This article describes how to create ad exclusions in Google Ad Manager to prevent specific line items from running on certain content. Ad exclusions are set up by applying labels to line items and then activating those labels to block ads on specified inventory.
About custom labels
You can prevent certain categories of line items from running on certain parts of your content. Set up ad exclusions by applying labels to line items. When it's time to block ads, simply activate the ad exclusions you've created.
Example
If you've got a news story about a plane crash, you probably don't want to run airline ads next to it. In emergency situations, you can use ad exclusions to stop line items temporarily.
Custom labels apply to these transactions:
- Programmatic Guaranteed
- Traditional
Learn more about transaction types.
Create ad exclusions
There are two parts to creating ad exclusions.
1. Create ad exclusion labels and apply them to line items
- Create an ad exclusion label. You may also create labels when you set up your ad exclusion blocks.
- Apply the ad exclusion label to line items.
You can also apply a label to orders or advertisers. A label will be inherited by all of the line items that belong to the order or advertiser. Keep in mind that blocking an advertiser only blocks the advertiser's line items trafficked in Google Ad Manager, not dynamically allocated impressions from Ad Exchange.
2. Set up ad exclusions for inventory
- Sign in to Google Ad Manager.
- Click Protections, and then Protections.
- Click New protection, and then Ad content.
- Name your protection.
- From the "Inventory type" dropdown, select the medium on which you want to control the display of ads, such as Mobile app.
Target specific inventory
- The default is to apply the protection to all inventory. To target specific inventory:
- Select Only protect specified inventory, click Add targeting, select an item from the dropdown, and make your targeting selections.
- Learn more about targeting in protections.
Create your blocks
- Under "Blocks," click Add next to "Custom labels".
- Next to "Block list type," select one of the following:
- Block the following custom labels: Blocks only the custom labels you select under Block the following custom labels. However, you can choose combinations of labels that will still work by adding another label to Unless the following custom labels exist as well.
Example
You have a line item with the ad exclusion labels "airline" and "travel". If "airline" is in the "Block the following custom labels list", but "travel" is in the "Unless the following custom labels exist as well" list, the line item won't be blocked by this ad exclusion. - Block all custom labels with the following exceptions: Blocks all custom labels except those you select in the dropdown.
Example
You have a line item with the ad exclusion label "airline". If "airline" is in the "Block all custom labels with the following exceptions" list, the line item won't be blocked by this ad exclusion. - Click Update.
- Add more protections as needed and click Save.
