated separately for the Search Network and Content Network, so advertising performance on the Content Network won't affect your Quality Score on the Search Network and vice versa.

•The appearance of your ads may vary slightly among Google Network sites to match the look and feel of different webpages. Google automatically formats your ads for you. AdWords ads are always clearly labeled as advertising-related links.