Classification
Classification is the process of analyzing a URL and returning structured signals about its content. Where scraping retrieves raw page content, classification interprets it — mapping pages to standardized taxonomies, extracting topics and entities, and surfacing the signals that matter for targeting and brand safety.
What classification returns
| Signal | Description |
|---|---|
| IAB Content Categories | Standard IAB Tech Lab taxonomy categories for the page |
| Google Product Categories | Product classification aligned to Google's taxonomy |
| Keywords | Significant terms and phrases extracted from the content |
| Entities | Named entities — brands, people, places, products — mentioned on the page |
Contextual vs. audience-based targeting
Contextual targeting places ads based on the content of the page being viewed, not on a profile of the user viewing it. This has several advantages:
- No cookies required — works across all browsers and devices, including Safari and cookieless environments
- Brand safe by design — ads appear alongside relevant, appropriate content
- Intent-aligned — users reading about a topic are actively interested in it at the moment of the impression
How classification relates to segments
Classification is the underlying engine that powers segment building. When you create a segment, Classify runs classification on candidate URLs to determine which ones match your seed signal. You can also query classification data directly for any URL via the Classification Data API.