Back in 2009, Google first announced it would enable advertisers to target prospective consumers through previous search histories and behaviors.

Back in 2009, Google first announced it would enable advertisers to target prospective consumers through previous browser history and behaviors. After testing the service in a closed beta for the last two years, Google has finally made the option open to every AdWords advertiser.

By using cookies, Google can effectively tell what a person’s interests are and assigns them to specific categories, which advertisers can then use to target consumers.

Overall, there are more than 1,000 interest categories of which advertisers can take advantage. Consumers can also view and change which categories they have been assigned to or opt out of the program altogether, if they so choose.

“Whether the goal is to generate awareness or drive sales, marketers share a common objective: reach people likely to be interested in their product or service,” explains Jon Krafcik, product manager at Google’s Display Network.

“We hope you’ll use these interest categories to enhance your advertiser campaigns. We think you’ll find them an effective way to reach more interested users, increase awareness of your products and services and ultimately drive more sales,” he added

So long as Google is the most-used search engine, it will continue to play a pivotal role in advertisers’ marketing efforts. As Brafton reported earlier this month, Google accounts for more than 65 percent of explicit core searches.