We already know that third-party cookies will be phased out in the coming years. Are we prepared for this? What will targeting look like in the digital advertising industry then? Contextual targeting, which is not based on third-party cookies, will undoubtedly play an important role. It is already being used by companies today to display adverts that best suit users’ preferences. How does contextual targeting actually work?
What is contextual targeting?
To be effective, an ad must be displayed to relevant users who are likely to be interested in it. Contextual targeting is all about matching the ad to the subject of the page on which it will appear. Therefore, the focus is not on the user but on the website’s content. Matching takes place based on the keywords found on the website. It is, therefore, important to properly specify which phrases you care about; they should be related to your business. For example, if you run a furniture shop, your advertisement should appear on websites positioned on keywords such as: “living room furniture”, “furniture”, “kitchen furniture”, but also “interior design”, or “interior trends”.
Contextual targeting is, therefore, about properly linking your adverts to the subject matter of the pages on which they will appear. Its users are interested in a specific topic that is also related to your offer. Displaying ads this way increases the chance of drawing their attention to your ad.
Contextual and behavioural targeting – significant differences
There are two basic types of targeting – contextual and behavioural. In both cases, the aim is to display ads in such a way as to increase your chances of attracting the interest of your audience. Behavioural targeting, however, is based on matching the ad with the user’s behaviour and profile. It is, therefore, about identifying the target group most likely to be interested in your offer. This is done by analysing the user’s online behaviour – what sites they visit, what they click on, and their interactions with other sites. This way, we can determine which users will likely be our potential customers. Adverts are therefore not displayed on sites with a specific theme but to users who best fit our customer profile. In this case, the content of the website is irrelevant.
However, the problem arises when we lose the ability to collect data about users using third-party cookies. This definitely makes it more difficult to access their information. For this reason, contextual targeting independent of third-party cookies is gaining ground. It is, therefore, already worthwhile to become more involved in this method of targeting to be adequately prepared for the changes. This can be difficult for companies that have not used this technique before. However, some companies make it easier to implement this tactic, such as RTBHouse, which, using the advanced tools available, facilitates embedding ads on the web in such a way that they work as effectively as possible.
Why is contextual targeting so important?
The internet today is a space within which many individuals and companies operate. Sites are appearing that are not necessarily conducive to brand safety. Contextual targeting allows advertisements to be placed on websites that are relevant to their activities and correspond to their image. You can be sure that when advertising kitchen furniture, as in the previous example, your advert will not appear on a site that promotes discrimination, for instance, or on one related to automotive content.
Contextual targeting is independent of third-party cookies, which will soon be removed. If you have so far only relied on behavioural targeting, now is a good time to take an interest in the second type of targeting, which in the near future will be the only option for matching adverts to audience interests. It offers many opportunities for effective marketing activities by providing ready-made solutions for users interested in a specific topic. When they read an article about living room furniture, they see an ad for a company that sells or produces it.
Contextual targeting is receiving increasing interest. Its enormous potential has finally been recognised. This way, display adverts have a good chance of drawing traffic to your site from users who are actually looking for your products or services.