The I in an Industry of Ideas

So Google finally launched interest-based advertising. I refer to one of my blog posts last year relating to behavioural targeting advertising – big bucks or big brother? For me as a marketer all is see is relevance, relevance, relevance.

According to an article on Bizcommunity this week – Google launches interest-based advertising beta – Google’s interest-based application is a way for marketers to improve the delivery of the right messages and offers to people whilst connecting better with people based on their interests and visits to websites.

But how will consumers feel about this advance in technology, do I want to receive diet pill adverts if I search for celebrity diets out of interest? Or will I appreciate the advert for a new range of Wedding Dresses as my search for the right dress has been fairly unsuccessful?

I believe the value is twofold, but that in the end the good outweighs the bad. Finding the right content online is really what it is all about, and if Google can assist in putting me in touch with the right products – why be upset? They know my search history regardless, now they just using it to my and advertisers advantage. According to Google The Ads Preferences Manager will be available immediately and enables users to view, add and remove interests, or opt out entirely from receiving interest-based ads.

It would be very interesting to see how this technology unfolds. Facebook is doing it already, and even though I still get adverts for horse lovers even though I have no mention what so ever about horses – apart from my maybe my imaginary white horse i used to love as a kid – I think the value to both consumers and advertisers will outweigh the negative associations of Big Brother intrusion. In a world where transparency is an ingredient in the recipe of almost all areas of life, how bad can it be?