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There's a new feature for Google AdWords ... You can essentially pick various demographics you wish to target, and the system will create a list of Google Network sites that are popular with that audience. The demographic information comes from comScore Media Metrix.

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Dani AI

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Quick history & answer to : Google added “demographic site selection” to AdWords in March 2006. The feature used comScore Media Metrix panel data to identify Google Network sites whose audiences matched selected demographic profiles — it suggested sites, it did not target individual visitors. That explains ’s long option list and why the control lived on the site-targeting / “Identify sites” tool rather than as a per-search audience filter. (adwords.googleblog.com)

Why ’s test often underperformed for a technical forum: the tool matched sites by audience composition (panel-derived estimates), not by whether visitors are technically qualified or intent-driven. Panel methods combine passive measurement and surveys, which work well for broad, high-traffic properties but can miss or misrepresent small, specialist communities. For a forum that needs subject-matter expertise, contextual/keyword signals, managed placements, or audience lists built from your actual visitors usually give better precision and conversion. ()

What changed since 2006 (and what to watch): Google Ads’ demographic controls now focus on standard signals like age, gender, parental status and household-income bands (and an “Unknown” bucket where Google lacks data). Targeting by sensitive characteristics (race/ethnicity, religion, etc.) has been removed from advertiser-curated personalization and is highly restricted under Google’s personalized-advertising policies. Advertisers must therefore avoid relying on historical options like ethnic targeting and should follow current policy constraints. ()

Practical next steps (short checklist for forum advertisers / buyers):

  • For niche forums: use managed placement targeting (add the forum’s domain/pages directly) and measure conversions.
  • Combine contextual/keyword targeting with small, controlled placement tests rather than broad demographic-only runs.
  • Use Observation mode and the “Where ads showed” reports before locking in targeting; add placement exclusions for poor inventory.
  • Build audiences (GA or Ads remarketing lists) from real visitors and test remarketing / custom-intent segments.

For how to pick placements and exclude inventory, and for creating audience/remarketing segments, see Google’s placement and audience guidance. ()

(Note: ’s question about search-network demographic targeting — that capability and its details have changed many times; the best practice today is to test audiences and observation mode on Search campaigns rather than assume parity with the 2006 site-tool behavior.)

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Member Avatar for shimon

Well, it's about time :D
Below are the targeting options. Currently, it's only available for the Site-Targeting campaigns.

* Gender
o Female
o Male
* Age
o 18-24
o 25-34
o 35-44
o 45-54
o 55-64
o 65+
* Annual Household Income (USD)
o 0-14,999
o 15,000-24,999
o 25,000-39,999
o 40,000-59,999
o 60,000-74,999
o 75,000-99,999
o 100,000+
* Ethnicity
o Any
o White/Caucasian
o Black/African American
o Asian/Pacific Islander
o Hispanic

Children
o Children in household
o No children in household.

Member Avatar for Dani

I tried using it but it just doesn't work as effectively as keyword-targeting for me. Our forums require a certain level of expertise about the industry in order to participate.

Member Avatar for jewboy

Haven't played around much with Adwords Demographics. Dani, are you sure the data comes from comScore? Read somewhere that the data comes from user registration info.

Member Avatar for Dani

That's what the Google FAQ said :) Didn't get that out of a third party.

Member Avatar for mgru

Does google plan to roll out the same feature for the search network?

Member Avatar for shimon

It is rumored that both Google and Yahoo are working on similar demographic targeting as MSN adcenter currently offers.

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