Campaign targeting best practices
Review the recommended best practices for using targeting with your User Acquisition campaign.
Read time 3 minutesLast updated 2 months ago
Before you configure targeting for your campaign, consider these recommended best practices to be sure you make the best choices for your advertising strategy.
App Category targeting best practices
The following recommended best practices are for App Category targeting: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.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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game subcategory: Puzzle | | All apps with the primary category Game and the subcategory Puzzle |
|
| Primary category: Education | | All apps with the primary category Education |
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Review App Category targeting performance with the Performance dashboard
To analyze the results of your targeted campaign, use the Performance dashboard. When you set up your report, use the Source app category dimension to add category targeting to your report data.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, the Performance dashboard 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.
Android Device targeting best practices
The following recommended best practices are for Android Device targeting:Use the Performance dashboard to review device targeting performance
Use the Performance dashboard to observe high or low-performing device models or manufacturers, and alter targeting based on performance. Refer to the Performance dashboard dimensions documentation for a list of supporting Device targeting dimensions.Use manufacturer and device model targeting together
For example, if you select Samsung as the allowlisted manufacturer and add a few specific Huawei device models, you target all Samsung devices and your selected Huawei devices. As you type the Android device models you want to target, basic input device validation and auto suggestions can help prevent errors. If you receive an error, review the model numbers to ensure you target the appropriate devices before going live with the campaign.Note
You can allow or block any manufacturer, even if it isn't auto suggested.
Source Bidding best practices
The following recommended best practices are for Source Bidding:Use CPI campaign data
To determine which sources to isolate and target, start with static Cost per Install (CPI) campaigns. Use the data from these initial campaigns to analyze the various sources driving traffic. Determine more granular bids based on your own individual return on ad spend (ROAS) and lifetime value (LTV) goals.Use Source Bidding alone or with standard CPI bids
Use Source Bidding as a standalone campaign strategy or as an additional targeting tactic alongside standard bids. If the Source Bids and Countries and bids settings target the same Source App ID, the source app bids receive priority. You can also target geos in Source Bids that aren't targeted in Countries and bids.Note
You can add source bids to campaigns that use Automated Bidding. The Automated Bidding algorithm treats each source bid as a maximum bid, which means that the actual discounted bid can fluctuate between zero and the source bid amount.