Contextual Targeting is a form of targeted advertising, ads served by automated systems to user on a specific web pages by analyzing the keywords and contents is identified. By analyzing the keywords available in the website, the site content and site theme is identified. Then ads will appear on this page based on the site content. If the user read the iPhone review they may see the new iPhone related ad by Contextual Targeted Ad Campaigns.
Contextual Advertising Or Contextual Targeting is not a new concept but marketers haven’t taken more care about this since they are very much interested in Behavioral Targeting. But now the digital marketing industry is back to concentrate on Contextual Targeting. Already you know that two biggest law’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the imminent California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) enforced digital marketing industry to do a lot of changes to secure user’s privacy. Also, google took a big decision that their browser google chrome no longer supports third party cookies.
These restrictions pushes the digital marketing industry to rethink about Contextual Targeting or Contextual Marketing.
What Is Contextual Targeting?
Contextual Targeting is a form of targeted advertising served by automated systems to user on a specific web pages by analyzing the keywords and contents is identified. By analyzing the keywords available in the website, the site content and site theme is identified. Then ads will appear on this page based on the site content.
For example, if you are a hotel brand, you may want to run your ads on web pages with travel content to reach people who are interested in travel and may want to book a room for an upcoming trip.
How Contextual Targeting Actually Works?
Demand Side Platform avail this feature to the brands. Brands can run their ad campaign based on the contextual targeting. So, brands can place their ads on the relevant web pages.
There two ways to target the contextual targeting,
Topics or Categories : In this type, website theme identified by analyzing the web content. So, websites categorized as Sports, Entertainment, Music, Travel etc. If any brand needs to run their ads on websites related to any particular category of websites then they can select the category and run their ads.
Keywords : In this type, brands can run their ads on website pages where certain group of keywords available in the websites. If car insurance company needs to run their ads on website pages where the keywords [“new car” “insurance policy” “car insurance policy”] available, then they can create a contextual target with these keywords and run a contextual targeting ad campaign to appear their ads on these web pages.
Behavioral Targeting vs Contextual Targeting
There are two effective ways available in the digital advertising to reach the right people. One is Behavioral Targeting and the Second One is Contextual Targeting.
In behavioral targeting, ads will be shown to the user based on their browsing behavior. What kind of the information they access, How much time they spend on internet, What are the searches they did recently and many other information analyzed to identify the user’s behavior and interest. Once user’s behavior identified then the user will see ads based on the behavior not by the website content.
In Contextual Targeting, ads will be shows to the user only based on the content available on the website pages. If the website page contains car review content and ads from the contextual targeting campaign will show the insurance ad without considering the user behavior or interest.
Advantages Of Contextual Targeting
Restrictions On Privacy Policy : The main fuel for the behavioral targeting is “data”. But, many browsers phase out the third party cookies support. Also, laws like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the imminent California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) put heavy restrictions on collecting user’s data. So, behavioral targeting could be more complex and costly.
No Hidden Magic : In the Contextual Targeting, ad campaigns target the website pages based on the content but not the user. So, there is no hidden magic to show the ads.
More Brand Safe : In behavioral targeting, ads will be shows based on the user’s interest. So, there might be a chance to appear the ads on poor quality sites, non relevant contents that could affect the brand reputation. But, in the contextual targeting brands can exclude certain keywords and categories of website pages to protect their brand reputation.
Content Relevant : If user visiting a car review website then they might be interest on buying cars and car related things. So, showing ads related to the insurance, new car is more effective than showing any other kind of ads.
Easy To Implement : Contextual Targeting doesn’t require cookies and personal information. The contextual advertising shows ad relevant to the content. So, it is very easy to implement and effective.
Conclusion
We are near to the cookieless world. So, many experts said that contextual advertising could become the better alternative in the cookieless world. Using contextual advertising, advertisers can show their ads where content available related to their business.
