To help you reach more potential customers, your ads will now show on content that matches any of the topics, placements, or Display/Video keywords you target. For example, if you targeted “bikes” as a topic and “cycling” as a Display/Video keyword, your ads will show on content that matches either.
You’ll also notice contextual targeting simplified into a single page in Google Ads, so you can manage all content targeting types (Topics, Placements, Display/Video keywords, and Exclusions) in a single view. The new page can be found in the “Content” section in the left-side menu.
Content exclusion settings let you opt out of showing your ads alongside certain categories of websites, videos, and mobile apps that may not be appropriate for your brand or serve your advertising goals. This article outlines the available content exclusion options for Video, Display, Smart Shopping, and Performance Max campaigns.
With a variety of content exclusion options for your campaigns (such as live streaming video, sensitive social issues, and content for mature audiences), you’ll have more control over where your ads show on the Display Network and YouTube. You can set a content exclusion in an individual campaign’s settings, or apply a content exclusion to all eligible campaigns in your Google Ads account.
Note: Google has policies that define what types of content can be monetized for ads on the Display Network and YouTube. The content settings listed here are meant to give you additional control and help you exclude types of content that, while in compliance with our policies, may not fit your brand or business.
It's recommended that you also review YouTube’s advertiser-friendly content guidelines.
List of content exclusion options
For Video campaigns
Content exclusion options for Video campaigns are found in campaign settings. Here are the available options:
Inventory types
With inventory types, you can opt out of groups of sensitive content that don’t align with the brand or message of your campaign.
You can select from the following 3 inventory types. You can also view more details about what content types are included and excluded for each inventory type.
Expanded inventory
This option lets you show ads on all videos on YouTube and Google video partners that meet our standards for monetization. This option may be an appropriate choice for brands that want maximum access to the full breadth of videos eligible for ads, including, for example, videos that have strong profanity in the context of comedy or a documentary, or excessive violence as featured in video games.
Standard inventory (recommended)
All Google Ads accounts are opted in to this inventory type by default. This option lets you show ads across a wide range of content that’s appropriate for most brands, such as popular music videos, documentaries, and movie trailers. The content you can show ads on is based on our advertiser-friendly content guidelines that take into account, for example, the strength or frequency of profanity, or the appropriateness of subject matter like sensitive events. Ads won’t show, for example, on content with repeated strong profanity, strong sexual content, or graphic violence.
Limited inventory
This option lets you show ads on a reduced range of content that’s appropriate for brands with particularly strict guidelines around inappropriate language and sexual suggestiveness – above and beyond what our advertiser-friendly content guidelines address. The videos accessible in this inventory type meet heightened requirements, especially for inappropriate language and sexual suggestiveness. For example, your ads will be excluded from showing on some of YouTube's most popular music videos and other pop culture content across YouTube and Google video partners.
Digital content labels
- DL-G: Content suitable for general audiences (can also select “Content suitable for families”)
- DL-PG: Content suitable for most audiences with parental guidance
- DL-T: Content suitable for teen and older audiences
- DL-MA: Content suitable only for mature audiences
- Not yet labeled: Content that hasn’t been labeled yet because they haven’t yet completed the classification process
Content type
- Embedded YouTube videos: Videos embedded on websites outside of YouTube.com
- Live streaming videos: Video of live events streamed over the Internet
For Display campaigns
Sensitive content
- Tragedy and conflict: Excludes graphic content of combat or war
- Sensitive social issues: Excludes content intended to elicit a response about controversial issues
- Profanity and rough language: Excludes content with infrequent or mild profanity, or profanity used in entertainment, comedy, satire, or music
- Sexually suggestive content: Excludes content about sex or sexual products
- Sensational and shocking: Excludes content of disasters or accidents that show casualties or death
Digital content labels
- DL-G: Content suitable for general audiences (can also select “Content suitable for families”)
- DL-PG: Content suitable for most audiences with parental guidance
- DL-T: Content suitable for teen and older audiences
- DL-MA: Content suitable only for mature audiences
- Not yet labeled: Content that hasn’t been labeled yet because they haven’t yet completed the classification process
Video content types
- Live streaming YouTube video: Footage of a live event streamed on YouTube
- Embedded YouTube videos: Videos embedded on websites outside of YouTube.com
- Below-the-fold: Section of a page people have to scroll down to see
- Parked domains: Registered but undeveloped website domains
- In-video: Video where ads are shown within the video player
For Smart Shopping campaigns
Inventory types
With inventory types, you can opt out of groups of sensitive content in the Google Display Network that don’t align with the brand or message of your campaign. These exclusions are applied in addition to the protections offered by our Google Publisher Policies and Google Publisher Restrictions. You can select from the following 3 inventory types.
Expanded inventory
This option shows ads on all Display inventory that meets our monetization standards for Google Publisher Policies and Google Publisher Restrictions. This option may be an appropriate choice for brands that want maximum access to the full breadth of inventory, including, for example, content that has strong profanity in the context of comedy or song lyrics, or excessive violence as featured in video games.
Standard inventory
This option lets you show ads across a wide range of content that’s appropriate for most brands, such as news, food and drink, and sports. The content you can show ads on takes into account, for example, the strength or frequency of profanity, or the appropriateness of subject matter like sensitive events. Ads won’t show, for example, on content with repeated strong profanity, strong sexual content, or graphic violence.
Limited inventory
This option lets you show ads on a reduced range of content that’s appropriate for brands with particularly strict guidelines around sensitive content. The inventory accessible in this inventory type meets heightened requirements, especially for inappropriate language, violence, and sexual suggestiveness.
Sensitive content
- Tragedy and conflict: Excludes graphic content of combat or war
- Sensitive social issues: Excludes content intended to elicit a response about controversial issues
- Profanity and rough language: Excludes content with infrequent or mild profanity, or profanity used in entertainment, comedy, satire, or music
- Sexually suggestive content: Excludes content about sex or sexual products
- Sensational and shocking: Excludes content of disasters or accidents that show casualties or death
Digital content labels
- DL-G: Content suitable for general audiences (can also select “Content suitable for families”)
- DL-PG: Content suitable for most audiences with parental guidance
- DL-T: Content suitable for teen and older audiences
- DL-MA: Content suitable only for mature audiences
- Not yet labeled: Content that hasn’t been labeled yet because they haven’t yet completed the classification process
Placement exclusions
Review placement exclusions to learn how to exclude placements for specific pages, sites, mobile apps, and videos, where you don't want your ads to show. In particular, you might exclude websites and mobile apps that aren’t appropriate for your brand.
For Performance Max campaigns
Inventory types
With inventory types, you can opt out of groups of sensitive content for Video and Google Display Network inventory that don’t align with the brand or message of your campaign. These exclusions are applied in addition to the protections offered by our Google Publisher Policies and Google Publisher Restrictions. You can select from the following 3 inventory types.
Expanded inventory
This option shows ads on all web and mobile app content on YouTube and the Google Display Network that meets our monetization standards. This option may be an appropriate choice for brands that want maximum access to the full breadth of inventory, including, for example, content that has strong profanity in the context of comedy or song lyrics, or excessive violence as featured in video games.
Standard inventory
This option lets you show ads across a wide range of content that’s appropriate for most brands, such as news, food and drink, and sports. The content you can show ads on takes into account, for example, the strength or frequency of profanity, or the appropriateness of subject matter like sensitive events. Ads won’t show, for example, on content with repeated strong profanity, strong sexual content, or graphic violence.
Limited inventory
This option lets you show ads on a reduced range of content that’s appropriate for brands with particularly strict guidelines around sensitive content. The inventory accessible in this inventory type meets heightened requirements, especially for inappropriate language, violence, and sexual suggestiveness.
Sensitive content
- Tragedy and conflict: Excludes graphic content of combat or war
- Sensitive social issues: Excludes content intended to elicit a response about controversial issues
- Profanity and rough language: Excludes content with infrequent or mild profanity, or profanity used in entertainment, comedy, satire, or music
- Sexually suggestive content: Excludes content about sex or sexual products
- Sensational and shocking: Excludes content of disasters or accidents that show casualties or death
Digital content labels
- CSF: Content on YouTube made for kids, such as content intended to be consumed or co-viewed by families. Learn more about Made for Kids content
- DL-G: Content suitable for general audiences (can also select “Content suitable for families”)
- DL-PG: Content suitable for most audiences with parental guidance
- DL-T: Content suitable for teen and older audiences
- DL-MA: Content suitable only for mature audiences
- Not yet labeled: Content that hasn’t been labeled yet because they haven’t yet completed the classification process