Custom labels to block ads

You can prevent certain categories of line items from running on certain parts of your content. Using labels, you group line items and block them from running on the ads that you specify.

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.

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.

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.

Create ad exclusion labels and apply them to line items

1. Create an ad exclusion label. You may also create labels when you set up ad exclusions.
2. 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 Ad Manager, not dynamically allocated impressions from Ad Exchange.

Set up ad exclusions for inventory

1. Sign in to Google Ad Manager.
2. Click Protections  Protections
3. Click New protection  Ad content
4. Name your protection.
5. 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

6. 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

7. Under "Blocks," click Add next to "Custom labels".
8. 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.
9. Click Update.
10. Add more protections as needed and click Save.