Documentation
Learn how to select audience, contextual, and IAB segments during Line Item setup on ad:personam. Understand how segment CPM costs are calculated, including multi-group stacking and provider-level pricing.
The Targeting step in the Line Item setup wizard lets you define who sees your ads by selecting third-party audience segments from ad:personam's Data Marketplace. These segments refine your reach to specific user profiles — based on demographics, interests, behaviours, or content context.
For the complete campaign setup process, refer to the Campaign Setup Guide. For retargeting (re-engaging users from previous campaigns or tracking points), see Retargeting.
Accessing the Targeting Step
In the Line Item setup wizard, navigate to Step 6: Targeting. At the top you will see a radio group with two modes:
- Audiences — select third-party DMP segments (covered in this article)
- Retargeting — re-engage users based on previous campaign interactions or tracking points (see Retargeting)
Select Audiences to access the segment selection interface.
Choosing a Segment Type
Within the Audiences mode, three segment types are available. Select one at a time using the radio buttons:
| Segment Type | Data Basis | CPM Range | Regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audience | Cookie-based user behaviour, demographics, interests | $0.35 – $1.00 | EMEA, APAC, LATAM, MENA |
| Contextual | Real-time page content analysis (cookieless) | ~$0.93 | EMEA, APAC, US |
| IAB | Household-level data, cookieless | $0.69 – $0.81 | EMEA, APAC, MENA, US |
For a deep dive into each segment type — providers, geographic coverage, and available categories — see the Media Planning guides:
Selecting Segments
The segment table displays all available segments for the selected type. Each row shows:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Checkbox | Select or deselect the segment |
| Name | Segment name |
| ID | Unique segment identifier |
| Provider | Data provider name |
| Category | Topic category (e.g., Finance, Travel, Sports) |
| CPM | Cost per mille — the data fee added to your bid price |
| Region / Country | Geographic scope of the segment |
Use the search bar to filter segments by name, ID, category, provider, CPM, region, or country. Click column headers to sort by any field. The Selected column sort moves your chosen segments to the top for easy review.
You can select segments across pages — pagination preserves your selections. Use the header checkbox to select or deselect all segments on the current page.
How Segment CPM Costs Work
Understanding how segment fees are calculated is critical for budget planning. ad:personam follows the Adform DSP cost model:
Grouping Logic
Selected segments are automatically grouped by provider + category. This grouping determines how costs stack:
- Within a group (same provider + same category): segments are combined with OR logic. Only the highest CPM in the group applies — you do not pay for each individual segment.
- Across groups (different provider or category): groups are combined with AND logic. The CPM of each group is summed together.
Example
Imagine you select the following segments:
| Segment | Category | CPM |
|---|---|---|
| Travel Enthusiasts | Travel | $0.90 |
| Adventure Seekers | Travel | $0.85 |
| Business Professionals | Business & Industry | $0.90 |
Group 1 (Travel): Two segments → highest CPM = $0.90 Group 2 (Business & Industry): One segment → CPM = $0.90
Total data CPM = $0.90 + $0.90 = $1.80 added to your media bid.
Cost Summary Panel
When you have segments selected, a cost summary panel appears above the table. It displays:
- Total estimated data CPM — the sum across all groups
- Number of groups — how many distinct provider/category groups are active
- Per-group breakdown — provider name, category name, segment count, and group CPM
If you have multiple groups, an informational notice explains that costs are cumulative across groups. This helps you make informed decisions before committing to complex multi-group targeting strategies.
Multi-Group Warning
When segments from two or more different provider/category combinations are selected, a warning banner appears:
Multiple data groups detected. Segments from different providers or categories are combined with AND logic — their CPMs are summed. Review the cost breakdown below to ensure this aligns with your budget.
This is important because adding segments from additional groups increases your total data cost linearly. Always review the cost summary to avoid unexpectedly high data fees.
Best Practices
- Start focused — begin with segments from a single provider/category group to keep costs predictable. Add additional groups only when the campaign strategy requires it.
- Compare segment types — Contextual and IAB segments are cookieless and often more cost-effective. Use them as alternatives or complements to cookie-based Audience segments.
- Check CPM before selecting — some audience segments range from $0.35 to $1.00. Higher CPM segments are more precise but increase your effective bid. Sort by CPM to identify cost-efficient options.
- Layer with other targeting — segment targeting works alongside Geo Targeting, Environment, and Inventory settings. Well-layered targeting reduces wasted impressions without over-restricting reach.
- Review the cost summary — always check the total data CPM in the summary panel before proceeding to the next step. Ensure the added cost fits within your Line Item budget.
Related Articles
- Retargeting — re-engage users from previous campaigns and tracking points
- Audience Targeting — overview of cookie-based audience segments
- Contextual Targeting — overview of content-based contextual segments
- IAB Audience Targeting — overview of cookieless household-level segments
- Campaign Setup Guide — full walkthrough of the Line Item setup wizard