How Does It Actually Work?
Behavioral targeting is a technique used in advertising, where data is stored from a user’s browsing habits, such as recent searches, purchases, and such, and later used to display other ads and improve a campaign’s effectiveness. So, every time you search on Google, that data is stored for later use as ads somewhere else. That is why you might see an ad on Facebook or Instagram of something that you were just searching for.
This usually happens with the help of cookies. Not the yummy dessert, but the text files with data stored in them. Usually, every website will ask if the user is fine with them using your cookies, or something of that sort. If the user agrees, their computer saves the data and saves it for later use. After building a user profile, the stored data is used to share relevant ads and information to the viewer but using different ads. This might seem like a weird concept, but it actually can work. And as long as it is not too excessive, it can really leave a mark on the viewer’s mind. It can not only be beneficial for the company, but also for the viewer.
For the company, it helps increase user engagement, higher clicks on ads, and higher talking rates. If the experience is more unique to the viewer, they will be more likely to engage with the content. And if the ad is geared toward them, they are more likely to look into it and research the company. The more a company puts out ads, the more interaction they will have. This will also have an increase in ad clicks. An ad that is boring and generic will get less clicks than the ad that is tailored to be seen by the viewer. The ad has to be interactive and personal for the user to interact with it. This process ends when the viewer finds what they need. Whether they now know a place to visit or they made a purchase, it makes more of a profit. With no targeting, a company would not be able to strive in today’s generation, leaving them with no users or money.
For the viewers, they get a fun experience, with a highly efficient way to browse online, and they can be notified for new products or experiences. Though it seems scary to put information online, it is better to get personalized ads than ones that are not engaging. If you are a middle-aged man, you would not want ads for women clothing, and if you are a teenage girl, you would not want ads for different medications for illnesses you don’t have. But, if it is personal, it could actually be fun to look into. And when viewers look into products, it can be difficult to go through a whole bunch of websites looking for the one that fits their needs. If a quick and easy ad popped up of just what they are looking for, it takes the stress off of online shopping and researching. If the topics of what interests them stay the same, they can also keep up with them through the ads. If anything new and exciting happens, a new ad can show the user what has changed.
As long as the ad is interactive with the viewer and maintains a level of relevance, a company could be in good standings with viewers that come across the ads. It should be a fun and easy way to get more views and profit, not a scary and hard one. All you need is a right attitude.
