Yahoo announced that they are launching a new product called "SmartAds" that would help marketers create custom ads on the fly using information on individual buyers and information on real prices and availability from the vendors. For example, a woman who recently searched for information about stoves might see an advertisement from Sears that gives her the prices for the stoves that are in stock in the store closest to her home.
Yahoo's new ad system works by the advertiser or agency provides Yahoo with the components of its display ads. The retailer would share information from its inventory databases that track the items on the shelves in each of its stores. Lastly, Yahoo would combine that data with the information it has about its users demographics and actions online to create a product-specific advertisement.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/02/technology/02yahoo.html?_r=0
Behavioral targeting is a really neat concept that is beginning to take off. I think that it has been and will continue to be very beneficial for companies that use it. However, for companies to know what adds to send to you, they have to be tracking your every move. This is not okay with me because would rather have my privacy, but that's just me.
ReplyDeleteI totally agee with you with respect to the privacy invasion caused by companies such as yahoo tracking our every move so that the ads that we are exposed to relate to our needs. It makes our personal information that much easier to steal.
DeleteI do think Yahoo is heading in the right direction for advertising to individuals rather than a single ad that is advertised to the masses. With "SmartAd" related to the users search should make the internet more efficient and should benefit users. But privacy is a key aspect that will be hard to avoid.
ReplyDeleteI feel that yahoo and other companies who are implementing marketing campaigns such as smartad should hire more IT security specialist to protect their consumers personal info.
DeleteThe future of advertising online will be targeted ads to a specific individual. Privacy concerns will arise and will be very hard to overcome for advertisers if there is a backlash from consumers having every single move they make online tracked for potential ads to be targeted to them.
ReplyDeleteAds targeted to specific individuals makes companies like yahoo's job easier in regards to customization due to the fact that the software automatically specializes the ads to the consumer.
DeleteYahoo has a great idea there and I believe it will catch on well. I look forward to seeing more progress with them. Behavioral targeting is becoming more and more popular with big businesses.
ReplyDeleteBehavioral targeting eliminates ads wasted on products that are unappealing to the consumers that companies are targeting as new customers and keep their existing customers happy.
DeleteYahoo is always looking for additional ways to increase revenue and the launch of SmartAds has helped them do that. The personalized advertisements uses browser history and advertises similar products. It's a great way for companies to expose their products for the customer's needs.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you in your view of yahoo and their goal of constantly seeking new and innovative ways to increase their revenue while keeping their consumers happy and satisfied.
DeleteThis is just one example of how businesses are able to increase sales while ultimately increasing profit as online advertising grows towards ads targeted to the individual. I am still amazed sometimes at what the advancements in technology enable people to do when it comes to the capabilities of their business to bring in more consumers and make consumers aware of their products. This also helps a business to differentiate themselves from their competitors as well.
ReplyDeleteThe goalof busnesses today are to be the first to invent and or discover something new and innovative that will give them a influx of new customers before their competitors catch up.
DeleteThis has got to be the most aggravating thing about using the internet now a days. We use Facebook daily, and have to come across ads that are not only in the way of our business and purpose on the site but they are now specifically targeting to what we like. This is tempting us to view, like, or purchase online. Although, this is great for marketers (being that I am a marketing major), as a consumer, if I wanted to shop, I would go on the site myself and shop. I would prefer not to be bombarded daily by ads, while trying to comment on a friends page. Facebook is especially overly exposing us to ads. Not content about it.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you in respect to the annoying ads for products that you recently searched for being thrown at you constantly when you visit social media sites.
DeleteSometimes I love technologies like this and also hate them. It's interesting how companies such as yahoo can look through your information that your searching for online and use it to provide ads that target you! I don't like the fact that I know in the back of my head that someone or something is watching my every search. Sometimes your only searching for something because your friend asked, you saw it on the TV, something for class, or for a project. That doesn't necessarily mean that just because you searched it doesn't mean you want it or interest in it. Sometimes these ads can be annoying and you find yourself being more distracted and purchasing things that you wouldn't have before.
ReplyDeleteThe hardest thing for companiee marketing department is to decide how far and how much is appropriate and sometimes they cross the line with their ad campaigns.
DeleteI really like the idea of behavioral targeting myself and I plan to study it and make it my career in the near future, since I plan to double major in psychology and marketing. I realize that behavioral targeting can be useful for many consumers, myself included because it simply helps me find what I want close by. However, since psychology plays a huge part of of the concept, it is about sometimes convincing people that they need more than they can afford and this is apparent When we look at how much people buy on credit versus how much money they can actually afford to pay back!
ReplyDeleteThe dilema consumers today face on a daily basis is where and what they should spend their hard earned money on to give them the most use or enjoyment and behaviorial targeting makes this easier for the consumer.
DeleteThis new trend in advertising is a little disturbing to me. I feel like if there is something I want to buy or think about buying I will act on my own. I will research myself and see what different companies have to offer. I feel like companies are overstepping the boundaries of personal privacy when they track and profile everyone on the internet.
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