What is a lookalike audience?
A lookalike audience is a group of people an ad platform selects because they share traits with a source audience you provide, such as your customers or best leads. It helps you reach new people who are likely to be similar.
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How lookalike audiences work
You supply a source list, such as customers or past purchasers. The platform finds patterns in the people on that list and then looks for others who share them.
Platforms handle this in different ways. Meta uses the term lookalike audiences, and Google Ads offers lookalike segments in Demand Gen campaigns. On both, a lookalike often works as a suggestion that the platform can expand beyond, not a strict limit, depending on your settings.
Building a strong source
The source matters more than anything. A list of your highest-value customers teaches the platform more than a list of everyone who visited your site.
Make sure the list is large enough for the platform to find patterns, and keep it fresh as your customers change.
Testing and limits
Test a few audience sizes against each other, since narrower groups tend to be closer matches and broader groups give more reach. Platform privacy rules and policy changes can affect how audiences are built, so check current options.
Common questions
What is the difference between a lookalike audience and a custom audience?
A custom audience is made up of people you already know, such as customers or site visitors. A lookalike audience is built from people similar to them who haven't engaged with you yet.
Do lookalike audiences work for small businesses?
They can, if you have a source list large enough for the platform to learn from. Check the minimum size your platform requires.
Which platforms offer lookalike audiences?
Several do, often under different names. Meta calls them lookalike audiences, and others offer similar tools. Features change, so check each platform's current options.
How is a lookalike audience different from remarketing?
Remarketing shows ads to people who already interacted with you. A lookalike audience is meant to reach new people who resemble those who did.
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