How To Setup Affinity Audiences In Google Ads

In this episode of Clicks & Clarity with Claire, we’re calling out one of the biggest mistakes in digital marketing—vague customer personas—and showing you how to replace them with data-driven audience targeting using Google Ads affinity audiences. Claire explains how to tap into real-world behaviours, interests, and lifestyles to create more relevant ads, lower your cost-per-click, and generate better-qualified leads. You’ll learn the difference between affinity and in-market audiences, when to use each, and how to layer them for smarter campaign targeting. Plus, Claire shares practical examples, setup tips, and testing strategies to help you get real results. If you're still targeting "busy mums in their thirties," it's time to upgrade your strategy. Tune in and discover how to make your marketing more human—and far more effective.

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Transcript

Welcome to Clicks & Clarity with Claire, where we turn Google Ads confusion into conversion. Today, we're tackling a common marketing mistake: relying on vague, cardboard personas like 'busy mums in their thirties.' Not exactly insightful, is it? Instead, we're diving deep into affinity audiences—now known as audience segments in Google Ads. By the end of this episode, you'll know exactly how to use affinity audiences to target real-life behaviours, interests, and passions—making your ads more relevant, your clicks cheaper, and your leads better qualified. Let's start with the basics. What exactly are affinity audiences? Google describes them as a way to reach users based on a holistic picture of their lifestyles, interests, and habits. Instead of targeting broad demographics, you're targeting people based on their long-term behaviours. Google analyses things like the websites people visit, their search history, the apps they use, and even the places they frequently go. For example, someone regularly browsing fitness blogs or visiting sports news sites might be categorised as a 'Health & Fitness Buff.' Someone frequently using meal-planning apps might be placed in a 'Home Cooking Enthusiast' audience. This approach is different from custom intent audiences, which focus on immediate purchase behaviours. Affinity audiences are about long-term interests, making them perfect for brand-building and top-of-funnel marketing. But let's get practical. Who should use affinity audiences—and who shouldn't? If you're looking to build brand awareness and reach people early in their buying journey, affinity audiences are ideal. For example, a fitness apparel brand can target 'Fitness Buffs' rather than just throwing ads at everyone aged eighteen to forty-five. But if you're after immediate conversions, you're better off using in-market or custom intent audiences, which capture recent behaviours indicating immediate buying intent. Let's quickly weigh up the pros and cons. On the plus side, affinity audiences typically have lower competition, leading to reduced cost-per-click rates. They also boost your Quality Score by delivering more relevant ads to genuinely interested users. They're excellent for top-of-funnel marketing, allowing you to establish your brand with audiences who resonate with your message over time. On the downside, affinity audiences are broader and less precise. If you're after laser-focused targeting, custom audiences might be a better fit. In 2025, with GA4's improved tracking, custom audiences will give you even more control over who sees your ads, especially when targeting people further down the funnel. Google offers several pre-built affinity audience segments, including lifestyle and hobbies, tech enthusiasts, sports and fitness fans, shopping enthusiasts, and luxury travellers. Let's look at a practical example. Suppose you're marketing a high-end fitness app. You could target the 'Health & Fitness Buffs' affinity audience—people regularly consuming fitness content. Then, layer in an in-market audience for 'Sports & Fitness Equipment' to catch those actively looking to buy workout gear or subscriptions. This combination blends broader interests with immediate purchase intent, making your targeting smarter and more effective. Here's another practical example. Imagine you're running ads for a luxury travel brand. Google analyses behaviours like browsing travel blogs, searching for luxury hotels, and using travel planning apps. It then categorises users into affinity audiences like 'Luxury Travellers—Frequent International Travellers' or 'High-End Hotel Enthusiasts.' This specificity allows you to craft messaging that resonates deeply with their desire for luxury and exclusivity. Finding affinity audiences in your Google Ads dashboard is straightforward. Just click the 'Tools' icon, go to 'Shared Library,' then 'Audience Manager.' You'll find existing segments and can easily add new ones. Now, let's talk best practices. First, stack your audience segments. Don't limit yourself to just one. Combine affinity audiences with custom audiences or remarketing lists for even more precise targeting. For example, target 'Luxury Travellers' who've visited your site in the last thirty days. Or combine 'Technophiles' with 'Home Automation Enthusiasts' to push smart home devices. Second, test different combinations. Experiment to see which affinity audience pairings deliver the best results. A/B test 'Luxury Travellers' paired with 'Adventure Seekers' versus 'Luxury Travellers' paired with 'Spa & Wellness Enthusiasts' to see which segment responds better to your luxury vacation offers. Third, keep an eye on your KPIs. Monitor metrics like click-through rate, cost per acquisition, and conversions. Check audience overlap regularly to avoid wasting ad spend on duplicate segments. Remember, people are more than just numbers on a spreadsheet. Affinity audiences help you target users based on what truly matters to them, building stronger connections and lowering your ad costs. But let's not stop there. To truly maximise your results, ensure your campaigns are structured correctly from day one. Set up negative keywords to prevent irrelevant clicks, increase your Quality Score, and improve profitability. Monitor your account closely after launch, making adjustments to bids, keywords, and conversion tracking. And don't forget retargeting. Set up retargeting sequences by placing pixels and uploading customer email lists to follow up with past prospects, improving profitability and converting more leads over time. Detailed retargeting campaigns keep past visitors engaged with your brand, increasing the likelihood of conversion when they're ready to buy. Finally, remember the importance of continuous optimisation. Regularly audit your campaigns, refine your bidding strategies, and align your landing pages with your ad copy. Create specific landing pages for your services, track real conversions, and reallocate your budget to high-performing campaigns. By targeting users based on what truly matters to them, you build stronger connections, lower your ad costs, and ultimately drive more profitable results. That's all for today's episode of Clicks & Clarity with Claire. If you're ready to turn these strategies into results but need guidance, grab a copy of my best-selling Google Ads book or reach out anytime for one-on-one assistance. Until next time, this is Claire Jarrett reminding you: don't settle for cardboard personas. Target real people, with real interests, and watch your business thrive. Goodbye for now!