Quick Definition
Custom audiences are advertiser-defined audiences built using available data: customer lists (email lists, customer databases), website visitors (tracked via pixels), app users (tracked via SDKs), or engagement data (engagement with your content, videos, etc.). Custom audiences enable advertisers to target specific groups of users they already have relationships with or have engaged with their brand. Custom audiences are particularly effective for B2B companies targeting existing customers, website visitors, or email subscribers. Custom audiences are subject to platform rules and privacy regulations: advertisers must have consent to use customer data and must comply with privacy regulations.
How It Works
Custom audiences work by uploading or defining audience data: for customer lists, advertisers upload email lists or customer databases (hashed for privacy); for website visitors, advertisers use tracking pixels to track website visitors; for app users, advertisers use SDKs to track app users; for engagement data, advertisers define engagement criteria (engaged with content, watched videos, etc.). The platform matches the uploaded data to platform users and creates a custom audience. Advertisers can then target ads to that custom audience or use it as a source for lookalike audiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
What data can you use for custom audiences?
You can use: customer lists (email lists, customer databases), website visitors (tracked via pixels), app users (tracked via SDKs), and engagement data (engagement with content, videos, etc.). For customer lists, you must have consent and hash data for privacy.
How do you comply with privacy regulations for custom audiences?
Comply with privacy regulations by: obtaining consent for customer data, hashing data for privacy, complying with cookie consent requirements, providing clear privacy policies, and offering opt-out mechanisms. Consult legal counsel for specific compliance requirements.
How are custom audiences different from lookalike audiences?
Custom audiences are defined audiences (customer lists, website visitors, etc.) that you define. Lookalike audiences are modeled audiences created by the platform based on a source audience (which can be a custom audience). Custom audiences are your defined audiences; lookalikes are modeled audiences similar to your source.