What lookalike audiences were and what happened to them
The concept is straightforward. You give the system a group of people who already bought or submitted a request, and it looks for others who behave in a similar way. In Google Ads this used to be called similar audiences, and you could attach it directly to Search, Display and Video campaigns.
Google has been phasing that segment out of classic campaigns, so older tutorials may point to buttons your account no longer has. The logic did not disappear. It moved inside automated campaign types. Which options you see depends on the campaign type and the account, so open your own dashboard before you plan anything.
Lookalike audiences in Google Ads: what replaced them
Several tools now answer the same question, which is how to find more people like your best customers. The right one depends on whether you want leads from a website, online sales or awareness.
- Customer Match: an uploaded customer list works as a signal and, where the format allows it, as direct targeting.
- Audience signals in Performance Max: you describe who you want, and the system expands reach on its own.
- Lookalike segments in Demand Gen: ads on YouTube, Discover and Gmail modelled on your list.
- Optimized targeting in Display and Video: the system goes beyond your chosen audiences when that is likely to produce conversions.
- Intent and search-based segments: for people who do not know you yet but are already looking for a solution.
List quality matters more than list size
The system learns from examples. If your list contains everyone who ever wrote “how much is it?”, it will find more people who resemble casual browsers, not buyers. Use customers who paid, bought again or placed a large order.
A small, clean list is almost always more useful than a big, messy one. Google sets minimum list sizes and changes them from time to time, so check the current Google Ads help pages instead of trusting numbers from random blogs.
Where to get customer data in Uzbekistan
Many local businesses close deals in Telegram, over the phone or in Instagram direct messages. In that setting the phone number is the main identifier, while Google matches contacts better when an email address is present too. Collect email where it does not hurt the sale: at checkout, in a website form, inside a Telegram bot.
Typical sources are your CRM, an order spreadsheet, or a payment export from Click or Payme if it includes contact details. Contacts are uploaded in hashed form, but customer consent and personal data rules still apply. Upload only people you have a legitimate basis to use.
Common mistakes
Most failures come from the preparation around the tool, not from the tool itself.
- Uploading the whole database, including people who declined or were never a fit.
- Never refreshing the list, so the system learns from an outdated picture of your customer.
- Launching without conversion tracking, which leaves nothing to optimize toward.
- Treating an audience signal as a hard boundary when it is only a hint.
- Judging results in the first few days, while the campaign is still learning.
How to tell whether it is working
Look at the cost of a qualified lead or a sale, not clicks and reach. If deals close by phone or in Telegram, send that outcome back to Google as an offline conversion. Otherwise the system optimizes for any form fill rather than for paying customers.
A fair test looks like this: two campaigns with the same budget and goal, one with your customer list attached and one without. Give them time to leave the learning phase, then compare cost per result. If there is no difference, the issue is usually data quality or the offer itself.
Where to start
The order is: set up conversion tracking, export and clean your customer list, pick the format that fits your goal, and only then launch. If you need help with Google Ads setup for a business in Uzbekistan, the markdev team can review your account and data and suggest a launch plan. Describe your task and we will talk through whether these audiences fit your case.
FAQ
Can I still create similar audiences in Google Ads?
Not in classic Search, Display and Video campaigns, where the segment was removed. Similar logic is available in Demand Gen and through signals in Performance Max. What you see depends on your account, so check your dashboard.
What do I need to use Customer Match?
A customer list with phone numbers and ideally emails, consent to process the data, and compliance with Google policies. The minimum list size is in the Google Ads help center and can change.
Does this work for a small business with a short customer list?
Yes, if the list is clean and made of real buyers. If you have few customers, start with Search campaigns and conversion tracking, and add the list as data accumulates.
How is this different from lookalikes in Meta Ads?
The principle is the same, the environment is not. Google reaches people in Search, YouTube, Gmail and Display, while Meta reaches them on Instagram and Facebook. The same list can behave differently, so test on each platform separately.
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