Using Affinity and Intent audiences in programmatic advertising is essential for reaching the right people at the right time—whether you're building brand awareness with those who are passionate about your category, or driving conversions by targeting those actively looking to make a purchase.

Here is how we define each:

Affinity Audiences - this is at the Top of the Funnel – Awareness Stage

Definition:
These are users who have long-term interests, hobbies, or passions based on their consistent browsing behavior over time.

HOW:

• They regularly engage with content in specific categories (e.g., automotive, travel, fashion, fitness).

• They're not necessarily shopping for something right now, but they have an emotional or lifestyle connection to the topic.

Examples:

• Someone who often watches cooking videos and reads food blogs would fall into a "Foodies" Affinity audience.

• A person who frequently visits travel content might be part of a "Frequent Travelers" Affinity group.

Affinity Audience targeting is great for branding campaigns to build awareness and align your brand with the consumer's lifestyle or values.

Intent Audiences (In-Market Audiences) (Mid to Bottom of Funnel – Consideration/Purchase Stage)

Definition:
These are users who have shown recent online behavior that indicates they are actively researching or planning to make a purchase in a specific category.

HOW:

• They compare products, read reviews, and visit pricing or vendor websites.

• Their actions signal high purchase intent in the near term.

Examples:

• Someone visiting multiple car dealership websites and searching “best SUVs under $40K” would be in the “In-Market for Vehicles” audience.

• A user checking out mortgage calculators and home listings would fall into “In-Market for Real Estate”.

Best for performance-driven campaigns where the goal is leads, conversions, or sales — because these people are closer to making a decision.