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Overview

Large publisher networks often organize inventory inside Google Ad Manager with custom targeting keys and values. A key-value can represent a site list, a section, a package, or another seller-defined group. In Interchange, those GAM key-values are ad-server targeting: source-native material that a seller can use to create signal components. They are separate from publisher coverage: Use this guide when the seller question is “How do I set up key-value targeting for my site lists?”

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The live workflow

Start with the ad-server signal-component endpoints. They let you inspect the connected source and create GAM-backed components.
  1. Read source capabilities. Confirm the source supports GAM custom targeting and which mapping kinds are available.
  2. Browse custom targeting keys. Search for the key that represents your site list or group.
  3. Browse values for that key. Pass the key’s externalId as parent_id when browsing custom_targeting_value candidates.
  4. Create a signal-component draft. Use custom_key_value for a single key/value mapping, or gam_targeting_groups for grouped GAM logic.
  5. Dry-run before saving. Add ?dry_run=true to validate the draft and read any adapter issues before it is persisted.
See Ad-server signal components for the exact endpoints, ad-server-targeting parameters, and request shapes.

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Direct key-value signal component

Use a direct key-value signal component when one GAM custom targeting value maps to one seller-defined segment.

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Grouped GAM targeting

Use grouped targeting when the signal needs multiple criteria. Groups are OR’d together; criteria inside one group are AND’d together; multiple values inside one criterion are OR’d by GAM for that key.
Read the adapter’s targetingSemantics before combining grouped GAM targeting with other signals. Some adapters mark grouped GAM targeting as exclusive for the buyer targeting field it consumes.

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How this relates to properties

Publisher properties are still the source for buyer-visible coverage. If a product covers wholesomeyum.com, buyers should see that domain in publisher_properties even if your GAM line item uses an internal key-value to reach it. GAM key-values are how your ad server can describe or address seller-defined groups. Creating a signal component from a key-value makes that ad-server concept visible to your storefront workflows. It does not replace adagents.json, and it does not by itself prove which publisher domains a product covers.

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Buyer property lists today

Buyers can attach property lists to campaigns. When that happens, the seller’s agent receives a property-list reference and can resolve it on demand. Initial product discovery carries it as property_list; campaign or media-buy execution carries it as targeting_overlay.property_list. Today, honoring that list is seller-side: your agent decides how to map the requested domains or app identifiers to the inventory and ad-server controls you operate. If the buyer asks for a subset that your storefront cannot honor through its current products or ad-server setup, say so and offer the closest product that you can execute. Do not imply that Interchange automatically traffics every buyer property-list subset into GAM key-values. For the seller-side flow, see Property-list briefs for sellers.

Ad-server signal components

Browse GAM targeting, then create signal components.

Publisher properties and coverage

Explain what publisher domains buyers see in get_products.

Property-list briefs for sellers

What happens when a buyer’s campaign carries a property list.

Signal components

Storefront signal concepts and task reference.