Google Ads in-market audiences for B2B software: which ones actually convert

Google's in-market audiences classify users who are actively researching or comparing products in a specific category — based on their recent search behaviour, content consumption, and site visits. For B2B software ads, adding in-market audiences as bid adjustments (not as targeting restrictions) lets you pay more per click for users who are in an active research or purchase cycle, without limiting your reach to only those users.

What are in-market audiences and how do they work in Google Ads?

In-market audiences are Google-defined segments like “Business Services,” “CRM & Marketing Software,” “Enterprise Software,” or “Cloud Computing & Hosting.” Google places users in these segments based on behavioural signals — recent searches, page visits, ad clicks. Setting an in-market audience to “Observation” in a campaign means Google shows you how that audience performs without restricting who sees your ads. Setting a positive bid adjustment on a segment means you pay more per click when someone in that segment triggers your ad.

Which in-market segments are most useful for B2B SaaS?

Business and Productivity Software segments are the most directly relevant — look for “Business Software,” “CRM & Marketing Software,” “Project Management Software,” and “HR & Workforce Management.” Also check: “Business Services” (broad but useful for awareness), “Cloud Computing & Hosting,” and any category-specific segment that matches your product. Layer multiple relevant segments together in Observation mode for the first 30 days — collect the data on which segments actually convert before applying bid adjustments.

How do you apply in-market audiences effectively?

Add all relevant in-market segments to your campaign in Observation mode. After 2–3 weeks, check conversion rate by audience segment in the Audiences report. Segments converting at 2x+ your campaign average: apply a +15–25% bid adjustment. Segments converting at average: leave at observation, no adjustment. Segments converting below average: apply a −15–25% bid adjustment to spend less when those users trigger your ads. This approach improves your average conversion rate without the risk of excluding audiences that might convert.

What is the difference between in-market audiences and affinity audiences?

In-market audiences capture users in an active research phase — they’re doing something now that signals purchase intent. Affinity audiences capture users with long-term interests — “Business Professionals,” “Tech Enthusiasts” — who may or may not be in a buying cycle. For conversion campaigns, in-market audiences have much stronger signals than affinity audiences. Use in-market for bid adjustment in Search campaigns. Use affinity audiences for awareness campaigns where reaching a broad relevant audience matters more than immediate conversion intent.