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> Similarly, the ads for someone interested in DIY vs someone who is happy to pay for skilled labor are drastically different when you search “drywall repair”.

> Similarly, the ads for someone interested in DIY vs someone who is happy to pay for skilled labor are drastically different when you search “drywall repair”. Google doesn't need to "Track and target" me personally to know that a web request I make comes from a specific location. Knowing I bought cycling shorts last week isn't going to increase the relevance of that search. Likewise, the reverse is true. FWIW, have you tried searching for something like Drywall repair? Google's results for that type of search are almost identical to what you get on DDG, you just have to scroll past a page of Google garbage first. Also... it's not too tremendously difficult to type "Drywall repair in Hoboken NY", that's what I do by default regardless.

judge2020 6y ago
> you just have to scroll past a page of Google garbage first. 'Google garbage', aka Google Maps listings (which DDG also has above their search results, although it uses Apple Maps).
kortilla 6y ago
You didn’t read my drywall example close enough. It’s not location specific, it’s specific to the type of customer. Should we be advertising a hardware store or should we be advertising “Teds drywall repair service”? As Ted, I don’t want my ads wasted on people that want to repair things themselves. As a customer who doesn’t care how it gets fixed, I don’t want an ad for Home Depot.
- ogre_codes 6y ago
  I find it unlikely Google presents drastically different results (or adverts) for someone who is interested in DIY versus someone who might be looking for a contractor. Mostly because it's a terrible thing for Google to try and guess. While Ted might find it convenient to target people based on whether they are wealthy homeowners who hire contractors or DIY guys, I have no interest in sharing that information with Google (or Facebook). It's neat for Ted, not so neat for me. Other things which might result in "better" advertising which I don't like: - Companies scanning my license plate while I'm at Home Depot. - Someone camping the county building permits office with a video camera and facial recognition software. - The phone company forwarding my phone records to advertisers. All of these are similarly invasive to Google & Facebook's tracking and equally disgusting. This is all particularly true since just buying the Adword for "Drywall Repair" in my area, would likely yield the exact same results without tracking.

judge2020 6y ago

> you just have to scroll past a page of Google garbage first. 'Google garbage', aka Google Maps listings (which DDG also has above their search results, although it uses Apple Maps).

kortilla 6y ago

You didn’t read my drywall example close enough. It’s not location specific, it’s specific to the type of customer. Should we be advertising a hardware store or should we be advertising “Teds drywall repair service”? As Ted, I don’t want my ads wasted on people that want to repair things themselves. As a customer who doesn’t care how it gets fixed, I don’t want an ad for Home Depot.

ogre_codes 6y ago
I find it unlikely Google presents drastically different results (or adverts) for someone who is interested in DIY versus someone who might be looking for a contractor. Mostly because it's a terrible thing for Google to try and guess. While Ted might find it convenient to target people based on whether they are wealthy homeowners who hire contractors or DIY guys, I have no interest in sharing that information with Google (or Facebook). It's neat for Ted, not so neat for me. Other things which might result in "better" advertising which I don't like: - Companies scanning my license plate while I'm at Home Depot. - Someone camping the county building permits office with a video camera and facial recognition software. - The phone company forwarding my phone records to advertisers. All of these are similarly invasive to Google & Facebook's tracking and equally disgusting. This is all particularly true since just buying the Adword for "Drywall Repair" in my area, would likely yield the exact same results without tracking.