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Targeting for Advertisers

Learn how to use targeting rules to reach your ideal audience and optimize campaign performance.

Overview

Targeting allows you to control which users see your ads based on various criteria. Cogniad supports multiple targeting options that can be combined to create precise audience segments.

Geographic Targeting

Target users by location:

javascript 
const campaign = await fetch('https://api.cogniad.com/v1/campaigns/camp_123', {
  method: 'PATCH',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${access_token}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    targeting: {
      geo: {
        countries: ['US', 'CA', 'GB'],
        regions: ['CA', 'NY', 'TX'], // US states
        cities: ['New York', 'Los Angeles'],
        exclude: false
      }
    }
  })
});

Geographic Options

  • Countries: Target by country codes (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2)
  • Regions: Target by state/province
  • Cities: Target specific cities
  • Exclude: Set to true to exclude specified locations

Device Targeting

Target specific device types:

javascript 
targeting: {
  device: {
    types: ['mobile', 'tablet'], // or 'desktop'
    os: ['ios', 'android'], // Operating systems
    browsers: ['chrome', 'safari', 'firefox']
  }
}

Time-Based Targeting

Schedule ads for specific days and hours:

javascript 
targeting: {
  time: {
    days: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], // Monday-Friday (0=Sunday)
    hours: [9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17], // 9 AM - 5 PM
    timezone: 'America/New_York'
  }
}

Behavioral Targeting

Target based on user behavior and interests:

javascript 
targeting: {
  behavioral: {
    interests: ['technology', 'sports', 'travel'],
    behaviors: ['frequent_shopper', 'news_reader'],
    segments: ['segment_123', 'segment_456']
  }
}

Custom Targeting

Define custom targeting rules using user data:

javascript 
targeting: {
  custom: {
    age_range: { min: 25, max: 45 },
    gender: ['male', 'female'],
    income_level: 'high',
    custom_properties: {
      'user_type': 'premium',
      'subscription_status': 'active'
    }
  }
}

Combining Targeting Rules

All targeting rules use AND logic by default. A user must match all specified criteria to see the ad.

javascript 
targeting: {
  geo: { countries: ['US'] },
  device: { types: ['mobile'] },
  time: { days: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], hours: [9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17] },
  behavioral: { interests: ['technology'] }
}
// User must be: in US AND on mobile AND during business hours AND interested in technology

Best Practices

Targeting Tips
  • Start broad and narrow down based on performance data
  • Avoid over-targeting - too many restrictions can limit reach
  • Test different targeting combinations to find optimal audiences
  • Use geographic targeting for location-specific campaigns
  • Consider time-based targeting for time-sensitive promotions
  • Monitor performance by targeting segment to optimize

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