Contextual targeting decides where your ads appear rather than who sees them. Instead of matching people, it matches the content on the page - so your ads show up alongside articles, categories, and keywords that fit your brand.
You can choose from our curated content categories and enter custom keywords relevant to your industry or target market to determine the best web and app placements that align with your brand's message, product offering, and your ideal customer's interests.
What it does for each objective
The control is the same everywhere. What changes is why you would use it:
- Build Awareness - Helps you find new customers on relevant content, alongside Lookalike or Third Party Audience targeting.
- Drive Engagement and Maximize Conversions - Gives you more granular control over where your retargeting ads are displayed, so the people already in your audience encounter your ads in a suitable setting.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Content Categories | Pick from a pre-set list of content categories that determine the type of website where your ads will appear. View all available content categories. |
| Custom Keywords | Enter any keyword of your choice, whether to target relevant content or exclude unsuitable placements. AdRoll partners with leading ad inventory suppliers to analyze webpage text in real time for every impression, ensuring your ads appear in contextually appropriate environments. See Contextual Keyword Targeting. |
Using categories and keywords together
You can use content categories and custom keywords in the same ad group. Ads run on content that matches any of the categories and keywords you add, so using both widens your reach rather than narrowing it. You no longer need a separate ad group for each.
Add Contextual targeting to a campaign
Contextual targeting is set per ad group, and the steps are the same whichever objective you choose.
- Create a campaign with any objective, or open an existing one. See Create Your Campaign.
- In your ad group, under Targeting, open the Contextual Categories & Keywords card.
- Select All content to let AdRoll place your ads automatically, or Specific content to choose your own categories and keywords.
- With Specific content selected, add Target Categories, Target Keywords, or both.
- Optionally, expand Brand safety and suitability > Exclude Keywords to block content you do not want your ads near.
- Finish the rest of your campaign settings and select Submit.
The collapsed card summarizes your setup, so you can check it at a glance - it reads Automatic when set to All content, or something like Including 2 categories, 1 keyword once you have added your own.
Target by Categories
Select specific content categories to show your ads on pages that match our curated categorization. View all available content categories for web contextual targeting.
Entering multiple categories uses OR logic, expanding your audience size. Use Clear to remove them all.
Target by Keywords
Your ads are displayed on websites and apps that align with the content you have specified through targeted keywords, ensuring they appear in contexts that are relevant to your audience and complement your brand message.
- Type a keyword and press Enter to add it, or upload a .CSV.
- Use capitalization for acronyms, proper nouns, and company names to ensure accurate targeting.
- Keywords also combine with OR, and with any categories you have added.
- English keywords automatically trigger translations in 53 languages. For more detail, see Contextual Keyword Targeting.
Exclude Keywords
To keep your ads away from content that does not align with your brand, expand Brand safety and suitability > Exclude Keywords. Review your exclusions regularly, and be careful not to overblock, which limits opportunities to reach your audience.