Autotargeting

Autotargeting is an ad serving technology that doesn't use keywords. It analyzes data in the ad and on the landing page and determines whether the ad matches the search query, user interests, or website content. Using autotargeting, you can attract additional targeted traffic by serving ads to an audience not easily reached through keywords.

How it works

Autotargeting selects ads to be served in search results in real time. Ads are selected based on how well they match the user's query in terms of their title (excluding the additional title), text, and landing page. Many factors are considered when selecting ads, including possible synonyms, word forms, related subjects, and negative keywords of the campaign and ad group.

For example, an ad with a text about space travel that leads to in-space.ru may be served when someone searches for tours to Mars.

Autotargeting runs in parallel with keywords and has equal priority. Statistics for autotargeting impressions are calculated separately.

Note. Autotargeting is more effective when used with conversion strategies. Install a Yandex Metrica tag on the website and configure its goals.

How to set up autotargeting in a campaign

Autotargeting is available for the following campaign types on search and in ad networks:

Site ads

When you set up site ads in the Campaign Wizard, autotargeting is enabled by default, with all categories selected. To disable autotargeting categories:

  1. Under Define your audience, select Manual setup for the Audience parameter.
  2. Under Exceptions, select the categories for which you want to disable impressions.
  3. Save your changes.
Ads for mobile apps

When setting up app ads, autotargeting is enabled by default. You can manage autotargeting categories, but you can't disable impressions for targeted queries.

To select autotargeting categories:

  1. Under Define your audience, select Advanced audience settings.
  2. Select the Targeting categories for which you want to display ads.
  3. Save your changes.
Unified performance campaign

Autotargeting is a mandatory condition for placement in search results or in both search results and ad networks. You must select at least one query category for each ad group. When you switch placement from Yandex Advertising Network to Yandex Search, autotargeting is automatically enabled for all query categories in each group. We recommend double-checking the settings when you change the placement location. You can only disable autotargeting for campaigns served in ad networks.

  1. To enable autotargeting in search results, select the query categories to apply it to.

    If ads are added to the group, you can see examples of queries that would trigger autotargeting for each category.

  2. Under Brand mention in Yandex Search queries, select the type of queries to serve your ads for. These can be queries mentioning your brand, mentioning a competitor brand, or not mentioning any brands. For example, you can use autotargeting in separate campaigns for brand search queries,

    To serve ads without filtering by brand, enable all options.

  3. Save your changes.

You can also enable autotargeting on the campaign page or on the Bids and keywords tab.

You can select query categories and brand mention settings in multiple ad groups using bulk actions, Direct Commander, or the Yandex Direct API.

Dynamic ads

Autotargeting for dynamic ads is configured at the group level, on the campaign page, or on the Bids and keywords tab. When you create a new ad group, autotargeting is enabled by default.

  1. To enable autotargeting, select the query categories where you want to use it. You must select at least one category.

    If ads are added to the group, you can see examples of queries that would trigger autotargeting for each category.

  2. Under Brand mention in Yandex Search queries, select the type of queries to serve your ads for. These can be queries mentioning your brand, mentioning a competitor brand, or not mentioning any brands. For example, you can use autotargeting in separate campaigns for brand search queries,

    To serve ads without filtering by brand, enable all options.

  3. Save your changes.

Text & Image ads

Autotargeting is a mandatory condition for placement in search results or in both search results and ad networks. You must select at least one query category for each ad group. When you switch placement from Yandex Advertising Network to Yandex Search, autotargeting is automatically enabled for all query categories in each group. We recommend double-checking the settings when you change the placement location. You can only disable autotargeting for campaigns served in ad networks.

Note. It may take up to 24 hours to apply any autotargeting changes (enabling, disabling, changing of query category). Until then, ads will be served according to the old settings.

Managing bids in a manual strategy

When using a manual strategy, set a bid for autotargeting in search results. In ad networks, the bid is set automatically.

For autotargeting in search results, automatic bids are enabled by default. The automatic bid is calculated as the group's weighted average bid per click before any adjustments:

Bid = (Bid1 × Clicks1 + Bid2 × Clicks2 + ... + Bid(n) × Clicks(n)) / (Clicks1 + Clicks2 + ... + Clicks(n)), where

  • "Bid" is the bid for the keyword.
  • "Clicks" is the number of clicks.
Let's say a group has two keywords:
  1. Buy a trip to space with a bid of 50 rubles and 5 clicks.

  2. Buy a trip to Mars with a bid of 100 rubles and 10 clicks.

The automatic bid for autotargeting in this group is calculated as follows: (50 × 5 + 100 × 10)/15 = 83.3 rubles.

The automatic bid can't exceed the maximum bid for any keyword in the group. This value is constantly updated, because it's determined not only by the bids themselves, but also by the number of clicks for each keyword in the group.

To set a bid manually:

  1. In the campaign list, select the campaigns and switch to the Bids and keywords tab.
  2. In the --autotargeting line, click the icon next to the bid value.
  3. Switch to “Manual bid”, enter your bid, and click Apply.

You can also change the bid using the Bid Wizard, Direct Commander, or the Yandex Direct API.

As with bids for keywords, all adjustments configured at the campaign or group level also apply to the automatic bids.

We recommend setting the autotargeting bid at about the same level as the keyword bid.

If bids for keywords are not configured within the group, Yandex Direct algorithms will automatically select an optimal bid.

How to analyze the effectiveness of autotargeting

You can view autotargeting statistics in the Report Wizard and the Search queries report.
Report Wizard

Add the Impression criteria cross section and the Impressions, Conversion (%), Goal cost, and Conversions columns. This shows you the total impression statistics. Check the Impression criteria column: if an ad was served through autotargeting, this is marked in the column.

Build a report using the Targeting categories cross section and the same columns (Impressions, Conversion rate (%), Goal cost, Conversions). You'll see statistics on impressions for the keywords selected in all categories.

To get the data for each query category, add the Targeting categories filter criteria to the report and select the categories you need.

Use the Brand mention in queries cross section in the report to add brand mentions to the targeting categories.

Compare conversions and goal cost for keywords and autotargeting across different categories, with or without brand mentions. If the goal cost for autotargeting is too high, reduce the bid for it.

Search queries

Add the Impression criteria cross section and the Impressions, Conversion (%), Goal cost, and Conversions columns. You will see which search queries triggered your ads. Check the Impression criteria column: if an ad was served through autotargeting, this is marked in the column.

Build a report using the Targeting categories cross section and the same columns (Impressions, Conversion rate (%), Goal cost, Conversions). You'll see statistics on impressions for the keywords selected in all categories.

To get the data for each query category, add the Targeting categories filter criteria to the report and select the categories you need.

Use the Brand mention in queries cross section in the report to add brand mentions to the targeting categories.

Add irrelevant queries to the list of negative keywords.

Learn more about evaluating campaign performance

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