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Lookalike Targeting
Updated over a week ago

Lookalike models are used to increase scale by finding new people likely to be interested in your business because they resemble existing customers.

You can use your CRM data to create lookalike audiences on Realize. If you upload either a customer list of hashed email addresses, mobile device IDs, or 5 digit US zip codes, Realize’s predictive engine will find similar users to your current customers in your database.

Note: Lookalike targeting is only available when targeting users in the US.

Visit our Advertiser Data Use Policy here.

How Lookalikes Can Help

  • Proven increase in conversions: Targeting users who resemble your customers is proven to increase conversions and lower CPA

  • Grow reach: using lookalikes allows you to expand your reach and find new customers

  • Harness your proprietary data: Lookalikes takes advantage of the data you have on your customers and allows you to build off your past conversion success

How to Create Lookalike Audiences

Create a lookalike audience in the Audiences page in your Realize account.

  • In the left menu of Realize, click “Audiences > “+ New Audience.”

  • Select Predictive Audience under what you want the audience to be based on.

Create a lookalike audience in Realize
  • On the audience creation screen, select 'customer file,' enter the audience name and select the data type from Emails, Mobile Device IDs (IDFA or GAID), or Zip Codes.

Create a lookalike audience in Realize based on a customer file of an email, mobile id, or zip code
  1. Upload the customer file in CSV format.

  2. In the Audience Properties section, select "Create an additional targeting audience from file" if you wish to create a custom audience based on the same customer file you're uploading.

    audience properties of a lookalike audience, option to also create a custom audience of the file

Click “Create Audience” to save the audience. It will take two to three days for the lookalike audience segment to process. You can check the status of the audience you've created in the Predictive Audiences tab of the Audiences page.

How to Target Lookalike Audiences

Once the status of the lookalike audience segment changes to Ready, you can target or suppress it in existing or new campaigns. 2. Navigate to the Campaign Creation or Edit page.

3. In the Audience Targeting section, select the lookalike audience segment you wish to target or exclude under My Audiences.

Important Notes

  • The CSV file should contain one single column of emails, mobile device IDs, or 5-digit US zip codes:

    • Emails:

      • Realize will hash the emails on the client side without storing the emails on our servers.

      • All emails must be in lowercase.

    • Mobile Device IDs:

      • Both iOS and Android device IDs are accepted.

  • The CSV file should contain a minimum of 2,000 and a maximum of 750,000 records and not exceed 100 MB.

  • The CSV file should only include data for adult users in the U.S.

  • Visit our Advertiser Data Use Policy here.

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