If you’re running a Google Display campaign and want to reach people similar to your best customers, understanding how Similar Audiences work is key. In this post, we’ll explain which targeting option they’re built from — and why that matters for your campaign success.
Question:
You choose Influence consideration as your marketing objective and the Similar Audiences targeting option for a Google Display Ad campaign. In Google Display Ad campaigns, what are Similar Audiences built from?
- Keywords
- Remarketing lists
- Placements
- Topics
The correct answer is: Remarketing lists ✅
If you’re interested, you can take the exam here: Google Ads Display Certification via Skillshop.
Why “Remarketing lists” is the correct answer:
Similar Audiences in Google Display campaigns are automatically generated by Google based on your remarketing lists.
That means:
If someone has visited your website, Google observes their behavior and identifies other users with similar traits, interests, and behaviors. Then it builds a list of new users who haven’t visited yet — but are likely to be interested.
Example:
Let’s say you own an online bookstore and have a remarketing list of people who visited your “Mystery Novels” category.
Google will then create a Similar Audience of users who have never visited your site — but:
- Love mystery books
- Recently searched for Agatha Christie or Sherlock Holmes
- Read similar articles or shopped for books online
You get expanded reach, but still high relevance!
Why the other options are incorrect:
❌ Keywords:
Keywords are used in Search campaigns or for contextual targeting in Display campaigns — they help match your ad to content, not build audience lists. They do not power the Similar Audiences feature.
❌ Placements:
Placements allow you to choose specific websites, apps, or YouTube channels where you want your Display ads to appear. This controls where your ad shows, not who sees it.
❌ Topics:
Topic targeting lets you show your ads on websites or apps about a specific topic. This is a form of contextual targeting, not audience creation.
Visual Comparison
| Option | Used to Build Similar Audiences? | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Remarketing lists | ✅ Yes | Identify behaviors to find lookalike audiences |
| Keywords | ❌ No | Used for keyword-based targeting |
| Placements | ❌ No | Choose websites/apps where ads appear |
| Topics | ❌ No | Match ad to site content theme |
Real-Life Story Example:
David, who owns a fitness equipment store, had a remarketing list of 4,000 people who browsed yoga mats but didn’t purchase.
He activated Similar Audiences based on that list.
Google then found tens of thousands of new people with similar interests — like those searching for “best yoga mats” or reading health blogs.
With minimal effort, David’s Display campaign brought in 17% more conversions within the first 2 weeks. The CTR also improved by 22%. That’s the power of remarketing + automation. 🔥
FAQ
Q1: Do I need to do anything to create Similar Audiences?
A: Nope! Google automatically builds them from your remarketing list once it has enough data.
Q2: Can I use Similar Audiences without a remarketing list?
A: No. You must have at least one active remarketing list.
Q3: Are Similar Audiences available for Search too?
A: Yes, but with some restrictions. They work best on Display and YouTube.
Q4: Can I edit a Similar Audience list?
A: No, they’re auto-generated. You can include/exclude them but not manually change them.
Q5: How do I know it’s working?
A: Track metrics like CTR, impressions, and conversions for “Similar to [your list]” in Audience reports.
Conclusion:
If your goal is to influence consideration, using Similar Audiences helps you expand your reach without losing relevance. And remember:
They’re only built from your remarketing lists, not from keywords or placements.
Let the algorithm do the heavy lifting — and let Similar Audiences open new doors for your brand. 🚀
Now, if you are ready, you can take the Google Skillshop test for the Google Ads Display Exam. Want more real exam questions with easy answers like this? Follow along — I’ll be breaking down more Google Ads Display Measurement Certification Free examples in the next posts.
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Bhupati Barman is a Co-founder of Mite Art, as well as an Entrepreneur, SEO Optimizer, and Blog Writer, covering a variety of interesting topics.