The average person is exposed to thousands of ads every day. In order for your ad to be relevant, it should target specific individuals that may be interested in your product or service. This is where behavioral targeting comes into play.
What is Behavioral Targeting?
Behavioral targeting is a marketing method that uses web-browsing behavior to target customers. Businesses can show display or video ads to specific consumers based on their previous online behavior, across all devices. This information helps show ads that are relevant to the specific user’s habits and interests.
Online behavior can include pages visited, previous searches, clicks and purchases, and more. This behavior is detected using tracking software. Data about web users is constantly being gathered and used to market products and services.
Online behavior is condensed into behavioral categories. An extensive amount of categories are used to target consumers. A few examples of categories include “parents of infants,” “theme parks,” and “plumbing.” Highly specific categories help clearly define what users interests are and allow businesses to target consumers on a deeper level.
Businesses can also target consumers based on their geographic location. This behavioral targeting practice is known as geo-targeting. Businesses can specify a location(s) and display ads to consumers that are physically in certain areas and at certain times.
Should you consider Behavioral Targeting?
You can serve ads to users that are looking for information on a topic related to your business. Businesses should consider behavioral targeting because:
- It creates a mutually beneficial experience.
Ads that are relevant and useful helps create a good online experience for consumers. Users are more likely to click on the ad that relates to them in some way. Likewise, businesses benefit from behavioral targeting because it helps reach their target buyers.
- It increases engagement.
Ads that spark interest means consumers are more likely to click on the ad and browse your products or services. Once the user accesses your website, you can offer content that increases clicks and activity and hopefully, sales.
- It may save you money.
Because you can reach out to a particular audience, you spend less of your marketing budget drawing in people who are unlikely to buy from you. Directing your marketing efforts to your target audience can help save money in the long run.
The online marketplace is cluttered, so your chances of standing out from competitors may be slim without some use of targeting. Behavioral targeting is a strategy that your business could benefit from. It is something that your business can do on its own if you have the time, or you can hire a marketing team, like Thrive Marketing, to do this for you.
