Let's talk more about data in the programmatic ecosystem, specifically about understanding contextual advertising and advertising trends.
There's a lot of data in the programmatic ecosystem. In addition to audience data, you have contextual targeting data, which really identifies what the user is looking at right now. And really for contextual targeting, it's an identification of what the user is consuming at this very moment.
If they're reading about news in Los Angeles, if they're reading about Toyota, if they're reading about the LA Dodgers, or major league baseball, or Leonel Messi -- whatever the case is -- we know what the user is interested in at this very moment. The ads can then be targeted based on that specific interest.
So for something a little bit obscure in the United States, think about the soccer team Paris Saint-Germain. You know that I'm a fan of the team because I'm on a page reading about that content where Leonel Messi and Bombay and Neymar are playing. There's a great opportunity to serve me an ad for what you know I'm interested in, which might be a Paris Saint-Germain jersey, for example.
In any case, what's key to understanding contextual targeting is that it's a way to serve ads (using programmatic advertising) based on what user is consuming at this very moment.
Understanding Contextual Targeting for Advertising
Frequently asked questions
What is contextual targeting in advertising?
Contextual targeting identifies what a person is reading or watching at this very moment and serves ads based on that content, rather than on stored data about who they are. If someone is on a page about the LA Dodgers or about Toyota, you know what they are interested in right now, and the ad can match that interest.
How is contextual targeting different from audience data targeting?
Audience data describes who a user is based on information they have generated over time; contextual targeting only cares about what they are consuming at this moment. That means contextual works regardless of what a person's data trail says, which makes it a useful complement to audience-based approaches.
What is an example of contextual targeting?
If you are on a page reading about Paris Saint-Germain and its star players, an advertiser can reasonably conclude you are a fan of the team. That is a great opportunity to show you an ad for something you are clearly interested in, like a Paris Saint-Germain jersey.
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