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Google removes targeting knobs because despite what marketers think, humans consistently underperform algorithms when it comes to targeting. Typically, the peop
by mochomocha 7y ago
Google removes targeting knobs because despite what marketers think, humans consistently underperform algorithms when it comes to targeting. Typically, the people tweaking the knobs have reverse incentives because they don't want their jobs to be automated so they love these knobs. But they are just constraints on the bidding systems that end up delivering poorer performance of the campaigns.
YMMV but for the vast majority of campaigns, the algorithm does know better.
Disclaimer: I've built bidding systems for multiple ad companies, so I'm surely biased towards "the algorithm knows better".
- dorgo 7y agoI think it's not about whether algorithms are better than humans. It's about whose profits these algorithms optimize. Google's algorithms tend to optimize Google's profits. Advertisers utilize algorithms too. But it gets more difficult when Google removes/limits access to information and knobs.
- mochomocha 7y agoI agree. Third party ad companies bidding on behalf of advertisers for the best inventory have incentives more aligned with advertisers IMO (as opposed to Google and FB who tend to side with publishers since they control inventory). The main caveat is that it comes at a privacy cost (broadcasting cookie information on ad exchanges).