What targeting is and why it decides the outcome
Targeting is the set of criteria that decides who sees your ad. In Google Ads, that includes keywords, location, and time of day. In Meta Ads, it also includes interests, behaviors, age range, and demographics.
Poor targeting means your ad shows up for people who would never buy from you, and you pay for every one of their clicks. It's the main reason campaigns feel expensive without delivering results.
The main ways to target on Google and Meta
- Keywords (what people type)
- Location (city, neighborhood, radius)
- Time of day and day of week
- Device (mobile, desktop)
- Remarketing (who visited the site)
- Interests and behaviors
- Demographics (age, gender)
- Geographic location
- Lookalike audiences
- Customer list (Custom Audience)
What to ask your agency about targeting
Questions to ask about targeting
Negative keywords on Google are especially important: without them, your ad can show up for searches completely unrelated to your business, and you pay for every bad click.
Frequently asked questions
What are negative keywords in Google Ads?
Terms you instruct Google to ignore. Example: if you're a private-pay dentist, you might negate "dentist that takes insurance" so you don't show up for people looking for in-network coverage. Without negatives, budget leaks into irrelevant clicks.
What is a Lookalike audience in Meta Ads?
It's an audience built by Meta's algorithm that identifies people similar to your existing customer base. You provide a list of customers or site visitors, and Meta finds other people with similar behavior to show the ad to.
Can I advertise to just one specific city?
Yes. Both Google and Meta allow targeting by city, neighborhood, or radius around an address. For local businesses, this is one of the most effective forms of targeting, you only pay to reach people nearby.