API Field + GAQL Query for Audience “Targeting setting for this campaign” (Search Campaigns)

[Hardeep Singh]

Hi Google Ads Support Team,

In the Search campaign creation flow (“Create a campaign without guidance → Search”), there is a setting called “Targeting setting for this campaign” with options Targeting and Observation (Audience settings).

I need clarification on:

1. Which Google Ads API field corresponds to this option?

   • Please share a sample API request showing how to set this value during campaign creation.

2. A GAQL query example to retrieve this field for an existing Search campaign.

Your help in resolving this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

[Google Ads API Forum Advisor]

Hi,

Thank you for contacting the Google Ads API support team.

In the Google Ads API, the "Targeting setting for this campaign" is controlled by the TargetingSetting field, which contains an array of TargetRestriction objects. You configure the "Targeting" or "Observation" mode for specific criteria by setting the bid_only field within these restrictions. 

API Implementation:

The relevant field in the API is targeting_setting within the Campaign or AdGroup object, depending on the level at which you are applying the setting.  To achieve the desired setting, you manipulate the bid_only boolean field:

• Observation: Set bid_only to true. This does not restrict (criteria won't be used) the reach of your ads but will allow you to bid differently for different users on your lists. 

• Targeting: Set bid_only to false (which is the default behavior if the setting is not specified). This narrows your reach, so ads only show to users on the specified lists/criteria.

Retrieve the targeting setting.

• To verify the intended setup of your targeting, you should check the targeting_setting on ad groups or campaigns by requesting the ad_group.targeting_setting.target_restrictions field from the ad_group resource within a search query.

Thanks,

 

Google Ads API Team

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[2025-12-04 20:10:11Z GMT] This message is in relation to case "ref:!00D1U01174p.!500Ht01wmUjD:ref" (ADR-00346909)