Google Customer Match setup for Data Activation

The Data Activation connector for Google Customer Match enables you to upload your customer data to Google's advertising platforms for audience targeting. Customer Match allows you to reach and re-engage with your customers across Google Search, the Shopping tab, Gmail, YouTube, and Display Network using information that your customers have shared with you.

Here's how this integration delivers value:

• Multi-platform reach: Target customers across Google Ads, Display & Video 360 (DV360), and YouTube using a single connector.

• First-party data activation: Use your CRM data, including hashed emails, phone numbers, and mobile advertiser IDs for audience targeting.

• User list management: Create and manage user lists directly from the Data Activation for seamless audience synchronization.

• Consent management: Configure consent settings to comply with privacy regulations when uploading customer data.

• Cross-channel remarketing: Re-engage with customers who have interacted with your brand across different channels.

When added to an audience or journey step, the Google Customer Match connector:

1. Collects customer identifiers (hashed emails, hashed phones, or mobile advertiser IDs) from profiles entering or exiting the audience or journey.

2. Batches the data and uploads it to Google using the Offline User Data Job API.

3. Executes add or remove operations based on the audience or journey action:

   • When adding: Customer identifiers are added to the specified user list

   • When removing: Customer identifiers are removed from the user list

Destination connector overview

Before you begin

Before configuring the Google Customer Match, make sure you have the following details set up:

• A Google Ads, DV360 Advertiser, or DV360 Partner account

• The advertiser/partner account must be linked to the Data Activation's Data Partner account in Google

• Customer data (hashed emails, hashed phone numbers, or mobile advertiser IDs) collected and stored in the Data Activation

Important

The Data Activation uses a Data Partner account to send data to Google. Your advertiser or partner account must be linked to this Data Partner account before you can create a connector.

Link your Google account to the Data Partner

Before creating the connector, ensure your Google Ads or DV360 account is linked to the Data Activation's Data Partner account. Contact your account manager or support team for assistance with this setup.

Instructions

Step 1: Configure destination

1. On the Data Activation platform, select Connectors in the left-side navigation bar.

2. Select Server to Server and click New Connector.

3. Select Google Customer Match

The form requires the following information:

• Name: Display name of the connector, used throughout the Data Activation UI

• Product Type: The Google platform to send data to. Options:

  • DV360 (Advertiser)

  • DV360 (Partner)

  • Google Ads

• Customer ID: The account identifier for the selected product type. This ID will be validated against the Data Partner account linkage

• Payload Type: The type of customer identifier to send. Options:

  • Hashed Email

  • Hashed Phone

  • Mobile Advertiser ID

• Google Consent: Consent status for the data being uploaded. Options:

  • Unspecified

  • Granted

  • Denied

Customer ID format:

• For DV360 (Advertiser): Enter the Advertiser ID from your DV360 account

• For DV360 (Partner): Enter the Partner ID from your DV360 account

• For Google Ads: Enter the Account ID from your Google Ads account (can include dashes, such as 123-456-7890)

Note

When you save the connector, the system validates that your Customer ID is linked to the Data Activation's Data Partner account. If validation fails, you won't be able to create the connector.

Step 2: Add the destination connector to an audience or journey

When adding the Google Customer Match connector to an audience or journey, configure the following:

• User List: Select an existing user list from the dropdown, or create a new one

Creating a new user list

You can create a new user list directly from the Data Activation:

1. Click the + icon next to the User List dropdown.

2. Fill in the user list details:

   1. Name: A descriptive name for the user list.

   2. Description: Optional description of the user list purpose

3. Click Save.

The new user list will appear in the dropdown and can be selected.

Supported payload types

Connector limitations and known issues

• Account linkage required: The advertiser/partner account must be linked to the Data Activation's Data Partner account

• Membership expiration: User list memberships expire after 540 days (Google's maximum). After this period, users are automatically removed from the list unless re-added

• Batch processing: Data is sent in batches, not in real-time

• Hashing requirements: Email and phone data must be properly hashed using SHA256 before being stored in the Data Activation

Error handling

Error codes are displayed in the Data Exchange section of the audience or journey.

For Google-specific errors, see the Google Ads API documentation.

FAQ

What is the difference between Google Customer Match and Google Ads Remarketing?

Google Customer Match uses first-party customer data (emails, phone numbers, device IDs) to build audiences for targeting. Google Ads Remarketing uses cookie-based tracking to retarget users who have visited your website. Customer Match is more suitable for reaching known customers across Google's platforms.

Which payload type should I use?

Choose based on the customer identifiers you have available:

• Hashed Email (most common): Use if you have customer email addresses

• Hashed Phone: Use if you have customer phone numbers

• Mobile Advertiser ID: Use if you're targeting mobile app users with IDFA/GAID

Why can't I create a connector?

The most common reason is that your Google Ads or DV360 account is not linked to the Data Activation's Data Partner account. Contact your account manager or support to establish this linkage.

How long do users stay in a Customer Match user list?

User list memberships expire after 540 days. To keep users in the list, they must be re-added before the expiration date. The connector automatically handles re-adding users when they continue to match the audience criteria.