RE: ad targeting techniques
KEVIN RICE WROTE:
> Over the last 2 years (approx.) the big US advertising
> networks have shifted from content based targeting to
> targeting based on sophisticated personal profiling
> techniques. Over the same period average click-thru rates
> have fallen from 3% to 1%. Are the new techniques proving
> effective?
Interesting question. It is my belief that many of the big
US ad networks are emphasizing targeting based on personal
profiling BECAUSE click-throughs are going down. I don't
think they are causal. What's interesting is that the ad
networks have always been able to target with
semi-sophisticated profiling technology, but until now,
haven't been in a position to push it as an alternative way
to buy advertising.
It is my position that profiling, though interesting for the
client site, doesn't do a lot to optimize advertising on the
media front. Though it can be helpful in providing
direction for what kinds of media environments to be in, it
has yet to prove itself as a more efficient way to yield
sales or new customers. Profiling tends to lend itself best
to informing the architecture of an advertiser's site: what
kind of content, where to place it... basically how to
manipulate the visitor's flow experience in such a way that
it yields the desired result once that visitor gets to the
site.
My 2 cents.
Received on Tue Oct 12 1999 - 17:55:55 CDT
