Social Media Targeting
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into Social network advertising. (Discuss) Proposed since 9 July 2010. |
 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
No issues specified. Please specify issues, or remove this template. |
Social Media Targeting is a form of targeted advertising that enables the customized placement of ads and communication activities on Web 2.0 platforms. Social media targeting combines current targeting options (like geotargeting, behavioral targeting, socio-psychographic targeting, etc.), to make detailed target group identification possible. With social media targeting, advertisements are distributed to users based on information gathered from target group profiles.
Social media targeting is not the same as social media advertising. Targeting is a method of optimizing social media advertising by using profile data to deliver advertisements directly to individual users. Social media targeting refers to the process of matching social network users to target groups that have been specified by the advertiser.
Application
People who use social networks store various information about themselves including, but not limited to, their age, gender, interests, and location. This stored information allows advertisers to create specific target groups and individualize their advertisements. The advantage for advertisers is that their ads can reach people who are interested in the product or service. The advantage for users is that they can see ads that appeal to them. Facebook, for example, the hugely popular social network, has developed a targeting technology which allows advertisements to reach a specific audience. This is why Facebook users see advertisements on their profile page that are tailored to their gender, music taste, or location.
Operation
Within social communities users provide demographic information, interests, and images. This information is accessed by social media targeting software and enables advertisers to create display ads with characteristics that match those of social network users. The important component of social media targeting is the provision of the users’ socio-demographic and interest information. By using this information, social media targeting makes it possible for users to see advertisements that might actually interest them. The availability of user data allows for detailed analysis and reporting, which is a big part of social media targeting and what makes it more effective than statistical projections alone.
Advantages
- Advertisers can reach users who are interested in their products
- Allows for detailed analysis and reporting (including Business Intelligence)
- The information gathered is real, not from statistical projections
- Does not access IP-Addresses of the users
External Links
- GWA Wiki: http://www.gwa.de/themen-wissen/werbe-wiki/?no_cache=1&tx_drwiki_pi1[keyword]=Targeting
- Monetization of strategies and business models for Social Networks http://www.slideshare.net/michaelaltendorf/updated-version-adtelligence-white-paper-monetizationof-strategies-and-business-models-for-social-networks?from=ss_embed