5 ms·

This sounds like such a rational comment, but it is based on the naive idea that ads can be effectively targeted simply based on content. You're never going to

by j_m_b 7y ago

This sounds like such a rational comment, but it is based on the naive idea that ads can be effectively targeted simply based on content. You're never going to have ads that people are willing to pay for (i.e. a certain threshold click-through rate) without some sort of direct targeting. For example, you can't tell if your article on basic car maintenance is being read by a 30 year old male who might be interested in a beer ad or a 30 year old female with two kids who might be more interested in a new iphone cover.

lttlrck 7y ago
Direct targeting basic car maintenance alone covers a lot of ground doesn’t it? cars, spares and consumables, accessories, tools, car shows, workshop equipment, vacuum cleaners, mechanical things in general and diy... it’s endless. Edit: ok endless is hyperbole, but content targeting is hardly useless.
lolinder 7y ago
When I turned 25 I started getting nothing but hard soda ads from YouTube. I don't drink. I went and disabled personalized advertising, and for the first time in years I started seeing ads that tempted me to click through, ads from tech companies about tech. Why the difference? Because YouTube started showing me ads related to the content I'm actually watching rather than based on their faulty neural network profile of me. Obviously this is just one anecdote, but it's illustrative of the point: don't try to advertise either beer or iPhone covers on a car maintenance site. If I'm on a car maintenance site, you know all you need to know about where my interests are at that exact moment. Why try to hijack my attention (difficult when I'm trying to solve a car problem) when you could instead subtly redirect my attention to an ad for a local mechanic?
- chronic84920 7y ago
  > Why try to hijack my attention (difficult when I'm trying to solve a car problem) when you could instead subtly redirect my attention to an ad for a local mechanic? If there's only space for one ad, do they show you an ad for tools, exterior mechanic, engine mechanic, or a new car ad? All are valid options for both you and the advertiser. This is where invasively tracking your online behavior can help you.
- DangitBobby 7y ago
  You have a good point here. What website I'm currently on is a pretty strong indicator for the types of content and services I'm interested in. Content aggregator sites like Facebook where people spend a ton of time thinking about all sort of topics are really the Holy Grail target, though, and that probably explains why the ad delivery model is less about where you are on the internet and more about who they think you are.
throwaway2048 7y ago
Ads existed long before "direct targeting" of " 30 year old male who might be interested in a beer ad" has.
snotrockets 7y ago
Seems to be working for the New York Times – “The publisher blocked all open-exchange ad buying on its European pages, followed swiftly by behavioral targeting. Instead, NYT International focused on contextual and geographical targeting for programmatic guaranteed and private marketplace deals and has not seen ad revenues drop as a result“ (source: https://digiday.com/media/gumgumtest-new-york-times-gdpr-cut-off-ad-exchanges-europe-ad-revenue/ https://digiday.com/media/gumgumtest-new-york-times-gdpr-cut...)

by j_m_b 7y ago

lttlrck 7y ago

Direct targeting basic car maintenance alone covers a lot of ground doesn’t it? cars, spares and consumables, accessories, tools, car shows, workshop equipment, vacuum cleaners, mechanical things in general and diy... it’s endless. Edit: ok endless is hyperbole, but content targeting is hardly useless.

lolinder 7y ago

When I turned 25 I started getting nothing but hard soda ads from YouTube. I don't drink. I went and disabled personalized advertising, and for the first time in years I started seeing ads that tempted me to click through, ads from tech companies about tech. Why the difference? Because YouTube started showing me ads related to the content I'm actually watching rather than based on their faulty neural network profile of me. Obviously this is just one anecdote, but it's illustrative of the point: don't try to advertise either beer or iPhone covers on a car maintenance site. If I'm on a car maintenance site, you know all you need to know about where my interests are at that exact moment. Why try to hijack my attention (difficult when I'm trying to solve a car problem) when you could instead subtly redirect my attention to an ad for a local mechanic?

chronic84920 7y ago
> Why try to hijack my attention (difficult when I'm trying to solve a car problem) when you could instead subtly redirect my attention to an ad for a local mechanic? If there's only space for one ad, do they show you an ad for tools, exterior mechanic, engine mechanic, or a new car ad? All are valid options for both you and the advertiser. This is where invasively tracking your online behavior can help you.
DangitBobby 7y ago
You have a good point here. What website I'm currently on is a pretty strong indicator for the types of content and services I'm interested in. Content aggregator sites like Facebook where people spend a ton of time thinking about all sort of topics are really the Holy Grail target, though, and that probably explains why the ad delivery model is less about where you are on the internet and more about who they think you are.

throwaway2048 7y ago

Ads existed long before "direct targeting" of " 30 year old male who might be interested in a beer ad" has.

snotrockets 7y ago

Seems to be working for the New York Times – “The publisher blocked all open-exchange ad buying on its European pages, followed swiftly by behavioral targeting. Instead, NYT International focused on contextual and geographical targeting for programmatic guaranteed and private marketplace deals and has not seen ad revenues drop as a result“ (source: https://digiday.com/media/gumgumtest-new-york-times-gdpr-cut-off-ad-exchanges-europe-ad-revenue/ https://digiday.com/media/gumgumtest-new-york-times-gdpr-cut...)