Edit

About website control lists

Note

Not everyone has targeted website lists yet. If you don't, don't worry—they're coming soon!

Website control lists allow advertisers to better control where their ads appear. Website exclusion lists help prevent ads from being shown on certain websites, whereas targeted website lists allow the advertiser to specify the websites where they want their ads to appear.

Note

Microsoft sites such as MSN.com cannot be excluded. Similarly, Microsoft sites will continue to be targeted in addition to your specified targeted websites.

Using website control lists

Note

  • To add URLs to an existing account-level exclusion list, go to your manager account. Navigate to Tools > Content suitability > Website control lists, and select the list you want to edit. Select Add website to update the list with new URLs.
  • If you're signed in at the account level, you can only view account-level exclusion lists but cannot edit them.
  • To add URLs to an existing campaign-level exclusion list, use the account selector to choose the appropriate account. Then, return to the Website control lists page and go to Campaign exclusions. Select the list you want to edit. Select Add website to update the list with new URLs.

  • At the manager account level:

    Create lists Associate lists with
    You can create website exclusion lists,
    but not targeted website lists    		 Any account you manage

  • At the account level:

    Create lists Associate lists with
    You can create website exclusion lists
    and targeted website lists.
    Cross-account website exclusion lists
    can only be created at the manager level.    		 Any campaign in your account

  • In your campaign settings:

    Associate lists Manually add websites
    You can associate existing website exclusion
    lists and targeted website lists
    with your campaign    		 You can manually add websites
    that you want to exclude or target

What you need to know

  • You may use these example URL formats:

    • contoso.com
    • www.contoso.com
    • autos.contoso.com
    • contoso.com/widgets
    • http://www.contoso.com
    • https://www.contoso.com

  • To exclude or target all traffic from a specific domain, omit the "www" prefix. For example, use "contoso.com" if you want to block traffic from www.contoso.com and www2.contoso.com.

  • Once you create a website exclusion list at the manager account level, you must associate it with at least one account for it to take effect. Similarly, once you create a website exclusion list at the account level, you must associate it with at least one campaign for it to take effect.

  • You can remove account and campaign associations at any time, so they will no longer be associated with your list. After deleting a list, it will be removed from all associated accounts and campaigns.

  • All associated manager account and account-level website exclusion lists are automatically applied in addition to any exclusions set at the campaign or ad group level.

  • Audience campaigns will always serve on Microsoft sites (e.g., Microsoft Bing, Microsoft Casual Games, MSN, and Outlook.com) even if you've added website exclusions for them. Similarly, Microsoft sites will continue to be targeted in addition to your specified targeted websites for Audience campaigns.

  • For Search campaigns, we won't show your ads on Microsoft sites if you've added website exclusions for them.

  • Campaign-level website exclusion lists can be associated with any Audience, Search, Shopping, or Lodging campaigns in your account. Campaign-level targeted website lists can be associated with any Audience campaign in your account.

FAQ

  • Account-level website exclusion lists

    You can only create account exclusions at the manager account level. However, you can view and remove any website exclusion lists associated with your account at the manager account level as well as account level.

    • Create lists

      1. From the navigation menu on the left, select Tools > Content suitability > Website control lists.

      2. Select Create.

      3. Enter your List name.

      4. In the Website exclusions box, enter the URLs of websites that you don't want your ads to show on.

        Note

        We'll validate your websites after you enter them. If you've entered any invalid URLs, we'll let you know so you can fix them accordingly.

      5. Select Save.

      Note

      • To add URLs to an existing account-level exclusion list, go to your manager account. Navigate to Tools > Content suitability > Website control lists, and select the list you want to edit. Select Add website to update the list with new URLs.
      • If you're signed in at the account level, you can only view account-level exclusion lists but cannot edit them.
      • To add URLs to an existing campaign-level exclusion list, use the account selector to choose the appropriate account. Then, return to the Website control lists page and go to Campaign exclusions. Select the list you want to edit. Select Add website to update the list with new URLs.

    • Associate lists with any account you manage

      1. From the navigation menu on the left, select Tools > Content suitability > Website control lists.
      2. Select the checkbox next to the appropriate lists.
      3. In the toolbar, select Associate account(s) to list.
      4. Select the appropriate accounts.
      5. Select Save.

    • Remove account associations from list

      You can remove account associations two ways: at the manager account level and at the account level.

      Manager account level

      1. From the navigation menu on the left, select Tools > Content suitability > Website control lists.
      2. Select the appropriate lists.
      3. Select Accounts sharing this list.
      4. Select the checkbox next to the appropriate accounts.
      5. In the toolbar, select Remove account(s) from this list.
      6. Select Save.

      Account level

      1. From the navigation menu on the left, select Tools > Content suitability > Website control lists.
      2. Select Account exclusions.
      3. Select the checkbox next to the appropriate list(s).
      4. Select Disassociate from account.

  • Campaign-level website exclusion and targeted website lists

    Website exclusion lists and targeted website lists for your campaigns are created at the account level.

    • Create lists

      1. From the navigation menu on the left, select Tools > Content suitability > Website control lists.

      2. Choose Campaign exclusions or Targeted websites.

      3. Select Create.

      4. Enter your List name.

      5. In the Website exclusions or Targeted websites box, enter the URLs.

        Note

        We'll validate your websites after you enter them. If you've entered any invalid URLs, we'll let you know so you can fix them accordingly.

      6. Select Save.

      Note

      • To add URLs to an existing account-level exclusion list, go to your manager account. Navigate to Tools > Content suitability > Website control lists, and select the list you want to edit. Select Add website to update the list with new URLs.
      • If you're signed in at the account level, you can only view account-level exclusion lists but cannot edit them.
      • To add URLs to an existing campaign-level exclusion list, use the account selector to choose the appropriate account. Then, return to the Website control lists page and go to Campaign exclusions. Select the list you want to edit. Select Add website to update the list with new URLs.

    • Associate lists with campaigns in your account

      1. From the navigation menu on the left, select Tools > Content suitability > Website control lists.
      2. Select the checkbox next to the appropriate lists.
      3. In the toolbar, select Associate campaign(s) to list.
      4. Select the appropriate campaigns.
      5. Select Save.

    • Remove campaign associations from list

      1. From the navigation menu on the left, select Tools > Content suitability > Website control lists.
      2. In the Campaign exclusions or Targeted websites tabs, select the appropriate lists.
      3. Select Campaigns sharing this list.
      4. Select the checkbox next to the appropriate campaigns.
      5. In the toolbar, select Remove campaign(s) from this list.
      6. Select Save.

  • Add or remove website exclusion and targeted website lists in your campaign settings

    1. From the navigation menu on the left, hover over Campaigns and select Campaign settings.
    2. Select the appropriate campaign.
    3. In your advanced settings, below Website control lists, choose which website exclusion or targeted website lists you want to associate with your campaign. You may also choose to remove them.
    4. Below Manually add websites, you may choose to add URLs in addition to those in your selected list(s).
    5. Select Save.

  • Ad group-level website exclusions

    Ad group-level website exclusions override any exclusions set at the campaign level.

    1. From the navigation menu on the left, hover over Campaigns and select Ad groups > Ad groups.
    2. Select the checkbox next to the ad group that you want to edit.
    3. Select Edit > Other changes.
    4. For Select a setting, select Website exclusions and then enter the URLs of websites you want to exclude in the box.
    5. Select Apply.
  • Last updated on