Life Events Audience Targeting

As we’ve been seeing over the last couple of years, semantic intent-based searches are quickly outdoing keyword-based searches.

Last year, Google released a solution to targeting these new semantic, high-intent audiences that allow advertisers to engage with viewers in major life milestones—capturing them in essential micro-moments. It’s while they are in the midst of these important micro-moments that consumers are more likely to change their shopping habits to make major purchases.

Setting Up Life Events

It first should be noted that this targeting solution is currently only available at the ad group level in either Gmail or video campaigns, with no word as of yet if these will be extended to search or display campaigns.

Within an account, you can access Life Events targeting under the Audiences tab.  Audiences can then be even further segmented into whether they are preparing for one of the listed life events or if they have just experienced one. Life events can additionally be layered with in-market, affinity, or remarketing audiences to further clarify your target market.

Google has defined three major life events for advertisers to target: College Graduation, Marriage, and Moving—each of which can help marketers in either hyper-targeting these individuals or excluding them from your ad group altogether.

Targeting Options

College Graduates

There are plenty of different reasons to reach young adults as they transition from students to career-minded adults. First, many of these wide-eyed hopefuls haven’t had a need to buy professional work attire before now. This is a perfect opportunity for apparel retailers to advertise for an increased demand for professional clothes that are necessary for interviews and new jobs.

Some advertisers might also want to exclude graduating students from their campaigns, like colleges that are advertising to prospective high schoolers or job recruiters looking for higher level employees.

Marriage

Anybody who has planned or helped plan a wedding knows that it’s a lot of work. Given that weddings are a $54 billion industry, there are many, many opportunities for different services to be upfront and center when someone is getting ready to be married—florists, dress shops, photographers, event planners, and more.

And of course, how can you think of marriage without thinking of a registry and newlyweds receiving 10 different toasters from Williams Sonoma? There is a major opportunity for home goods and appliances to appeal to couples who will soon be furnishing their new homes or apartments. An example given at a Google conference in Austin was Purple, a specialty mattress company. Purple successfully drove attention to their ads using Life Events wedding targeting.

Travel companies could also opt into this audience, considering those that are planning on getting hitched are also likely planning their honeymoons! 

Moving

Having experienced this event recently after graduating college, I personally know the many stresses that come with moving, especially those that come with moving to an entirely new city. The process is overwhelming and, if you’re anything like me, it’s easy to procrastinate with the hopes that it will come together in the end—and then frantically searching Google for moving services and tips.

One of the major stresses that come with moving is finding a moving truck. My Toyota Corolla that moved me into my first, fully-furnished student apartment could no longer suffice now that I had grown and acquired my own bulky furniture. Advertisers could effortlessly target those, like myself, who might need moving trucks, pods, or storage units. Alternatively, real estate agencies could also advertise to those looking to rent or buy a new place.

Similarly to newlywed audiences, those looking to move are also likely looking for new furniture and appliances. Movers are also likely making more local searchers for schools, gyms, and doctors in their new city.

Many of the people found in these audiences can also be used in remarketing efforts, offering discounts to those who are more likely to convert.