Create gender targets in a Google Ads ad group

You can set age and gender targets only in ad groups. You can exclude (or create negative) age or gender targets in Google Ads campaigns and ad groups.

Include or exclude gender targets in a Google Ads ad group

1. Navigate to a Google Ads ad group.

   Steps for navigating to an ad group

   1. In the left navigation panel, click All accounts.
      What if the left navigation pane isn't visible?

   2. Click the navigation bar to display navigation options.

   3. In the "Agency" list, click the agency that contains the advertiser. You can search for an agency by name or scroll through the list.

   4. In the "Advertiser" list, click the advertiser that contains the engine account.

   5. In the "Account" list, click the engine account that contains the campaign.

   6. In the "Campaign" list, click the campaign that contains the ad group.

   7. In the "Ad group" list, click the ad group.

   8. Click Apply or press the Enter key.

   Search Ads 360 displays the ad group page.

2. Click the Targets ▼ tab, and then click Gender targets.
3. Click + New gender target.
4. Under New gender targets, hover on a gender target, and then click Include or Exclude.
   • Unknown gender
   • Male
   • Female
   By default, ads display for all age and gender groups unless the age or gender group is excluded.
5. Repeat the preceding step for each gender group that you want to target.
6. In the list of selected targets on the right, specify a bid adjustment for each included gender group.
   • To increase bids to target a gender group,  click the arrow ▼, select Increase by and then enter a number from 0 and 900.
   • To decrease the bid to target a gender group, click the arrow ▼,  select  Decrease by, and then enter a number from 0 to 90.
   To remove a target from the selected targets list in the right panel, click the remove icon .
7. Click Save.
   Included gender targets are shown on the Ad group gender targets tab.
   Excluded gender targets are shown on the Negative ad group gender targets tab.

 

If you target a gender group at the ad group level and exclude the same gender group at the campaign level, the ads won't display for the targeted gender group because negative campaign targets override ad group targets. For example, if females are targeted at the ad group level and excluded at the campaign level, ads won't display for females.

To verify that the desired targets aren't overwritten:

1. Navigate to the campaign.
2. Click the Targets ▼tab and then click Gender targets.
3. Compare the targets on the Negative campaign gender targets and the Ad group gender targets tabs. 

You can set age and gender target bid adjustments in bulk or use a bulksheet to specify age and gender targets.