While Google Ads search ads show up to potential customers the moment that they start looking on Google for what you offer, display ads show up while people are visiting sites across the Google Display Network. So, how do you know if the people seeing your display ad are interested in what you offer?

Google Display Network targeting allows you to set where or when your ad is shown based on features of your ideal audience, such as their personal interests, age or gender. This way your ad can show up on sites related to your business, or to users who match the Google Ads audience reach that you’ve set as they browse sites on the network.

The benefit is that while someone may or may not be looking for what you offer at that exact moment, you’re still introducing your business, service or product to people who are more likely to be interested and inspired to click your ad to find out more by visiting your website. This might help you to reach a larger or completely new audience than simply through search.

If you aren’t already running ads on the Google Display Network as part of your Google Ads account, just:

• Log into your Google Ads account
• Click on “Campaigns,” and then “New Campaign”
• Select "Display Network only" as the campaign type

You can then select the types of Google Display Network targeting that you’d like to include as part of your campaign. To find out about the different types of ways to show ads to users and how to set them, keep reading.

Targeting by demographic groups lets you pick the audience that you would ideally like to show your advert to by kinds of personal characteristics. You can show your ads to users in these demographic groups:

• Age: "18-24," "25-34," "35-44," "45-54," "55-64," "65 or more," and "Unknown"
• Gender: "Female," "Male," and "Unknown"
• Parental status: "Parent," "Not a Parent," and "Unknown"

If your business caters to one or a combination of these particular groups, then refining your Google Display Network targeting by demographic will help narrow the audience who sees your ads, to better help you reach only people who may be interested in what you have to offer.

You can combine demographic targeting with affinity audiences and in-market audiences to reach a narrower, even more relevant customer base. For example, if you own a baby boutique and want to promote your prams designed for jogging, you might focus on the "Parent" demographic group along with affinity groups based on running, fitness and athletics.

You can also exclude specific demographic groups from seeing your ads. If you know the great majority of your customers are senior citizens and want to use your budget trying to reach only people in that age group, you can set your campaign to exclude all age groups from seeing your ads except "65 or more".

Bear in mind though, that the more targets that you apply, the fewer people will see your ads. Test combinations of targets to see which bring in the most business.

To set demographic targeting in your campaign:

• Go to the Display Network tab in your Google Ads account
• Click the "+ Targeting" button, and choose the ad groups to which you'd like to add demographic categories
• Click "Add Targeting" and check the boxes for the demographics you want to target

If you’re interested in running display ads to get the word out across a wider part of the Web, consider using Google Display Network targeting as part of your campaigns. You might just reach a new or bigger audience of interested potential customers and help your business keep growing.