Basic Targeting

Basic or core targeting includes:

Demographics and Events
Location
Interests
Behaviors

Restrictions

Advertisers running housing, employment, credit ads, issues, election, or political ads who are based in the United States or running ads targeted to the United States have different sets of restrictions.

Demographics and Events

Start with basic demographic and location based targeting. Typically you get data to define targeting from Targeting Search, then specify options in Targeting Spec. Targeting Specs are ad set attributes that define who sees an ad.

You must specify at least one country in targeting, unless you use Custom Audiences.

Targeting by demographic:

use FacebookAds\Object\AdSet;
use FacebookAds\Object\Fields\AdSetFields;
use FacebookAds\Object\Values\AdSetBillingEventValues;
use FacebookAds\Object\Values\AdSetOptimizationGoalValues;
use FacebookAds\Object\Fields\TargetingFields;
use FacebookAds\Object\Targeting;

$adset = new AdSet(null, 'act_<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>');
$adset->setData(array(
  AdSetFields::NAME => 'My AdSet',
  AdSetFields::OPTIMIZATION_GOAL => AdSetOptimizationGoalValues::REACH,
  AdSetFields::BILLING_EVENT => AdSetBillingEventValues::IMPRESSIONS,
  AdSetFields::BID_AMOUNT => 2,
  AdSetFields::DAILY_BUDGET => 1000,
  AdSetFields::CAMPAIGN_ID => <CAMPAIGN_ID>,
  AdSetFields::TARGETING => (new Targeting())->setData(array(
    TargetingFields::GEO_LOCATIONS => array(
      'countries' => array(
        'US',
      ),
    ),
    TargetingFields::RELATIONSHIP_STATUSES => array(2, 4),
    TargetingFields::LIFE_EVENTS => array(
      array(
        'id' => 6003054185372,
        'name' => 'Recently Moved',
      ),
    ),
    TargetingFields::INDUSTRIES => array(
      array(
        'id' => 6009003307783,
        'name' => 'Accounting and finance',
      ),
    ),
  )),
));
$adset->create(array(
  AdSet::STATUS_PARAM_NAME => AdSet::STATUS_ACTIVE,
));

from facebookads.adobjects.adset import AdSet

adset = AdSet(parent_id='act_<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>')
adset.update({
    AdSet.Field.name: 'My AdSet',
    AdSet.Field.optimization_goal: AdSet.OptimizationGoal.reach,
    AdSet.Field.billing_event: AdSet.BillingEvent.impressions,
    AdSet.Field.bid_amount: 150,
    AdSet.Field.daily_budget: 2000,
    AdSet.Field.campaign_id: <CAMPAIGN_ID>,
    AdSet.Field.targeting: {
        'geo_locations': {
            'countries': ['US'],
        },
        'relationship_statuses': [2, 4],
        'life_events': [
            {
                'id': 6003054185372,
                'name': 'Recently Moved',
            },
        ],
        'industries': [
            {
                'id': 6009003307783,
                'name': 'Accounting and finance',
            },
        ],
    },
})
adset.remote_create(params={
    'status': AdSet.Status.active,
})

AdSet adSet = new AdAccount(act_<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>, context).createAdSet()
  .setName("My AdSet")
  .setOptimizationGoal(AdSet.EnumOptimizationGoal.VALUE_REACH)
  .setBillingEvent(AdSet.EnumBillingEvent.VALUE_IMPRESSIONS)
  .setBidAmount(2L)
  .setDailyBudget(1000L)
  .setCampaignId(<CAMPAIGN_ID>)
  .setTargeting(
    new Targeting()
      .setFieldGeoLocations(
        new TargetingGeoLocation()
          .setFieldCountries(Arrays.asList("US"))
      )
      .setFieldIndustries(Arrays.asList(
        new IDName()
          .setFieldId("6009003307783")
          .setFieldName("Accounting and finance")
      ))
      .setFieldLifeEvents(Arrays.asList(
        new IDName()
          .setFieldId("6003054185372")
          .setFieldName("Recently Moved")
      ))
      .setFieldRelationshipStatuses(Arrays.asList(2L, 4L))
  )
  .setStatus(AdSet.EnumStatus.VALUE_ACTIVE)
  .execute();
String ad_set_id = adSet.getId();

curl \
  -F 'name=My AdSet' \
  -F 'optimization_goal=REACH' \
  -F 'billing_event=IMPRESSIONS' \
  -F 'bid_amount=2' \
  -F 'daily_budget=1000' \
  -F 'campaign_id=<CAMPAIGN_ID>' \
  -F 'targeting={ 
    "geo_locations": {"countries":["US"]}, 
    "industries": [{"id":6009003307783,"name":"Accounting and finance"}], 
    "life_events": [{"id":6003054185372,"name":"Recently Moved"}], 
    "relationship_statuses": [2,4] 
  }' \
  -F 'status=ACTIVE' \
  -F 'access_token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>' \
  https://graph.facebook.com/v2.11/act_<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>/adsets

Available Fields

Name	Description
`genders` array	Genders to target. Defaults to all. `1` targets males, `2` targets females.
`age_min` int	Minimum age. Defaults to 18. If used, must be 13 or higher. If the app has custom settings for age restrictions, the app's age restrictions will be used for ads with APP_INSTALL goals. For example, if you set `age_min` to 13 but your app's age minimum is set to 18, 18 will be used in ads targeting.
`age_max` int	Maximum age. If used, must be 65 or lower.

Location

Search and retrieve values for location targeting at Targeting Search API. This targeting has two parameters: geo_locations to target locations, and optionally excluded_geo_locations to exclude areas.

Use country_groups for geo_locations to target broader geographic regions such as Europe or North America.

Using radius can cause an error, code: 100, subcode 1815946, when targeting multiple locations. We recommend creating an ad for each location or not using radius in your call.

Available Fields

Name	Description
`countries` array	Country targeting. Requires array of country codes. Targeting Search, Countries. Example: `'countries': ['US']`
`regions` array	State, province, or region. Available values, see Targeting Search, Regions. Limit: 200. Example: `'regions': [{'key':'3847'}]`
`cities` array	Specify `key`, `radius` & `distance_unit`. For `key`, see Targeting Search, Cities. `radius` is a distance around cities, from 10 to 50 miles or 17 to 80 kilometers. `distance_unit` is mile or kilometer. Limit: 250. Example: `'cities': [{'key':'2430536', 'radius':12, 'distance_unit':'mile'}]`
`zips` array	Target Zip Code, See targeting search API. Limit: 50,000. Formerly 2,500. If you provide more than 2,500 we create an array known as `location_cluster` which represents a set of zip codes. Example: `'zips':[{'key':'US:94304'},{'key':'US:00501'}]` To read a `location_cluster` and see the locations targeted: `GET /location_cluster_ID`
`places` array	Provide a specific place. Limit: 200. Example: `"places":[{"key":129672430416115,"name":"SFO", "radius":10, "distance_unit":"mile"}]`
`custom_locations` array	Available for all objectives. Provide exact location in latitude and longitude or address as the center of an area. Also specify radius for your location from .63 to 50 miles, or 1 to 80 kilometers. `distance_unit` is miles or kilometers; default is mile. Limit: 200. PO Box alone is not supported in `address_string`. You must provide at minimum, a street address. Example: `'custom_locations':[{'address_string': '1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA', 'radius': 5},{'latitude': 36, 'longitude': -121.0, 'radius': 5, 'distance_unit': 'kilometer'},]`
`custom_locations.latitude` float	Latitude of location
`custom_locations.longitude` float	Longitude of location
`custom_locations.name` string	Name for address. You can use with `latitude` and `longitude` values for geo location targeting without providing `address_string`
`custom_locations.radius` float	Radius around latitude/longitude, in miles unless otherwise in `distance_unit`. From 0.63 to 50 miles, or 1 to 80 kilometers.
`custom_locations.distance_unit` string	Optional. `kilometer` or `mile`; default `mile`
`custom_locations.address_string` string	Address at latitude/longitude, such as 1601 Willow Rd, Menlo Park, CA. Suggested format: street number street name, city, state/province, country. Exclude postal codes.
`geo_markets` array	Key for market, formatted “DMA:501”. We support all designated market areas (DMA). Get DMA codes at Targeting Search querying by DMA name. Limit: 2500 Example `'geo_markets':[{'key': 'DMA:501', 'name': 'New York'},{'key': 'DMA:543', 'name': 'Springfield-Holyoke'},]`
`electoral_district` array	Key for electoral districts. Get districts at Targeting Search, Electoral. Example: `'electoral_districts':[{'key':'US:AK00'},{'key':'US:CA01'},{'key':'US:NY14'}]`
`location_types` array	Note: Beginning with v18.0, the array `['home', 'recent']` will be the only option available. For v18.0+, if no `location_types` is provided, it will default to the array `['home', 'recent']`. `recent`: People whose recent location is in a selected area, as determined from mobile device data. Not available to exclude locations. `home`: People whose stated location in their Facebook profile “current city” is in an area. Facebook validates this by IP and information from their friends' profile locations.
`country_groups` array	Global geographical regions and free trade areas. Provide array of country group codes: `worldwide`: Worldwide. `africa`: Africa. `afta`: ASEAN Free Trade Area. `android_app_store`: paid apps supporting countries in Android app store. `android_free_store`: free apps supporting countries in Android app store. `apec`: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. `asia`: Asia `caribbean`: Caribbean. `central_america`: Central America. `cisfta`: Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area. `eea`: European Economic Area. `emerging_markets`: countries in Emerging Markets `europe`: Europe. `gcc`: Gulf Cooperation Council. `itunes_app_store`: supported countries for iTunes app store. `mercosur`: MERCOSUR. `nafta`: North American Free Trade Agreement. `north_america`: North America. `oceania`: Oceania. `south_america`: South America. See Targeting Search, Country Groups. Example: `'country_groups': ['asia','mercosur']`

Examples

Target By Countries


curl -X POST \
  -F 'name="My Reach Ad Set"' \
  -F 'optimization_goal="REACH"' \
  -F 'billing_event="IMPRESSIONS"' \
  -F 'bid_amount=2' \
  -F 'daily_budget=1000' \
  -F 'campaign_id="<AD_CAMPAIGN_ID>"' \
  -F 'targeting={
       "geo_locations": {
         "countries": [
           "US"
         ]
       },
       "facebook_positions": [
         "feed"
       ]
     }' \
  -F 'status="PAUSED"' \
  -F 'promoted_object={
       "page_id": "<PAGE_ID>"
     }' \
  -F 'access_token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>' \
  https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>/adsets

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'use strict';
const bizSdk = require('facebook-nodejs-business-sdk');
const AdAccount = bizSdk.AdAccount;
const AdSet = bizSdk.AdSet;

const access_token = '<ACCESS_TOKEN>';
const app_secret = '<APP_SECRET>';
const app_id = '<APP_ID>';
const id = '<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>';
const api = bizSdk.FacebookAdsApi.init(access_token);
const showDebugingInfo = true; // Setting this to true shows more debugging info.
if (showDebugingInfo) {
  api.setDebug(true);
}

const logApiCallResult = (apiCallName, data) => {
  console.log(apiCallName);
  if (showDebugingInfo) {
    console.log('Data:' + JSON.stringify(data));
  }
};

let fields, params;
fields = [
];
params = {
  'name' : 'My Reach Ad Set',
  'optimization_goal' : 'REACH',
  'billing_event' : 'IMPRESSIONS',
  'bid_amount' : '2',
  'daily_budget' : '1000',
  'campaign_id' : '<adCampaignLinkClicksID>',
  'targeting' : {'geo_locations':{'countries':['US']},'facebook_positions':['feed']},
  'status' : 'PAUSED',
  'promoted_object' : {'page_id':'<pageID>'},
};
const adsets = (new AdAccount(id)).createAdSet(
  fields,
  params
);
logApiCallResult('adsets api call complete.', adsets);

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require __DIR__ . '/vendor/autoload.php';

use FacebookAds\Object\AdAccount;
use FacebookAds\Object\AdSet;
use FacebookAds\Api;
use FacebookAds\Logger\CurlLogger;

$access_token = '<ACCESS_TOKEN>';
$app_secret = '<APP_SECRET>';
$app_id = '<APP_ID>';
$id = '<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>';

$api = Api::init($app_id, $app_secret, $access_token);
$api->setLogger(new CurlLogger());

$fields = array(
);
$params = array(
  'name' => 'My Reach Ad Set',
  'optimization_goal' => 'REACH',
  'billing_event' => 'IMPRESSIONS',
  'bid_amount' => '2',
  'daily_budget' => '1000',
  'campaign_id' => '<adCampaignLinkClicksID>',
  'targeting' => array('geo_locations' => array('countries' => array('US')),'facebook_positions' => array('feed')),
  'status' => 'PAUSED',
  'promoted_object' => array('page_id' => '<pageID>'),
);
echo json_encode((new AdAccount($id))->createAdSet(
  $fields,
  $params
)->exportAllData(), JSON_PRETTY_PRINT);

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from facebook_business.adobjects.adaccount import AdAccount
from facebook_business.adobjects.adset import AdSet
from facebook_business.api import FacebookAdsApi

access_token = '<ACCESS_TOKEN>'
app_secret = '<APP_SECRET>'
app_id = '<APP_ID>'
id = '<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>'
FacebookAdsApi.init(access_token=access_token)

fields = [
]
params = {
  'name': 'My Reach Ad Set',
  'optimization_goal': 'REACH',
  'billing_event': 'IMPRESSIONS',
  'bid_amount': '2',
  'daily_budget': '1000',
  'campaign_id': '<adCampaignLinkClicksID>',
  'targeting': {'geo_locations':{'countries':['US']},'facebook_positions':['feed']},
  'status': 'PAUSED',
  'promoted_object': {'page_id':'<pageID>'},
}
print AdAccount(id).create_ad_set(
  fields=fields,
  params=params,
)

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import com.facebook.ads.sdk.*;
import java.io.File;
import java.util.Arrays;

public class SAMPLE_CODE_EXAMPLE {
  public static void main (String args[]) throws APIException {

    String access_token = \"<ACCESS_TOKEN>\";
    String app_secret = \"<APP_SECRET>\";
    String app_id = \"<APP_ID>\";
    String id = \"<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>\";
    APIContext context = new APIContext(access_token).enableDebug(true);

    new AdAccount(id, context).createAdSet()
      .setName(\"My Reach Ad Set\")
      .setOptimizationGoal(AdSet.EnumOptimizationGoal.VALUE_REACH)
      .setBillingEvent(AdSet.EnumBillingEvent.VALUE_IMPRESSIONS)
      .setBidAmount(2L)
      .setDailyBudget(1000L)
      .setCampaignId(\"<adCampaignLinkClicksID>\")
      .setTargeting(
          new Targeting()
            .setFieldFacebookPositions(Arrays.asList(\"feed\"))
            .setFieldGeoLocations(
              new TargetingGeoLocation()
                .setFieldCountries(Arrays.asList(\"US\"))
            )
        )
      .setStatus(AdSet.EnumStatus.VALUE_PAUSED)
      .setPromotedObject(\"{\\"page_id\\":\\"<pageID>\\"}\")
      .execute();

  }
}

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require 'facebook_ads'

access_token = '<ACCESS_TOKEN>'
app_secret = '<APP_SECRET>'
app_id = '<APP_ID>'
id = '<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>'

FacebookAds.configure do |config|
  config.access_token = access_token
  config.app_secret = app_secret
end

ad_account = FacebookAds::AdAccount.get(id)
adsets = ad_account.adsets.create({
    name: 'My Reach Ad Set',
    optimization_goal: 'REACH',
    billing_event: 'IMPRESSIONS',
    bid_amount: '2',
    daily_budget: '1000',
    campaign_id: '<adCampaignLinkClicksID>',
    targeting: {'geo_locations':{'countries':['US']},'facebook_positions':['feed']},
    status: 'PAUSED',
    promoted_object: {'page_id':'<pageID>'},
})

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Location Targeting With Exclusions


curl -X POST \
  -F 'name="My Reach Ad Set"' \
  -F 'optimization_goal="REACH"' \
  -F 'billing_event="IMPRESSIONS"' \
  -F 'bid_amount=2' \
  -F 'daily_budget=1000' \
  -F 'campaign_id="<AD_CAMPAIGN_ID>"' \
  -F 'targeting={
       "excluded_geo_locations": {
         "regions": [
           {
             "key": "3847"
           }
         ]
       },
       "geo_locations": {
         "countries": [
           "US"
         ]
       },
       "facebook_positions": [
         "feed"
       ]
     }' \
  -F 'status="PAUSED"' \
  -F 'promoted_object={
       "page_id": "<PAGE_ID>"
     }' \
  -F 'access_token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>' \
  https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>/adsets

Name	Description
`min_population` int	The minimum population threshold on which the cities are chosen for targeting.
`max_population` int	The maximum population threshold on which the cities are chosen for targeting.

Basic Targeting

Restrictions

Demographics and Events

Available Fields

Location

Available Fields

Examples

Target By Countries

Location Targeting With Exclusions

Target By Zip Codes

Target by Custom Locations, DMAs and Location Types

Search And Targeting

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Target Multiple Cities

Interest Targeting

Available Fields

Behavioral Targeting

Available Fields

Resources