There is much in the pedestrian media about the privacy issues of online advertising. And software vendors hawking security products have properly scared consumers about being tracked online.
Personally, I love it.
I’ve been a member of Google’s Adsense program since it launched, and my how it has changed. Specifically in recent years it has gotten very very good at behavioral tracking. I’ll often find myself shopping with purpose, or maybe just browsing an ecommerce site, then I click back to one of my sites and see ads for the site I was just on.
I know my Adsense revenue has been getting stronger and I think the reason why is other people are being as targetted as I am. Yes, it can be creepy, but it is also very useful.
For instance, we have recently decided that a one day a week nanny would be a good thing to have for our kids. So, I went on this website called SitterCity.com and started looking around. They offered a free 7 day trial but most useful features (background checks, reviews, etc) cost money. The price was $140 a year. I did not sign up, but I thought about it.
So I go and then visit one of my sites, I see an ad for SitterCity half off. So I clicked it (yes, I clicked my own ad – but only because I was really interested in it, and I have the credit card bill to prove it). Now suddenly thanks to the discount tied to the ad click through URL, the price is only $70 a year. Open wallet, remove credit card.
This is the kind of advertising that really really works, and I’m glad its showing on my site. And now I have another story to tell when I explain to people that blocking cookies and tracking on your home PC really isn’t that necessary.
This is also why online advertising will continue to grow and eat away at TV and print.
October 31st, 2011 at 7:54 am
se, or maybe just browsing an ecommerce site, then I click back to one of my sites and see ads for the site I was just on.
December 3rd, 2011 at 4:33 am
one of my friend got about 1000 dollars in week then he got greedy so he start clicking ads on his site and unfortunately he got suspended. They let him fill out bunch of forms and then end up suspended his account for life. i told him not to click on his own ads but he didn’t listen. lol
December 7th, 2011 at 8:26 pm
Chris, google adsense says “publishers are not permitted to click on their own ads for any reason”. I think you’d better delete this post.
December 11th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
Google and Bing have made it very difficult for small business to use their PPC services. There are too many restrictions and it’s becoming to expensive.
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