Targeted Advertising
There is a lot of talk around the net these days about whether or not Google and Facebook are ethical for their business practices.
What I mean by "business practices" is their use of your personal information and browsing habits to generate advertising targeted to what they think are your tastes.
Some people hate this practice, and there are any number of articles decrying it as well as pieces of software devoted to defeating the various ways companies use to track you.
From my perspective, I don't really mind Google and FB using my emails and posts to gear advertising specifically for me. The way I look at it, I'm already going to get bombarded with ads. That is a given. It is nice not to have to see countless ads for products/services that are completely irrelevant to myself, however.
On the other hand, I don't like it when other companies employ tracking cookies and the like to gather info on me that they fully intend on selling to outside marketing companies. This seems more insidious to me because I can choose not to use Gmail or Facebook but would have a hard time avoiding the entire internet since my job depends on it.
So what's you opinion on targeted advertising and the ways it is generated? Vote in the poll, but I will be awarding the prize to whoever writes the best comment supporting their opinion as well.
Seems much better for advertisers to target the subject matter rather me.
About email. To me email is the same as a PO box or rural mail box. In other words - private, stay out!
About FB. Facebook is too large and too easily accessible. Too much leave is given to apps and advertisers. I trust none of them.
I want ads that are relevant to whatever I'm searching. I am not one dimensional, I have many sides and many interests and many needs. I believe that is the way it is with every one.
I actually took a day long seminar called "Targeting Your Market" about 15 years ago. It's the best way to selling success.
Why waste time and money marketing your product to someone who may never use it. Everything else has gone high tech, why not marketing?