What is affinity audience targeting?

Affinity audience targeting refers to a digital advertising strategy where advertisers target groups of people based on their long-term interests, lifestyles, or behaviors. These groups, called "affinity audiences," are defined by characteristics or activities that indicate their passion for a particular topic or product category.

For example, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and other platforms allow advertisers to target audiences who are likely to be interested in specific subjects, such as travel, sports, fitness, or cooking, based on their past online behaviors, search history, or engagement with related content.

Key features of affinity audience targeting:

Interest-Based: It's focused on users' interests and habits, rather than just demographics (like age or gender).

Long-Term Behavior: Affinity audiences are often based on behaviors or interests that have been observed over a longer period, rather than a specific event or moment.

Predictive Targeting: It's about predicting who might be interested in a product or service based on their ongoing behavior, even if they haven't searched or shown direct intent.

For example, if someone frequently searches for content related to fitness, they might be classified as part of an "affinity audience" for fitness products or services, allowing businesses to target them with relevant ads.