Targeting the right people is crucial in paid traffic. You don’t want just more clicks—you want qualified users who are likely to convert. That’s where lookalike audiences come in. These smart audience types allow you to reach new people who resemble your best existing customers. In this article, you’ll learn what lookalike audiences are, how they work, and how to use them effectively in your paid campaigns.
What Is a Lookalike Audience?
A lookalike audience is a group of users that shares similar characteristics with an existing source audience (like your customers or leads). These are created by ad platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Google using machine learning.
The platform analyzes behaviors, interests, demographics, and other signals from your original audience—then finds new people with similar profiles.
When to Use Lookalike Audiences
- Scaling successful campaigns
- Finding high-quality prospects
- Expanding beyond warm audiences
- Launching new products or offers
- Entering new geographic markets
Lookalikes help you grow while maintaining targeting quality.
Lookalike Sources You Can Use
- Website visitors (tracked by pixel)
- People who added to cart or purchased
- Email list of leads or clients
- People who engaged with your content
- Video viewers (e.g., watched 50%+ of your video)
- CRM lists (uploaded manually)
The better the source, the better the lookalike.
Best Practices for Creating Lookalike Audiences
1. Use High-Quality Source Audiences
A list of 500–5,000 customers works best. Focus on buyers, not just visitors.
2. Segment Your Sources
Create separate lookalikes for:
- High LTV customers
- Frequent buyers
- Leads who converted recently
3. Choose the Right Size
Lookalike audiences range from 1% to 10% of the total population:
- 1% = Closest match, smaller reach, higher quality
- 3–5% = Broader reach, still fairly similar
- 6–10% = Wider reach, less precise
Start with 1% and scale to larger ones as needed.
4. Layer with Interest or Behavior Filters
Combine lookalike audiences with filters like age, gender, or platform behavior to refine further.
Where to Use Lookalike Audiences
Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram)
- Create via Audiences > Lookalike
- Source can be pixel events, uploads, or engagement
TikTok Ads
- Custom Audience > Create Lookalike
- Supports app activity, website events, and engagement
Google Ads (Similar Audiences)
- Recently phased out and replaced by optimized targeting in most campaigns
LinkedIn Ads
- Use matched audiences to generate lookalikes from email uploads or site traffic
Lookalike Audience Campaign Types
- Cold acquisition campaigns: Reach new people who don’t know your brand
- Upsell or cross-sell: Target similar users to your high-value buyers
- Event or webinar promotion: Find more registrants like past attendees
- Lead generation: Expand beyond retargeting and warm lists
Final Thoughts: Scale Smart with Lookalikes
Lookalike audiences are one of the most powerful tools in paid advertising. They let you scale beyond your warm traffic without sacrificing relevance. Start with a strong source, test different percentages, and optimize based on results. When used right, lookalikes can fuel growth while keeping your costs low and conversions high.