How does Taboola work: ads targeting, retargeting, traffic
- levidkerington
- Jul 12
- 6 min read
Taboola is the largest native advertising platform that allows brands, media and arbitrageurs to promote content as recommended content on popular sites. It is used on news portals, blogs and media platforms where adverts are displayed as blocks of headlines and images seamlessly integrated into the main content. Understanding how does taboola work important for anyone who wants to effectively manage their advertising budget, accurately target their audience and receive stable traffic. It is especially relevant for arbitrageurs and digital marketers working with content monetisation.
Taboola ads: what they are and how they are shown
Taboola adverts are a native ad format seamlessly embedded in the content of partner sites. Creatives look like regular recommended materials: an image or video, a headline and a brief description. The main difference is that such adverts do not break out of the overall style of the page and are perceived as part of the main content. Thanks to this, the user does not feel pressure, perceives the ad as advice from a site that he trusts. The platform analyses user behaviour: what articles he finishes reading, what he clicks on, what search queries he makes, and on the basis of this data selects the most relevant ads. Taboola ads examples can be studied through open analytics tools or in real time on major resources such as Bloomberg, Business Insider and other partner platforms.
Taboola's site and format selection system is built on deep machine analysis. It doesn't just embed creatives, it selects the right entry points for them. Native adverts are placed at the bottom of the article, in the recommendation feed or in sidebars, which means that they get in the field of view at the most appropriate moment – when the user has finished reading and is ready for new content. Taboola ads library includes tens of thousands of creatives from different niches.
How Taboola delivers ads to its traffic network
Taboola's ad delivery system is built on algorithms that analyse site context, user behaviour and ad relevance to audience interests. When a user visits a partner site, the platform determines in real time which creatives will be most relevant in a particular situation. This is the basis of how does taboola work: the system selects not just similar, but something that logically continues the user's interest. After the ad is shown, the user flow begins: click, click-through, landing page view, and then possible conversion.
Taboola traffic comes from more than 3,500 premium sites covering predominantly Tier-1 and Tier-2 countries. The ad network is particularly strong in the US (up to 95% reach), UK (89%), France (85%) and Germany (78%).
Here are the main features of the traffic:
The majority of the audience are users from desktops and mobile devices in equal shares, which allows for flexibility in ad formats.
All the sites on the network are high quality resources such as Bloomberg, Business Insider, NBC News.
No low-grade traffic: adverts are placed only on verified sites.
Support for Acceptable Ads format. Widgets are not blocked by AdBlock, so creatives reach the entire target audience.
Compatibility with Google AdSense. Taboola ads can be displayed together with Google contextual ads, without the risk of being blocked.
Taboola what is it, in simple words, it's a complete advertising ecosystem focused on quality traffic with high conversion rates. Through smart integration, advanced filters and a rich network of partners, the advertiser gets an audience ready to take action. Understanding these mechanisms helps to fine-tune the funnel, choose the right offerers and receive a stable income.
Taboola targeting options and retargeting capabilities
Taboola has a flexible audience customisation system that allows you to select the right target group as accurately as possible. In the Ads Manager you can set taboola targeting options such as country, region, gender and age, interests, device type (desktop, smartphone, tablet), as well as operating system and even its specific version.
The system also offers advanced retargeting capabilities. Taboola retargeting allows you to bring users who have previously interacted with your ad back to your offer or to other related pages. For example, you can set up retargeting on those who clicked on one ad to show them a different, more converting creative. All of this is customisable through the Campaign Clickers tool, which is particularly useful when you have multiple active campaigns.
Here are the main taboola targeting options available in the advertising cabinet:
Geography. Countries, regions, cities and even small towns.
Demographics. Age, gender and personal characteristics.
Devices. Desktops, smartphones and tablets.
Operating systems and their versions (iOS, Android, etc.).
Audience Interests and Topics (Marketplace Audiences).
Lookalike Audience Customisation. You can specify the similarity level from 5% to 25%.
By installing the pixel on a website, the platform can track user actions – page views, adding a product to the basket, clicking a button – and use this data for retargeting and creating lookalike audiences. All of this is available in the Ads Manager interface and helps advertisers build a more accurate sales funnel, optimising budgets and increasing conversion rates.
Want to get steady traffic from premium sites?
Try Taboola with the ENSO affiliate programme and start earning today. Create high-quality native ads and get convenient payments and high income.
Taboola vs Google Ads vs AdSense: what’s the difference
Comparing Taboola vs AdSense, we can say that both platforms are designed to monetise websites, but they work in different ways. AdSense shows contextual adverts based on site content and user queries, and is available even for small resources. Taboola ads are available only on premium sites, which makes it more favourable for large content projects with high-quality traffic.
From an advertiser's perspective, Taboola vs Google Ads is also a choice between native and contextual advertising. Google Ads covers search, banner and video ads, and works with a huge number of sites. Taboola focuses on native formats, great for promoting articles, reviews and brands through news sites.
Now we suggest you find out when and what is best to use:
Taboola. For native campaigns, promotion of content and expensive offers, brands.
Google Ads. For a wide reach, Google search adverts.
AdSense. For easy automatic monetisation of websites.
The choice depends on the task: arbitrageurs and media people will do well with Taboola, E-commerce and local brands – Google Ads, website owners – AdSense.
Taboola vs Outbrain vs Revcontent: comparing native ad networks
In the world of native advertising, three platforms such as Taboola, Outbrain and Revcontent are leading the way. They all offer advertisers the ability to place content that fits seamlessly into the structure of their partner sites. However, there are differences in reach, traffic quality and monetisation approaches between them.
Let's compare these three services and find out which one is the best:
Taboola. Reaches over 1.4 billion unique users per month, partnering with publications such as NBC News, Business Insider, and a host of other great sites. Offers flexible targeting and retargeting tools.
Outbrain. Works with more than 35,000 publishers, including The Guardian and CNN. The platform also provides advertisers with analytics and insights to help them measure and optimise their own advertising campaigns.
Revcontent. American native advertising network focused on English-speaking countries, with good targeting capabilities. Offers ad placement on websites and blogs with traffic from 50,000 unique users per month.
Taboola vs Outbrain vs Revcontent – the choice depends on campaign objectives. Taboola has become the most widely used platform due to its combination of wide reach (over 1.4 billion unique users per month), high quality traffic, strict moderation and flexible targeting settings. The platform offers advanced retargeting tools, in-depth analytics and support for premium sites, making it a one-stop solution for brands, arbitrageurs and big media.
Conclusion: who should use Taboola and whe
Taboola is a native advertising platform that tailors creatives to the user's interests by analysing their behaviour and the context of the page. Thanks to a smart delivery system, taboola traffic is highly targeted and therefore brings high conversions. The platform is suitable for arbitrageurs who need scalability and quality retargeting, for brands to increase reach and awareness, and for large content sites to monetise their audience. Taboola ads fit seamlessly into the pages of partner resources, attracting attention without annoying pressure, which makes it an effective tool for promotion.
Ready to scale your ad campaign?
Taboola platform means access to over a billion users. Start advertising today and join the ENSO affiliate programme to promote the best offers and get the most out of native traffic.
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