Behavioral Targeting: Not Quite Ready For Prime Time

From Online Media Daily - THE PROGNOSTICATORS SAY 2008 IS supposed to be the year behavioral targeting hits it big in the U.S.--reaching the $1 billion mark in terms of online ad spend, according to eMarketer.

But at the Behavioral Marketing Forum Tuesday, it was clear that obstacles exist ranging from definition to education.

"Behavioral targeting is any method of targeting a consumer after they've taken any kind of measurable action," said Carrie Frolich, digital practice lead, Mediaedge:cia. "And it's not only online."

Joe Weaver, associate media director, Media Storm, added: "It's not a line item on an Excel sheet. Behavioral targeting is a strategy."

Advertisers are also struggling to find metrics that can justify the premium prices for behaviorally targeted ads while providing quantification of ROI at the same time.

"We have to explain effectiveness in terms of traditional buying metrics like GRPs," said Frolich. The panelists said that sometimes those metrics don't fit if the desired outcome is engagement or brand awareness.

Developing effective behaviorally targeted creative also poses a challenge, as it often requires customization that may be out of a client's budget, or simply out of their capability because it involves conversation. | Read full article