New Google Merchant Center Audience Targeting for Promotions

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Google has introduced a new audience targeting feature within Google Merchant Center called “preferred audience,” which is available when setting up promotions. This option allows businesses to tailor promotions for specific customer groups, such as those who are new to the store or based in certain locations.

Targeting new customers is designed for shoppers who haven’t previously interacted with your brand. This audience type is exclusive to Shopping Ads, meaning if both Shopping and Organic options are selected, the promotion will only apply to Shopping Ads.

Location-based targeting refers to customers who are in, frequently visit, or have shown interest in a particular geographic area. This audience type is limited to Organic listings only; selecting both options will restrict the promotion to Organic results.

This update was identified by Emmanuel Flossie, who highlighted the development in a LinkedIn post and detailed it on his blog. He noted that the addition of such features seems timely, especially with Black Friday approaching, pointing out how Google is enhancing the promotional capabilities within Merchant Center. He emphasized that the ability to target specific groups enables more strategic campaign planning, particularly when combined with product performance data.

However, he expressed some confusion over the current limitations—namely, that new customer targeting is only available for Shopping Ads, while location targeting is restricted to organic searches. He suggests that both options should be accessible across all listing types, especially for region-specific campaigns or in-store promotions.

Despite these restrictions, the new features are viewed as positive developments, offering advertisers additional tools to personalize offers and engage customers in innovative ways.

A screenshot demonstrating this setting shows options for selecting new customers and location-based audiences. An accompanying short video provides a visual walkthrough of the feature. This update has also been discussed in online forums, highlighting its significance within digital advertising strategies.