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Contextual audience overview
When you engage users based on their actual browsing behaviors, you can anticipate how they might interact with your ads. Contextual audiences are formed by grouping users together based on their online activity. You determine these groups by indicating a list of relevant keywords and/or URLs and a timeframe. We add a user to the contextual audience when they visit sites that feature those keywords or URLs, browse them during the time period you select, and meet any other parameters that you specify during audience setup. You can target the Contextual audience to advertise to that group of users across the open internet.
Review Contextual audience overview for more information on Contextual audiences and to review scenario-based examples.
Create a Contextual audience
Maximum keywords or URLs: There's no limit to the number of keywords or URLs that you can add to a single Contextual audience. We recommend a maximum of 100 per audience.
You can create a Contextual audience in the following ways:
You can also use a combination of these options; for example, you might add a list of keywords and upload a spreadsheet of URLs to create your contextual audience.
Follow these steps to access the + Create Audience workflow:
Open the Audiences app.
Click Contextual Audience from the Audiences page.
Select + Create Audience. This will open the Contextual Audience pop-up window, which you’ll use to create a new audience.
By keyword, one by one
Follow these steps to create a Contextual audience from keywords one by one:
Type a keyword into the Keywords field and click Add.
Additional, optional keyword recommendations will appear. Browse the list and select one or more keywords, if desired.
Repeat steps 1-2 for each additional keyword.
Review each term in the Added Keywords section, and select the X icon next to any terms to remove them, if desired.
Click Next.
Enter an audience name.
Choose a unique name to differentiate this Contextual audience from others that you may create. For example, “Sports Enthusiasts Q3 2024”.
Choose a Static or Dynamic data collection period.
Refer to Key terms and concepts - Static and Dynamic data collection periods for more information on the differences between these options.
For Static, select a date range and frequency.
Choose a date range of up to 30 days over the past six-month period or future three-month period.
Choose your preferred frequency, which must be a whole number between 1 and 10.
Refer to Key terms and concepts - Frequency for more information on how frequency determines which users will be added to this audience.
For Dynamic, enter a timeframe and frequency.
Choose a timeframe of up to 30 days.
Choose your preferred frequency, which must be a whole number between 1 and 10.
Refer to Key terms and concepts - Frequency for more information on how frequency determines which users will be added to this audience.
Select Create Audience.
By keyword, in bulk
Follow these steps to create a Contextual audience from keywords in bulk:
Use a spreadsheet application to prepare an XLSX or CSV file with a list of keywords.
List each keyword as its own, separate row in Column A of the spreadsheet.
Review the provided Sample File to follow the required formatting guidelines.
Select Upload File.
Choose the XLSX or CSV keyword file from your device.
Review each term in the Added Keywords section, and select the X icon next to any terms to remove them, if desired.
Click Next.
Follow steps 6 through 11 of the By keyword, one by one workflow to finish creating this audience.
By URL, one by one
More on URLs: Whether you add URLs individually or in bulk, the Contextual audience will consider all child URLs (e.g., https://iqm.com/company/about-us) when you enter a parent URL (e.g., https://iqm.com).
Follow these steps to create a Contextual audience from URLs one by one:
Select the By URL tab.
Type a URL into the ULR field and select Add.
A preview of the URL will populate. Confirm it matches the URL you intended to enter.
Repeat steps 2-3 for each additional URL.
Review each URL in the Added URLs section, and select the X icon next to any URLs to remove them, if desired.
Click Next.
Follow steps 6 through 11 of the By keyword, one by one workflow to finish creating this audience.
By URL, in bulk
Follow these steps to create a Contextual audience from URLs in bulk:
Select the By URL tab.
Use a spreadsheet application to prepare an XLSX or CSV file with a list of URLs.
List each URL as its own, separate row in Column A of the spreadsheet.
Review the provided Sample File to follow the required formatting guidelines.
Select Upload File.
Choose the XLSX or CSV file from your device.
Review each term in the Added URLs section, and select the X icon next to any URLs to remove them, if desired.
Click Next.
Follow steps 6 through 11 of the By keyword, one by one workflow to finish creating this audience.
Manage a contextual audience
Use the Contextual Audience page to search, sort, or filter your existing Contextual audiences. You can also use this page to edit, duplicate, or delete them.
Follow these steps to access the Contextual Audience page:
Open the Audiences app.
Click Contextual Audience from the Audiences page.
Edit a contextual audience
Contextual audience editing notice: Only edits made to the Audience Name field are supported at this time. Duplicate an existing audience instead to make adjustments to keywords, URLs, data collection periods, and/or other fields.
Follow these steps to edit one Contextual audience at a time from the Contextual Audience page:
Select the checkbox next to the audience you want to edit.
Click Edit Audience. This will open the Edit Contextual Audience pop-up window.
Select Next.
Edit the Audience Name.
Select Save to apply your changes.
Duplicate a contextual audience
Follow these steps to duplicate a Contextual audience from the Contextual Audience page:
Select the checkbox next to the audience you want to duplicate.
Click Duplicate Audience.
Follow the guidelines listed in Create a Contextual audience to add or remove keywords or URLs.
Select Next.
Follow the guidelines listed in Create a Contextual audience to update the Audience Name, Frequency, or Data Collection Period fields, as needed.
Choose a unique audience name that differs from the one you duplicated. This will help you differentiate between them.
Delete a contextual audience
Follow these steps to delete a Contextual audience from the Contextual Audience page:
Select the checkbox next to the audience you want to delete.
Click Delete.
Review any warnings or disclaimers, and confirm your selection.
Locate additional Contextual audience resources