Search Engine Optimization Bible, Second Edition

Chapter 9. Understanding and Using Campaign Targeting

IN THIS CHAPTER

• What is behavioral targeting?

• Taking advantage of behavioral targeting

• Additional behavioral targeting tips

• Then there is placement targeting

• Making placement ads work for you

Mass marketing techniques that were used in the twentieth century, like many other techniques from that era, are pretty much outdated. Reaching potential customers using television and newspaper ads still works, but it's not always the most efficient way to advertise.

Traditional methods of advertising target a large group of people. Generally, that means large numbers of the people who see an ad won't be interested in it at all. As a result of that blanket type of advertising, companies spend a (relatively) large amount of money to reach a small segment of the population.

One way that advertisers have found to improve the success rates of their advertisements is through contextual targeting. Contextual targeting is basically the practice of placing ads in a specific medium based on the elements surrounding the ad.

Here's an example: Open up any women's magazine (or men's, or even children's) and look at the advertisements. Frequently, at least one of the articles in the women's magazine is about weight loss. Alongside the text of the article in the pages, and at the end, you might find advertisements for online dieting services, diet pills, or even gym memberships.

These advertisements are placed in context based on the content of articles, with ...