Recently got an email from google about a new ad targeting mechanism that they are launching shortly. We all know that the ads that we see on google are either content targeted or placement targeted. The ones on search result pages and in the content network are based on the content that the user has searched or the content of the page the user is visiting. Ads related to the content were meant to reach a related audience to the site the user is on, with the understanding the user being on the site means that she is interested in the site’s content, and therefore relevant ads too.

Enter, behavioral targeting. Using behavioral targeting, google will track what ads I as a user click on a google search result or on a content page. I am sure, google will also include the information on my interest based on the searches that I make using google. All this information will be kept on the user’s browser using a cookie.

So what will happen now? If Manik, as a user, has been searching for a search engine optimization agency (seo agency) in the recent past, and he visits the cricinfo site, he will get to see seo ads (behaviorally targeted) along with sports related ads (content based)

Behaviorally targeted ads are believed to bring more value to the advertiser (more bang for buck) and to the publisher (more bucks, since there will be more clicks).

What if you want to opt out of this and do not want to see behaviorally targeted ads or want to tell google to show ads of a certain kind to you? Simple, head on straight to the Google Ad Preferences page and make your choices. You can also see what google thinks your interests are.

Publishers have to make a small change in their privacy policy to reflect that their site shows behaviorally targeted ads from google. Though google has given a way for individuals to opt out of this, it remains to be seen if this change could actually boost up publisher revenues and if publishers would be able to opt out in case it doesn’t.