Please don’t misunderstand my title. I’m in favor of customizing the audience’s online marketing experience. Just ask any of our clients. We always recommend ways to tailor content to the specific needs and interests of their target market.
What we don’t advocate, however, is insulting the audience‘s intelligence in the process.
Like millions of other people around the world, I waste several hours a week on Facebook. This online community typically does a great job of using my personal preferences to show me ads that interest me.
Do I want to know about the upcoming fiction workshop in New York with Robert McKee? You bet. Would I like to join a new group for caramel lovers? Why not?
But am I really going to click on an ad because females in New Jersey of a specific age are eligible for a $500 gift card at the local discount chain? No way.
And it’s not because of a bias against discount chains. A similar ad from my favorite clothing retailer evokes an equally negative response.
Using my personal information to grab my attention when it has no relevance to your offer is a cheap ploy. It makes me wonder, do you really think I’m that dumb?
Maybe it works, and that’s why I keep seeing half a dozen of these ads every time I log on for my Farmville fix.
We recommend a different approach to customizing content: one that respects the audience and offers real value.
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