Optimise Audience Signals [Full Tutorial]

An Audience Signal is a targeting hint you provide to Google's AI in Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns. Unlike traditional audience targeting, it does not restrict who sees your ads — instead, it tells Google's Smart Bidding which types of users are most likely to convert, so it can find more of them faster. A well-built signal dramatically reduces the learning phase and improves campaign performance.

Google recommends building one comprehensive Audience Signal that combines all relevant audience types rather than creating multiple separate signals. Consolidating everything into one signal gives Google's AI a richer, more complete picture of your ideal customer — which leads to faster learning and better conversion performance compared to scattered, thin signals.

In-Market audiences are people Google has identified as actively researching or comparing options in a specific category right now — they have high purchase intent. Affinity audiences are people with a demonstrated long-term interest or lifestyle alignment with a topic, but who may not be actively buying. For most advertisers, In-Market audiences provide the stronger conversion signal, while Affinity helps with broader brand reach.

Custom Audiences let you describe your ideal customer by the search terms they use, the websites they visit, or the apps they use. To build a strong Custom Audience, enter 10–20 of your top converting keywords, your own website URL, competitor website URLs, and related industry URLs. Google uses this to identify users with similar browsing and search patterns — it is one of the most effective signal inputs for Performance Max campaigns.

No. Audience Signals are guidance, not restrictions. Google's AI will still show your ads to users outside your signal if it predicts they will convert — the signal simply gives it a starting point. This is fundamentally different from audience targeting in standard campaigns, where audiences actively limit who is eligible to see your ads.

Yes. You can edit your Audience Signal at any time by going into your campaign's asset group and updating the signal. However, be aware that significant changes to the signal may trigger a short re-learning period for the Smart Bidding algorithm. It is best to update signals gradually rather than making sweeping changes, and to avoid major edits during high-volume periods like promotions or peak seasons.