Behavioral Targeting Freaks Out Consumers
Behavioral targeting for online content has been around for a while, but your customers might have just learned about it. And they might not be comfortable with the idea.
Almost 6 in 10 respondents (59%) to a Harris Interactive survey said they weren’t comfortable with ads or content targeted to their online activity. Can you blame them? I was creeped out the first time I saw Gmail ads matching my emails.
About 55% said they would be comfortable if websites adopted four privacy-friendly policies. About 45% said they still wouldn’t be comfortable. The policies:
1. Explain to users how their information would be used
2. Offer choices for the types of tailored content and ads
3. Apply security measures to safeguard personal information
4. Promise not to share the information with other companies without consent
The 14% difference is not huge, but it shows that transparency can help build consumer trust. Some companies have already shed some light on their policies:
That 14% means you could earn a little trust through some explaining and reassuring. The question is whether a little more trust is worth revealing what data you store.
Categories: Consumer Marketing behavioral targeting
