Why Contextual Targeting Is Essential

Contextual targeting might just be the most important thing you’ve never heard about. This practice has been developed with the 21st-century consumer in mind and can be extremely effective if carried out properly. But don’t just take our word for it! Here’s everything you need to know about contextual targeting and why it’s essential for your business:

What Is Contextual Targeting?

Contextual targeting is placing advertisements in locations that are related to the actual content in that location. This differs from demographic targeting, which is another common targeting practice that selects people based on demographic information like gender and age. And while demographic targeting can be valuable, contextual targeting actually increases the possibility that your content will appeal to the viewer. For example, if someone is watching a makeup video tutorial on YouTube, this would be a great place for a beauty product advertisement. This may sound simple, but it’s often overlooked and definitely essential.

Why Is Contextual Targeting Essential?

Now that you know more about what contextual targeting actually is, you’re still probably wondering why you should start using it for your business. First of all, contextual targeting is more than just a marketing tactic — it’s an overall business tactic that not only helps build your brand but also protects it at the same time! Whether you like it or not, your brand image will be based around the content that surrounds you. So if you’re trying to get your name out there, reach potential customers, and show them what you’re all about, then you definitely need to be paying attention to contextual targeting. Because if you aren’t careful, you can easily end up next to content that is contradictory to your intended brand image. Even worse, you could end up next to content that is straight-up inflammatory and damaging! This obviously isn’t something you want to deal with because your brand image is everything. So once it’s tainted, it’s really hard to come back from. Thankfully, you can use contextual targeting to effectively promote and protect your brand image, impress potential customers, and make your mark.

Contextual targeting is also essential because it can actually end up making you more money because it’s more effective at reaching customers who are likely to associate with your brand. Research backs this up! Studies show that contextually matched audiences can result in up to 50% higher ad recall and brand awareness when compared with ads solely using demographic targeting. You can really get the most out of your marketing budget by using contextual targeting that increases purchasing intent.

How Can You Use Contextual Targeting?

So, you’re now 100% sold on the importance of contextual targeting for your business. But how do you actually go about using it? The best method involves artificial intelligence mixed with a bit of human touch as well. Thankfully, there’s software and technology out there that allows you to select keywords and topics that you want to appear next to so that it can find the best location for your content. But you also need to think about what types of content you want to avoid — and that’s where humans can really come in handy. By learning about your values, mission, and brand image, marketing professionals can help you come up with an “exclusion list” that can essentially eliminate the possibility that you inadvertently end up next to potentially damaging or contradictory content.

As you can see, contextual targeting is essential for any business looking to build and protect their brand image while increasing sales at the same time. So don’t wait any longer and consult with an expert today to start tailoring your targeting strategy!