Yahoo! Launches Behaviour-Based Targeting Tool

Yahoo! has announced an ad targeting platform called SmartAds, which uses demographic and online behaviour information to customise messages and disseminate different versions of ads for different target audiences.

The system enables advertisers to link Yahoo! demographic profiling data about the user (geography, age group, gender and purchase preference) with cookies containing information about online behaviour, and then with the pre-defined demographic characteristics of the target audience. From this, the system claims to personalise display ads in real-time to make them more relevant to the user, which the firm says will lead to improved click-through rates and conversions.

Several local newspaper and two major airlines are already using the new system, but Yahoo! expects to roll it out to other vertical markets - such as auto and retail advertisers - later in the year.

David Kenny, Chairman and CEO of digital ad agency Digitas commented on the new service: 'Yahoo! has a real advantage in SmartAds because of the data from their big and engaged audience, the combination of deep display and improving search capabilities, and the new changes to work with us at the technology level instead of just selling inventory.'

Perhaps surprisingly given its ubiquitous and booming competitor Google, Yahoo! recently took first place in Millward Brown's annual BRANDZ Top 100 Most Powerful Brands (www.mrweb.com/drno/news6702.htm ). Its web site is www.yahoo.com, while Millward Brown is online at www.millwardbrown.com.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.