While our default brand safety covers the "big stuff" automatically, our Keyword Blocklists give you the power of precision. This Quantcast-powered solution allows you to block specific terms that may not align with your brand, providing extra control over where your ads appear.
Because this is a native Quantcast tool, it integrates seamlessly with our bidding engine, though we always recommend keeping your list focused to maintain optimal scale.
When to use this:
Industry-Specific Sensitivities: Block niche terms that might be unique to your business (e.g., a travel brand blocking "flight delays" or "cancellations").
When to not use this:
Caution: Keyword Blocklists utilize an exact match system. This means the system will block any word that contains your keyword. For example, blocking the keyword "cat" will also inadvertently block high-quality content containing words like "category," "catalog," or "catalyst." Always review your list for short character strings that could unintentionally limit your reach.
Organizational Blocklists
Create a New List
From the top navigation menu, select Inventory from the Assets section.
On the left-hand side of the page, select Contextual Blocklists.
To create a new blocklist, click the Add New List button.
4. Give your list a name and click Add Keywords.
There are two ways to add keyword blocklists, upload a .txt or .csv file or add words manually. To upload a file, drag and drop the file into the box.
Format the file as a simple list with each word on its own line.
To add words manually, click on add keywords manually and enter the words on the modal screen. Click Add to save the list.
Note: Adding generic/common keywords such as “to,” “car,” “train,” “and,” “what,” etc., may limit inventory and delivery. Quantcast recommends avoiding such keywords to prevent overclocking and ensure campaigns are performing and delivering in full.
Edit an Existing List
To edit an existing list, hover over the name of the list and click on Edit.
NOTE: This creates / edits your blocklist. To use it, go to your Ad Set and attach the blocklist to that Ad Set (see below or the Creating an Ad Set article)
Using Keyword Blocklists in an Ad Set*
When creating a new Ad Set* or editing an existing one, in the Inventory section, you will find Contextual Blocklists under Additional Settings > Brand Safety.
*Note: Contextual blocklists cannot be used in CTV ad sets.
Click in the box and select the desired blocklist.