Micro-targeting advertisements use data to address the specific needs and want of a small target audience and automatically customize the message and ad for that audience.
Micro-targeting ads are not new. This technique has been in use by marketers for decades. Promotional fliers sent only to households in specific zip codes are one of the best micro marketing examples of microtargeting by geographical location.
Today, data used in micro-advertising is bigger while offering a far wider reach. This means marketers have a better capacity to target specific audiences with content and advertising.
The Role of Data in Micro Ads
Early micro-targeting efforts – before the dominance of online marketing – were largely miss or hit. This was because there was no data. However, this has changed, and if you’ve been using Facebook you have seen this in action.
For example, you do a Google search for TVs in one tab. A few minutes after you open Facebook, an electronic megastore near you ad appears. As you scroll down the newsfeed, more sponsored posts appear from popular TV manufacturers.
With the collaboration of paid advertising platforms, social media, and data collected, it’s now possible for marketers to target a very specific audience using available information, including:
- Hobbies and interests
- Search history
- Demographic data
- The social media profile info
- Shopping history
- Web pages you visit
For example, this Lacoste Gift Finder interactive microsite is available in multiple languages. This means that it appears in German for German-speaking web users and so forth.
Content Personalization
The data available not only informs you who and where you should send your message. Data also offers insightful information on what the ideal message should have. Personalizing your message improves your ROI tremendously.
Data from the customer and third parties now makes it possible to identify your market segment and how to target it. This personalization is critical in several ways.
Personalized emails provide close to a 90 percent boost in conversions. You can use these emails to direct recipients to your landing page that also contains personalized content. This includes a custom message based upon the user’s zip code, for instance.
Dynamic content helps personalize the message on the landing page and website. An excellent micro marketing example is Amazon. The platform utilizes dynamic content to provide product recommendations based on your search history and previous purchases. They also personalize emails and newsletters they send out to their customers by simply replacing the HTML code with a personalized message.
How it Improves SEO
Micro-targeting ads allow creating content most relevant to the audience. Whether it’s your landing page content, blog post, a micro video ad, or an interactive microsite, relevant content improves SEO.
You can use micro-targeting to identify the best type of content, most effective long-tail keywords, and even when and where to post your content. It’s time you think beyond keywords. Provide content that answers questions prospective customers have, which helps improve your SEO naturally.
Conclusion
Marketing to the right audience has been a long-term priority for many marketers. Micro ads are cost effective and offer better results. Plus, customers are more receptive when content applies to their needs.