Alternative category targeting methods

We recommend category targeting for most new setups. Keyword targeting, reserved keys and AdQuery category filtering are alternative integration methods for targeting Ads by category.

Each approach below has the same parts: what you send in the request, what you set up, and what you can report.

Which approach fits

Start from what you need. Each approach is explained in the next section, and Compatibility by approach compares them in detail.

How each approach works

AdQuery category filtering

Your site sends an AdQuery on the placement, and Kevel filters Ads by a category field on a product or Creative. It chooses which products are relevant on a page, and it is not reported as a category. See Filter by category. It works well alongside category targeting: advertisers choose their categories, while the AdQuery filter restricts each Ad to the categories its product has in your catalog. See How to keep category targeting aligned with your catalog.

Keyword targeting

You send the category of the page as a keyword in the request, and target that keyword on Flights and Ads. Matching is exact and ignores case. Keyword targeting is also how you match what a shopper searches for, from a search placement, so this is a second use of a feature you may already have. See Target categories with keywords.

Reserved keys

Reserved keys use a Zerkel query on the keywords in a request, with operators such as LIKE and CONTAINS. Use them to match categories by pattern. See Match category patterns with reserved keys.

Compatibility by approach

What each approach works with, with category targeting first.

Filter by category with AdQuery

AdQuery category filtering matches the category of the page to a category field on a product or Creative. It chooses which products are relevant on a page, or limits where an Ad appears.

What your request sends. An adQuery on the placement, with the page's category.

What you set up. A category field on the product or Creative, in a Creative Template field such as ctCategories. Console can write the field for an advertiser. See AdQuery.

1. Store the category data. Keep a product's categories, or the categories an Ad targets, in a Creative Template field.

2. Send the page's category in an AdQuery. For a field that holds an array of categories:

"adQuery": {
  "ctCategories": {
    "in": ["Women > Dresses"],
    "nullValuesMatch": false
  }
}

3. Check the Ads that come back. Only Ads whose field matches are eligible. An Ad must also pass its other targeting.

See Filter by category for both uses and for how arrays work.

What you can report. AdQuery category filters are not reported as a category. To report by category, also send category on each placement. See Send a category in decision requests.

Target categories with keywords

Keyword targeting keeps its main job, matching the terms a shopper searches for, from a search placement. Many integrations also use it to target the category of a page: the site sends the category as a keyword, and you target that keyword.

What your request sends. The keywords field of the Decision API request. See Passing keywords in requests.

What you set up. Keyword targeting on the Flights or Ads that should appear on those pages. See Enabling keyword targeting.

1. Create Flights or Ads that target the keyword. The keyword can be any information about the page, such as its category, theme or focus.
2. Send the keyword in the request. Put it in the keywords field of the Decision API request.
3. Check for a match. If the request's keywords include the keyword, the Ad is eligible to show. It may not win.

For example, a fashion retailer can send its category names as keywords in the request, and set up Ads that appear only for requests that include a certain keyword. The retailer can then target the "Dresses" browsing page, and a product page tagged as being in the "Dresses" category.

What you can report. Reports show performance by keyword. You can group by keyword on Sites and Zones. To report Placement Category as well, also send category.

Match category patterns with reserved keys

Reserved keys use the same keywords your pages send, and let you match them with a pattern instead of an exact keyword. They do not read product categories or the category field. A reserved key is a variable you use in a Zerkel query, and $keywords is the list of keywords in the request.

What your request sends. The keywords field of the Decision API request, as for keyword targeting.

What you set up. A Zerkel query in Custom Targeting on the Flight or Ad. You do not need keyword targeting on the Flight or Ad. See Enabling custom targeting and Passing custom targeting.

1. Write the query. Use like or contains on $keywords. To target any category containing "dress":

   $keywords like "*dress*"

2. Add it to the Flight or Ad. Put the query in Custom Targeting in the Ad Server UI, or in the CustomTargeting parameter of the Create Flight, Create Ad or Create Channel request.

3. Send the keywords. Pass keywords in the Decision API request.

The query matches keyword variations such as "Party Dresses" and "Summer Dresses". A single query can match many category keywords at once. See Reserved keys for the other variables and operators.

What you can report. The same as keyword targeting: by keyword, and Placement Category when you also send category.

Related

• Category targeting
• Transitioning to category targeting from an alternate approach
• Keyword targeting
• Reserved keys
• AdQuery