While the concept of advertising is nothing new, its evolution since the dawn of the targeted ad has changed the way we receive these marketing methods dramatically.
Whereas advertising once pertained to large roadside billboards or short TV skits (which either hit the mark or didn’t, depending on the audience), the mobile phones we now carry around in our pockets make us susceptible targets to personalised advertisements – most of the time without us realising it.
Essentially, whereas adverts were once often ignored (as they simply didn’t appeal to us), the rise of targeted ads means that we now receive advertisements that take into account our specific traits, preferences and interests – meaning we are more likely to engage with them.
Say, for example, you search for “cheap holidays in Majorca”. You might click on a hotel, give the description a quick read, and decide to come back to it at a later time – you were feeling impulsive, and you’re not sure now whether to just leave it for next year.
In the days following your search, you may start noticing ads popping up on your social media, featuring the same hotel (along with its tempting features and glorious five-star reviews!) or other similar accommodation options in the same location.
This is because of files, called cookies (think of the Hansel and Gretel breadcrumb trail!) that are created on your device, which work to track which sites you visit.
The good news about this brand of marketing is that you’re more likely to receive advertisements that are actually useful and relevant to you. You can, of course, always opt out of receiving them altogether (by downloading an ad blocker, or browsing on private mode) – but what’s certain is that targeted advising is here to stay.
If you’re interested in upping your Facebook advertising game, why not reach out to the team at Engage Web today?
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