Goodbye Lookalike Audience

You may have started seeing the many notices about your Lookalike or Similar Audiences going away soon. Google, for example, will no longer allow users to create a Similar Audience starting May 1, 2023 and will completely not allow you to use those audiences beginning August 1, 2023. If you’re relying heavily on these audiences right now, you may be wondering what to do next to reach potential new customers. In our industry, the rules and options shift what seems like daily, and keeping up with those changes can be tough but we’re here to help.

On Google, all accounts are automatically opted in to Optimized Targeting as an option. Part of the reason we are seeing more of these changes is the push for broader targeting, allowing the machine learning (automation) to help find the best targeting options.One positive we’ve seen with the Optimized Targeting is that it does not rely on third-party cookies which are being phased out.

Using the data you already have is an easy place to start. You can break your lists into segments that work for the offers you are highlighting. You can reward frequent customers, reach out to customers who haven’t engaged with your brand for awhile or remind customers who may have abandoned their cart about your product. There are a myriad of ways to take advantage of your Custom Audience.
Lead Generation Ads are a great way to grow your Custom Audience by adding to your list. Use a form fill directly on Facebook or direct users to your website to fill out a form with the basic information you need to engage with them. Once you have their email address, you can start showing ads and content you know they want to see based on the info from their form. 

Reps from both Meta and Google have been pushing broad audience targeting to us for awhile now. While it’s important to target broadly, be sure the content you are sharing through your ad is still relevant to your specific customer. 

If you want to continue building and growing your customer base, reach out to our team at Digital Story for a custom plan incorporating the most recent and up-to-date changes the industry is experiencing. Keeping up with all the industry trends and changes is a full time job and we’re happy to help!