Online ad targeting ‘beneficial for all’
Targeted online ads provide significant advantages for all of the parties concerned, Nick Stringer of the Internet Advertising Bureau has claimed.
The expert told the Internet Service Providers Association Legal Forum that consumers, advertisers and businesses have much to gain from this type of advertising, despite the potential for problems when it comes to online privacy.
Mr Stringer noted that advertising helps to keep many essential web services, such as search and email, free of charge for internet users, while businesses can benefit from higher traffic levels as a result of ads being more relevant.
He added: "It’s also more beneficial for advertisers. They know that they are actually reaching users who have expressed an interest in the products or services they can offer."
Targeted ads are being taken up with a growing number of websites, with social networking site LinkedIn recently launching a new tool to allow advertisers to focus on specific segments of its user base, according to Search Engine Journal.
