Glossary/Audience data/Demographic targeting
What is demographic targeting in advertising?
How demographic targeting works, where publishers get demographic data, and its limits.
Written by Samhub with the help of AI·Updated 13 Oct 2026·3 min readDemographic targeting shows ads to people based on traits such as age, gender, income, education or household type.
Where the data comes from
| Source | Accuracy |
|---|---|
| Registration and subscriptions | High, stated by the reader |
| Population data by area | Estimates for each postcode or area |
| Modeling from behavior | Probable, not certain |
Common segments
Age groups
Such as 25 to 44.
Households
Families with children, single households.
Income
High income households.
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Combine with interests
Demographics alone are broad. Combined with interests or intent, such as families looking for a new car, they become audiences advertisers will pay more for.
Addressability at Stampen Media after moving its reader data into one layer with Samhub.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, with a legal basis. Sensitive traits have stricter rules.
Stated data is accurate; modeled data is an estimate.
Some products, such as alcohol, have rules on targeting minors.
Demographic targeting is one type of audience targeting.
Related terms
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