Microsoft just made it way easier to control where your ads appear with their new update to exclusion management across both Audience Ads and Search Ads. If you’ve ever felt bogged down adding exclusions campaign by campaign, this update is a breath of fresh air.
What’s New:
1. Centralized Exclusion Management
Advertisers can now create and manage website exclusion lists at the account (manager) level. These lists can be reused across campaigns, which saves time and keeps things consistent.
2. Bulk Application of Exclusions
Instead of manually applying exclusions to each campaign, you can now apply them in bulk across multiple campaigns ,ideal for managing brand safety across large accounts or portfolios.
3. Massive Scaling Capabilities
Microsoft now supports:
Up to 10,000 websites per exclusion list
Up to 100 exclusion lists per account
Perfect if you’re managing multi-location or multi-brand setups.
4. Tiered Control Levels
Account Level: Build reusable exclusion lists or manager account-level rules.
Campaign Level: Apply account-level exclusion lists to specific campaigns directly.
Ad Group Level: Still supported, but Microsoft recommends managing at the campaign level for easier consistency.
Bonus: Targeted Website List (Pilot Feature)
There’s a new “Targeted Website List” in open pilot , a flipped version of exclusions that lets you whitelist preferred placements. You’ll need to request access via a Microsoft rep.
Why It Matters:
This is a much-needed shift for brand safety, especially in sensitive verticals. You now get end-to-end control over where your ads show, across both Search and Audience networks all without needing to micromanage every ad group.