How to Set Up Targeting for Your Google Shopping Campaigns

When running Google Shopping campaigns, targeting is one of the easiest yet most powerful parts of your setup. Unlike traditional search campaigns where you manually select keywords, Google Shopping Ads rely heavily on Google’s AI and data-driven algorithms to find the right audience for your products.

That said, there are still a few important targeting settings you’ll need to configure correctly to make sure your ads reach the right people, in the right places, and on the right platforms. Let’s go step-by-step through each of them.

1. Choosing the Right Networks

When setting up your campaign, the first thing you’ll notice under targeting options is the Network section.

Search Network

The Search Network refers to Google’s main search engine — where users actively search for products or services. This is where your Shopping Ads will primarily appear by default, which is exactly what you want.

Google Search Partners

You’ll also see an option called “Include Google Search Partners.” This allows your ads to appear on Google’s partner websites, including YouTube and other third-party sites that use Google’s ad network.

Here’s the catch — while this can increase your reach, you won’t know exactly where your ads appear. Performance varies depending on the country and audience.

• If targeting the United States: Check the box to include Google Search Partners — it often performs well for U.S.-based traffic.
• If targeting other countries: It’s generally best to uncheck this option, as results can be inconsistent.

Even if your partner network performance is poor, don’t worry — it won’t negatively affect your ad rank or quality score on Google Search. Think of it as an optional bonus channel worth testing, especially if you’re in the U.S. market.

2. Device Targeting

Google Shopping Ads automatically target all device types by default — desktops, tablets, and mobile phones. For most advertisers, this is ideal. Device performance can later be adjusted through bid modifiers once you have data, but at the beginning, it’s best to leave all devices included.

3. Setting Your Location Targeting

Location targeting is one of the few areas where you have full control in a Google Shopping campaign. This is where you specify the geographic regions where your ads will appear.

You can choose from several options:

• All countries and territories: Targets globally — not recommended unless your store offers international shipping.
• Target by location: Enter specific countries, regions, or cities where you want your products to appear.
• Nearby countries: Optionally expand targeting to nearby regions if relevant.

For most new advertisers, it’s best to start with one country. For example, you might target United States if your store primarily serves American customers.

Targeting English-Speaking Countries

If your products appeal to a global English-speaking audience, consider targeting these countries together:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Ireland
• Scotland

This gives you wide coverage while still focusing on markets with strong purchasing power and English-language compatibility.

4. Location Options: Presence vs. Interest

One of the most critical yet often overlooked settings in location targeting is found under “Location Options.”

By default, Google sets this to “Presence or interest” — meaning your ads could show to people who are either physically located in your target region or who have shown interest in it.

For example, someone in another country searching for “best places to visit in the U.S.” might be considered “interested in the U.S.” and could trigger your ad — even though they’re not your ideal customer.

To avoid this, always switch to:

Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted locations

This ensures your ads only reach people who are physically located within your chosen country or region — the audience most likely to convert.

5. Setting Start and End Dates

Next, you’ll find the Start and End Date options. These control how long your campaign runs.

• Leave these blank for ongoing campaigns — especially if you plan to monitor performance regularly.
• Use them only for time-sensitive promotions like Black Friday, Christmas, or limited-time product launches.

Even for seasonal campaigns, if your ad is performing well, you can simply let it continue running a bit longer to maintain sales momentum.

6. Naming Your Ad Group

Finally, before creating your campaign, you’ll need to name your Ad Group. This is mainly for organizational purposes inside your Google Ads account.

If you’re advertising a single product or a small niche, you can keep it simple — for example, “Massage Gloves”.

If you have multiple products or categories, name each ad group according to the subcategory it represents (e.g., “Running Shoes – Men’s” or “Yoga Mats – Eco Series”). This will make it easier to manage and analyze results later.

7. Campaign Approval and Review

Once you’ve completed your targeting setup and clicked Create Campaign, your ads will enter Google’s review process. You may see a message saying that your products are still under review in the Google Merchant Center.

• If you see a pending status — don’t worry, it’s just a waiting game.
• If you don’t see any warnings, it means your products are approved and your campaign is active.

Even after approval, your ads will go through a short learning phase as Google’s algorithm gathers performance data. This process usually takes a few days, after which your campaign will begin to optimize automatically.

Key Takeaways

• Networks: Always target the Search Network; use Search Partners only if targeting the U.S.
• Devices: Leave all devices enabled for maximum visibility.
• Locations: Start with one primary market and expand strategically.
• Presence targeting: Always choose “Presence” over “Presence or Interest.”
• Start/End Dates: Only use for time-limited campaigns.
• Ad Group Naming: Organize by product or category for better tracking.

What’s Next: Product Segmentation

Congratulations — your campaign targeting is now complete! In the next lecture, we’ll dive into Product Segmentation — an essential concept for structuring your Shopping campaigns effectively, managing budgets, and preventing your products from competing against each other.