Here's your Comprehensive Guide to YouTube Ads Targeting Types (2022 Edition) — an essential breakdown to help you reach the right audience, maximize ROI, and understand how YouTube (powered by Google Ads) gives you laser-focused ad placement options.

🎯 Why YouTube Ads Targeting Matters
YouTube ads don't just interrupt viewers — they connect when targeted correctly. Whether you're building awareness or driving sales, targeting defines how efficient and effective your campaigns are.

📋 Major YouTube Ad Targeting Types (as of 2022)
YouTube Ads are managed through Google Ads, which allows audience-based, content-based, and demographic targeting. Let's break these down:

🧠 1. Audience Targeting
✅ a) Demographic Targeting
Target people based on:

Age

Gender

Parental status

Household income

✅ Use Case: Promote college-related content to 18–24 age group, or premium products to high-income households.

✅ b) Affinity Audiences
People with strong interest in a topic (similar to TV-style interest groups).

Examples: "Tech Enthusiasts," "Fitness Buffs," "Movie Lovers"

✅ Use Case: Brand awareness campaigns targeting lifestyle interests.

✅ c) Custom Affinity Audiences (Now part of Custom Audiences)
Define your own audience based on:

URLs they visit

Keywords they search

Apps they use

✅ Use Case: Target people who visit competitor websites or follow niche blogs.

✅ d) In-Market Audiences
Users actively searching to buy a product or service.

Examples: "In-market for SEO software," "In-market for home gym equipment"

✅ Use Case: Perfect for bottom-of-funnel conversion campaigns.

✅ e) Life Events
Target users undergoing major life changes:

Moving

Getting married

Graduating

✅ Use Case: Ideal for real estate, insurance, or financial services.

✅ f) Custom Intent Audiences (Now folded into Custom Segments)
Reach users based on recent Google search behavior.

✅ Use Case: Target searchers of "best CRM for small business" with your CRM ad.

🗺� 2. Content Targeting
✅ a) Keyword Targeting
Target videos or channels with specific keywords in their metadata.

✅ Use Case: Your ad for cooking tools appears on "easy recipe" videos.

✅ b) Topic Targeting
Place your ads on videos categorized under a specific topic.

✅ Use Case: Show your fitness apparel ads on health & workout topics.

✅ c) Placement Targeting
You select specific YouTube videos, channels, or websites in the Google Display Network.

✅ Use Case: Run ads only on your industry influencers' channels.

🧬 3. Remarketing & Similar Audiences
✅ a) YouTube Remarketing
Retarget users who:

Viewed your videos

Subscribed to your channel

Interacted with your ads

✅ Use Case: Offer a discount to those who watched your product video but didn't purchase.

✅ b) Similar Audiences
Reach new users who behave like your existing audience (lookalikes).

✅ Use Case: Expand reach to people similar to past converters.

🎥 Bonus: Combine Targeting for Granular Control
You can combine targeting types for powerful campaigns:

Target: In-market users for cameras AND interested in photography ON specific camera review channels.

💡 Pro Tip: Use Exclusions (like kids content or irrelevant topics) to refine delivery.

📊 What Changed in 2022?
Custom Affinity, Custom Intent, and Similar Audiences are increasingly integrated into Custom Segments.

Google pushes more AI-driven automation, but you can still manually segment for precision.

YouTube Shorts Ads are now supported (with different targeting behaviors).

✅ Final Tips
Test multiple audience types and refine based on performance.

Use TrueView for Action if you want leads or sales.

Exclude mobile games or irrelevant topics if ROI is low.

Always monitor View Rate, CPV (Cost per View), and Conversion Rate.