They say we’re exposed to thousands of advertisements every day. While that number is hotly contested, most agree it is possible the average person may take in several hundred. With that much exposure, we’ve become pretty good at ignoring them. Targeted internet advertising hopes to recapture attention.
How Targeted Internet Advertising Works
Let’s say you’re in the market for a new set of bowls for your kitchen. You hunt through Amazon and find a set you love. You might even place it in your shopping cart. But you aren’t sure. Later, you see those bowls in an advertisement as you read an article on your favorite news site. You see it again as you check in on social media.
This is targeted internet advertising at work. Targeted ads are selected and served based on previous browsing behavior, demographic information, and other personal data.
This personalized approach has led to exciting opportunities for marketers, ensuring ads reach viewers at the right time with the right message. With today’s sophisticated algorithms and data analytics, targeted ads are more precise and effective than ever before.
If you’re familiar with this approach, you might also understand that cookies have always played a crucial role. They are small pieces of data stored on your device to track behavior and remember preferences. They provide the data that ad companies need to deliver relevant ads.
But cookies aren’t the only tool used in collecting information. Pixel tags, web bugs, web beacons, and other clear graphic images operate as tags to record a user’s visit. It provides the ability to produce specific profiles of user behavior.
A Short Discussion on Privacy
Modern marketing has relied heavily on third-party cookies to collect information across platforms, profiling individual internet users. These profiles are shared and circulated around global markets. Yet, changes are occurring. Google stepped in with a solution called the Privacy Sandbox initiative.
The Privacy Sandbox provides marketing tools that allow privacy-friendly targeted online advertising with a similar level of accuracy without directly capturing unique user information. It provides digital marketers with a set of tools called APIs. Two specifically designed to address targeting include:
- Protected Audience API: This tool locks sensitive user data behavior directly with the device and then targets advertiser-curated interest groups of indistinguishable users.
- Topics API: This tool assigns users interest labels based on high-level browsing history, which advertisers can pull and use later.
Change is everywhere. Google is moving to a cookie-less environment. The EU has put forward GDPR. In short, the targeted advertising process will continue to change as we move forward. The only way to marry marketing and privacy in the future is to keep all this in mind as you develop your strategies. This is where professionals can help by providing the latest information and technology.
The Benefits of Targeted Ads
Whether you’ve used targeted ads in the past or not, it’s easy to see the numerous benefits to both consumers and marketers. Consumers love them because they create a personalized browsing experience. Targeted advertising showcases ads relevant to the way you like to search. Businesses enjoy the cost-effective way to reach potential customers, increase brand awareness, and increase sales.
Increased Relevance
When marketers target a specific audience, they tailor the message to meet particular needs and interests. This level of personalization can make a big difference in how the advertising is received. When consumers like a message, they’re more likely to click and follow. You’ll get better results; they’ll be happier with the solution.
Improved Customer Experiences
By targeting specific audiences, you’re better able to create a unique customer experience. Every message can be well thought out and deliver prospects to the right message at the right time. In the long run, this helps build trust and establish a stronger connection with your audience. It makes them more likely to return for future purchases.
Increased Brand Awareness
Targeted advertising is more likely to pinpoint those who might be most interested in what you have to offer. By working with tools like Google and social media, you can target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors, which helps you reach a wider audience. Increased visibility helps build recognition and credibility over time.
Track and Measure Success
Tracking and measuring is a critical part of making informed advertising decisions. With targeted advertising, you have the ability to track and measure key metrics such as impressions, clicks, conversions, and ROI, which helps you determine what’s working and what’s not.
Lowering Cost Per Acquisition
How much does it cost you to bring in a new customer? What if you could lower that cost? Targeted advertising allows you to carefully select the audiences you want to reach, ensuring your advertising dollars are utilized effectively. This leads to a lower cost per acquisition and higher conversions.
Is Targeted Internet Advertising Right for You?
While the internet is going through a lot of changes right now, don’t feel discouraged from taking an audience-targeted approach. If you do it right, your ads will be more effective, your message will be more powerful to your prospects and customers, and your business will grow. Find balance in how you fit it into your marketing strategy by being:
- Transparent: Tell them what you’re doing with their data and how you’re using it. Make sure your privacy policy is clear and concise and explains in detail how you plan to use collected data.
- Relevant: Create campaigns relevant to your target audience’s interests. This means doing research and building ads with content viewers are interested in. Testing will be your friend over time.
- Engaging: Customer engagement is always two-fold. They have a voice online, and you have the potential to be there, ready to listen. This allows you to create more personalized messages, products, and services relevant to their wants and needs.
As technology continues to evolve, targeted ads will become even more personalized and effective, further shaping tomorrow’s marketing strategies. You can be there today; build campaigns your customers love and further enhance your customer’s journey.
Want help building and growing? Reach out today.
