App Category targeting best practices
Optimize Unity Ads app category targeting using best practices
Read time 3 minutesLast updated 4 months ago
Before configuring App Category targeting, consider these recommended best practices to be sure you make the best choices for your campaign.
Understand combined targeting features
When you use App Category targeting in the same campaign as other targeting features, such as Source bidding, App Category targeting will take precedence over the other feature. For example, if you use App targeting to allow an app, but that app's primary category isn't allowed in your App Category targeting, your campaign won't target that allow-listed app.
Allow-listing categories while using other targeting features
Refer to this table for examples of using App Category targeting together with other targeting features:
Categories selected in category targeting | Apps allow-listed in other targeting features | Apps targeted by the campaign | Apps not targeted by the campaign |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Blocklisting categories while using other targeting features
When you block categories using category targeting, sources within those categories will remain blocked when you use other targeting features. Refer to this table for examples of blocking categories while using other targeting features.
Categories blocked in category targeting | Apps allow-listed in other targeting features | Apps targeted by the campaign | Apps not targeted by the campaign |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Blocklisting sources while using category targeting
When you blocklist individual apps (sources) using App targeting, those sources will remain blocked when you use category targeting. Refer to this table for examples of how blocking source IDs works with category targeting in your campaign:
Categories selected in category targeting | Apps blocklisted in other targeting features | Apps targeted by the campaign | Apps not targeted by the campaign |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Review performance with the Reporting dashboard
To analyze the results of your targeted campaign, use the Reporting dashboard tool. Use the Source category dimension to add category targeting to your report data.
Apps with more than one associated category
Because developers can choose two categories when uploading their product to a store, some apps will have more than one associated category.
When you deliver ads in an app with two categories, report builder records a start for both categories. The total sum of all category-related starts in your data cube reports might be higher than your actual starts.
Apps in the null category
When Unity doesn't have category data for an app, the app is in the Unknown / Null category. You can target null category apps just like any other category in the feature.
By default, category targeting includes the null category. When you review your targeting results in the Reporting dashboard, the Null category will appear among the other app categories.