Google Ads Customer Match is a powerful advertising tool that allows marketers to leverage their own customer data to create more tailored and effective ad campaigns. By matching your customer information with Google users, you can target specific audiences across multiple platforms, including Search, YouTube, and Gmail. This targeted approach provides a personalized touch to advertising, enhancing both the relevancy and impact of your campaigns.
For digital marketers and business owners, understanding Customer Match can be a game-changer, especially when trying to reach customers at different points in the buying journey. Whether you want to re-engage existing customers, target new audiences with similar characteristics, or upsell products to loyal customers, Customer Match can make these goals achievable with precision. This guide will take you step-by-step through everything you need to know to get started with Google Ads Customer Match and make the most of its capabilities.
What is Google Ads Customer Match?
Google Ads Customer Match is an audience targeting feature that enables businesses to use their customer data, such as email addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses, to create custom advertising audiences. By using this data, advertisers can reach out to existing customers across Google's services, including Google Search, YouTube, and Gmail. Essentially, Customer Match lets you target your ads more precisely to people who already know your brand, providing an efficient way to strengthen existing relationships and reach similar new customers.
Google Customer Match is highly effective because it helps you build connections that are more likely to convert—targeting people who have already shown interest in your products or services. This allows for precise retargeting, which can lead to improved return on investment (ROI) and higher ad relevance. Advertisers can use Customer Match to achieve a variety of goals, from increasing brand awareness to driving conversions and customer loyalty.
Google Customer Match & privacy
Privacy is a critical element of Google Ads Customer Match. Google takes privacy seriously, and it has designed Customer Match to adhere to all relevant privacy laws and best practices. When you upload your customer data to Google, the information is hashed and securely matched against Google's own user base. This ensures that no personal information is directly shared between your company and Google, and that all targeting is done anonymously.
Advertisers must comply with Google’s data policies, which mandate that customer data should be collected with the proper user consent. This is crucial for protecting consumer privacy and building trust with your audience. It is essential that any data used for Customer Match is gathered ethically and in compliance with regulations such as GDPR, ensuring customers have opted in to receive promotional content.
Why you should use Google Ads Customer Match
Google Ads Customer Match offers marketers the opportunity to create highly targeted advertising campaigns by utilizing their existing customer data. This tool is especially beneficial for businesses looking to maximize the value of their customer relationships and to reach audiences that are more likely to convert. Let’s explore some of the reasons why you should consider incorporating Google Ads Customer Match into your marketing strategy.
Google Ads Customer Match helps you personalise your campaigns
One of the most compelling advantages of Google Ads Customer Match is the ability to personalise your campaigns. By using customer data, you can create ads that are tailored to the specific needs, preferences, and behaviors of your audience. Personalisation leads to a better user experience, which directly impacts engagement rates and conversion rates. Imagine being able to show an ad for a product upgrade to customers who have recently made a purchase, or providing exclusive offers to your most loyal customers—all made possible through Customer Match.
Customer Match increases your repeat purchases
Customer Match is particularly effective for boosting repeat purchases. By targeting your existing customer base with tailored messages and offers, you can re-engage past customers and encourage them to make additional purchases. For example, if someone recently purchased a pair of running shoes, you can use Customer Match to show them an ad for matching running apparel. Leveraging retargeting through Customer Match allows you to stay top-of-mind with your customers and build brand loyalty, leading to increased customer lifetime value (CLV).
Source: Search Engine Journal & Wordstream
Start creating your lookalike audiences with Google Ads Customer Match
Another significant advantage of Customer Match is that it allows you to create lookalike audiences. Lookalike audiences are groups of new users who share similar characteristics with your existing customers, making them highly likely to be interested in your products or services. By utilizing Google’s vast network, you can expand your reach to people who are similar to your most valuable customers. This strategy can be extremely effective for acquisition campaigns, as it targets users who are more likely to convert.
How does Google Ads Customer Match work?
Google Ads Customer Match works by using the data that you already have about your customers to create targeted advertising audiences. Below, we break down the steps and requirements involved in creating a Customer Match campaign, so you can better understand how to implement it successfully.
The eligibility criteria
Before you can start using Customer Match, it’s important to understand the eligibility criteria. Not all advertisers are eligible for this feature. Google requires that you have a strong history of policy compliance and a good account standing to use Customer Match. Additionally, your account must meet minimum spending thresholds, and you need to collect customer data in an ethical and compliant manner.
Step 1. Get customer data
The first step is to gather the relevant customer data. This data may include email addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses. The more accurate your customer data is, the better the targeting will be. It’s crucial that this information is collected with explicit user consent, which is not only a requirement from Google but also essential for adhering to privacy laws such as GDPR. Always ensure that the data you collect is opted-in for advertising purposes.
Step 2. Upload your data to Google Ads
Once you have gathered your customer data, the next step is to upload it to Google Ads. Google hashes this information to maintain user privacy before matching it against its user base. The uploading process can be done manually through a CSV file or by using tools like Google Ads API. Google uses this data to identify the corresponding Google accounts, creating a custom audience that you can use in your ad campaigns.
You need to follow these steps:
- Sign into your Google Ads account
- Click on the “Tools and setting” icon at the top of your screen and click on “Shared Library”
- Select “Audience Manager”
- Select “Segments” from the menu on the left
- Click on the blue “+” button, then select “Customer list”
- On the Customer list screen, set up your new list. Start by giving a name to your list.
- Select the type of your customer data
- Upload the CSV file and check the box “This data was collected and is being shared with Google in compliance with Google’s policies.”
- Choose a membership duration
- Finally, click on “Upload and create”
This process can take up to 48 hours, and when done, you’ll see your audience under “Audience Lists.”
Step 3. Set up a Customer Match campaign
After successfully uploading your customer data, you can set up a Customer Match campaign. During this step, you will define the specific audiences you want to target based on the uploaded data. You can also use different targeting criteria, such as demographics or behaviors, to further refine your audience. Once set up, these campaigns can run across Google’s platforms, including Search, YouTube, and Gmail, allowing you to engage with your customers wherever they are most active.
How to automate your Google Customer Match audiences with Ads Workbench
Automating your Google Customer Match audiences can save time and ensure that your campaigns are always reaching the most relevant and up-to-date audiences. Ads Workbench is a tool that can help you automate the process of managing and updating your custom audiences with the usage of what we call audience flows.
An audience flow is an automation that allows you to keep fresh your custom audiences using as an input your subscribers’ or contacts’ data in any of the supported integrations.
Here is how to use Ads Workbench to automate your custom audiences:
Before you start: creating an account in Ads Workbench
To get started with automating your custom audiences, you need to create an account in Ads Workbench. Visit our website and sign up for a free trial in case you don’t already have your account.
Step 1: Account authorization
After creating an account in Ads Workbench, you need to authorize your Google Ads account. This will allow Ads Workbench to access your audience data and make changes as needed. To do this, navigate to the settings within Ads Workbench and follow the prompts to authorize your Google account.
Step 2: Create an integration for your CRM or data file
You need to create an integration for the system you want to use as a data source for your custom audience, for instance A CRM system like HubSpot or Zoho CRM, a marketing automation tool like Mailchimp or MailerLite, or data file. You can find the detailed instructions to connect each of the supported integrations.
Step 3: Create an audience flow and map fields
Once your account is authorized, you can start creating audience flows. Audience flows allow you to set up the rules for how your custom audiences will be updated automatically. Map the fields from your data sources (such as CRM systems or data files) to the appropriate audience attributes in Facebook, ensuring your audience lists are always current.
Step 4: Rest assured
After setting up your audience flow, Ads Workbench will handle the rest. Your custom audiences will be updated regularly, ensuring your ads are always reaching the most relevant users without the need for constant manual intervention. Automation with Ads Workbench can help you maintain consistency and accuracy in your targeting, ultimately leading to better ad performance.
How to use Google Customer Match in your marketing strategies
Google Customer Match is a versatile tool that can enhance various aspects of your marketing strategy. From guiding customers through different stages of the sales funnel to improving cross-sell and upsell opportunities, Customer Match plays a pivotal role in maximizing the impact of your campaigns.
Using Google Customer Match to move prospects down the sales funnel
Customer Match is incredibly effective for moving prospects down the sales funnel. By leveraging your customer data, you can create tailored messages that encourage prospects to progress from the awareness stage to consideration, and ultimately to purchase. For example, if a potential customer has shown interest in a product but hasn’t made a purchase, you can use Customer Match to show them ads offering exclusive discounts or highlighting key features of the product they’re interested in.
Google Customer Match helps make mid and low-funnel prospects convert
Customer Match is particularly useful for targeting mid and low-funnel prospects—individuals who are familiar with your brand but need an extra push to convert. By creating personalized ads that address specific pain points or offer incentives, you can effectively nudge these audiences towards making a decision. Whether it’s a promotional offer, a limited-time discount, or a reminder of items left in their cart, tailored ads can be the difference between a lost opportunity and a successful conversion.
Google Customer Match improves your upsell and cross-sell efforts
Customer Match can also significantly enhance your upsell and cross-sell efforts. By analyzing purchase history, you can create ads that suggest complementary products or services to your existing customers. For example, if a customer recently bought a smartphone, you could use Customer Match to show ads for phone accessories like cases or wireless chargers. This level of personalized targeting not only increases sales but also enhances the customer experience, making them feel that your brand understands their needs.
Google Customer Match makes account-based marketing more effective
Account-based marketing (ABM) relies on precision targeting, and Google Customer Match is an excellent tool for this approach. By using Customer Match, you can create highly targeted campaigns that focus on key accounts or industries that matter most to your business. You can tailor ads specifically for decision-makers in these accounts, showing them relevant content that addresses their unique challenges and needs, thus making your ABM efforts more effective.
Using Google Customer Match to target users across devices
One of the great advantages of Google Customer Match is its ability to target users across multiple devices. People move between devices throughout the day—checking emails on their phone, browsing on a laptop, watching videos on a tablet—and Customer Match enables you to reach them wherever they are. By leveraging this cross-device targeting, you can create a consistent message across touchpoints, improving the user experience and helping you stay top-of-mind.
Google Ads Customer Match best practices
To get the most out of Google Ads Customer Match, it's essential to follow some best practices that will help you optimize campaign performance and make the most of this powerful tool. Here are some key strategies to ensure you’re using Customer Match effectively and efficiently.
Use Customer Match to exclude users
An effective use of Google Ads Customer Match is not just to include audiences but also to exclude them. For example, if you are running a campaign aimed at acquiring new customers, you can use Customer Match to exclude existing customers, ensuring that your ads focus solely on people who have not yet interacted with your brand. This helps optimize your budget by targeting audiences that are more likely to convert.
Cap your ad frequency
Capping ad frequency is crucial to avoid overwhelming your audience with too many ads. Using Customer Match, you can set a limit on the number of times an individual sees an ad, especially when working with customers who already know your brand. Frequency capping helps improve brand perception and prevents ad fatigue, ensuring your messages remain fresh and relevant.
The rule of 1000
To make a Customer Match campaign effective, it is advisable to follow the rule of 1000. This means that each audience should have at least 1,000 users to ensure adequate segmentation and optimal ad performance. Audiences that are too small can lead to scalability issues and limited reach, which reduces the overall efficiency of your advertising spend.
Use Google Ads Customer Match to shorten your sales cycle
Google Ads Customer Match is an ideal tool for shortening your sales cycle. By specifically targeting people who have already shown interest in your product or service, you can deliver more direct messages, such as promotions or free trials, that encourage them to move more quickly towards conversion. This approach helps reduce the time it takes for a prospect to make a decision, improving the overall effectiveness of your sales strategy.
Segment your Customer Match lists
A key best practice is to segment your Customer Match lists based on different attributes, such as their stage in the customer lifecycle or their purchasing behavior. For example, you can create separate lists for new customers, repeat customers, and inactive customers. This segmentation allows you to create more personalized and relevant messages for each group, increasing the likelihood of conversion and enhancing the customer experience.
Analyse your audiences and segments
Analysis is crucial for continually optimizing your campaigns. Use Google Ads to analyze the performance of your different audiences and segments. Monitor key metrics such as cost per conversion, CTR (click-through rate), and CPA (cost per acquisition) to determine which lists are performing best and how you can adjust your strategy to achieve better results.
How to set up similar audiences in Google Customer Match
Similar Audiences are a powerful complement to Google Customer Match, allowing you to expand your reach to users who share characteristics with your best customers. Below, we will look at how to set them up and the benefits of using this type of audience.
Incomplete similar audiences
When working with similar audiences, it’s possible that some of them will be classified as incomplete due to a lack of sufficient data. For Google to create an effective Similar Audience, it needs a substantial amount of data to identify common patterns and behaviors. It’s important to review the original lists and ensure they are complete and up-to-date to maximize the precision and effectiveness of your Similar Audiences.
Benefits of building similar audience lists in Google Ads
Using similar audiences in Google Ads allows you to expand your reach and attract new customers who are likely to be interested in your products or services. Similar Audiences are built from users who share characteristics and behaviors with your best customers, which means they have a high probability of responding positively to your ads. This approach reduces the risk associated with cold prospecting and improves the efficiency of your acquisition campaigns.
How to create Lookalike Audiences in Google Ads?
Creating Lookalike Audiences in Google Ads is a relatively simple process, but there are a few steps you should follow to ensure your audience is as precise as possible.
Building your Google Ads’ “Lookalike Audience” listings
To build a Lookalike Audience, you need to start with a base list that is rich in data and representative of your target audience. The more detailed and accurate this list is, the better the quality of the Similar Audience. Use data that includes previous interactions, purchase history, and any other relevant information to clearly define who your best customers are.
Creating a Lookalike Audience in Google Ads
Once you have the base list, you can navigate to the audience manager within Google Ads and select the option to create a Similar Audience. Google will use the data from the base list to identify users who share similar attributes. Make sure to monitor the performance of these audiences over time and make adjustments as needed to maintain the effectiveness of your campaigns.
DV360 Customer Match
DV360 Customer Match is similar to Google Ads Customer Match, but it is specifically designed for the Display & Video 360 (DV360) platform. This allows advertisers to extend their reach beyond the traditional Google Ads network, using the same principles of customer data segmentation for display and video campaigns. The advantage of DV360 Customer Match is that it provides access to a broader range of placements and ad formats, allowing for greater flexibility in campaign strategy.
Google Customer Match usage policy
To ensure that Google Ads Customer Match is used ethically and complies with legal standards, there are several usage policies that every advertiser must adhere to. Understanding these rules is crucial not only for maintaining your Google Ads account in good standing but also for building trust with your audience by treating their data with the utmost care.
Conditions for using Customer Match
To use Google Ads Customer Match, advertisers need to meet specific conditions set by Google. First, your account must have a solid history of policy compliance and a good account standing. This means no recent policy violations and a consistent record of responsible advertising. Google requires that you have spent a certain amount on ads, and that you collect customer data ethically, with proper consent for advertising purposes. Failing to meet these requirements could result in your account being disqualified from using Customer Match.
Policies for collecting customer data
Customer data is at the core of Google Ads Customer Match, which means you need to collect it responsibly. Google mandates that all data used for Customer Match must be gathered with the explicit consent of users. This means that customers must agree to have their information used for targeted advertising. Compliance with GDPR and other privacy regulations is also crucial. It is recommended that you clearly communicate to your customers how their data will be used, providing them with an easy way to opt-out if they prefer. For more details on data policies, you can refer to the Google Ads Help Center.
Other requirements for using Google Customer Match
There are additional requirements you need to follow when using Customer Match. Google requires that all uploaded customer data be hashed before being sent, which means converting identifiable information like email addresses into a coded format for privacy protection. This process ensures that the data remains secure and that individual users cannot be identified during the targeting process. Additionally, advertisers must regularly update their Customer Match lists to ensure they are using accurate and up-to-date information.
In case of violating Google’s policies
If you violate Google’s policies while using Customer Match, the consequences can be serious. Google may suspend your account, restrict your ability to use Customer Match, or even ban you from using Google Ads entirely. To avoid such issues, it’s critical to stay informed about the latest Google Ads policies and ensure your data practices are transparent and compliant. In the event of an accidental violation, advertisers should immediately correct the issue and submit a request for review to regain access to Customer Match features.
Summary
Google Ads Customer Match is a powerful tool for connecting with your audience in a meaningful way. By leveraging your own customer data, you can create highly targeted campaigns that reach the right people at the right time, across multiple Google platforms. From improving personalization and driving repeat purchases to automating audience updates with tools like Ads Workbench, Customer Match offers a variety of benefits that can significantly enhance your marketing strategy.
However, it’s also essential to use Customer Match responsibly. Following Google’s usage policies and ensuring that you have obtained proper consent for customer data are crucial steps to maintaining a successful and compliant campaign. Always remember to stay transparent with your customers about how their information is being used.
By integrating Google Ads Customer Match into your marketing strategy, you can better engage your audiences, improve conversion rates, and ultimately drive more value for your business. It’s not just about increasing sales—it’s about creating relationships with your customers that are genuine and lasting. As digital marketing continues to evolve, tools like Customer Match will only become more integral to delivering personalized, effective advertising.
If you are looking to streamline your efforts, consider using Ads Workbench to automate the updating of your Customer Match audiences. By automating these updates, you can ensure that your campaigns are always targeting the most relevant and up-to-date segments, saving you time and reducing the risk of errors. Ads Workbench can help you maximize efficiency and boost the impact of your campaigns. We encourage you to try out Ads Workbench and take advantage of the 7-day free trial to see how automation can transform your marketing results.
