Understanding Behavioural Marketing Software
I work for a small independent publishing company. The company is privately owned and we often use less traditional means to promote both our print and online publications. So it was not a big surprise when I was contacted by an account manager for a new behavioral marketing service. The company is called Soho Digital International and they have a number of market leading companies as their clients, including Dell, T-Mobile, Hotels.com, Match.com and Travelocity. They are located overseas, not really sure how this effects privacy laws, and associated with Direct Revenue and the Best Offers Network.
My understanding of Behavioral Marketing was limited to how ads can be displayed on a website, based on the users behaviour or interest in web content. I was notfamiliar with the Behavioral Marketing software so I visited the Soho Digital website for a description:
“Behavioral marketing works from a simple idea: that consumers will consent to viewing targeted ads in exchange for free software for their computers.”
The key question here is really consent, how does a consumer consent to receive ads on their computer? The answer is that user downloads some software, usually for some other intent, and the software records where they go and what they do online. The software also provides the mechanism to display a pop-up ad based on the user’s behavior online.
This leads to the next question, which software includes this behavior recording and ad display? The answer isn’t easily available on the Soho Digital site but by visiting the Best Offers Network you can see some of the partner software. They include the following:
* Eliminate Spam
* Luke the Screenwasher
* Smiley Source
* ID Theft Radar
* Sam Free Skype Radar
* Record-n-Rip
* Mahong
* Atomic Clock
Each of these software packages includes a EULA ( End-User License Agreement ) that is about 6 pages long. I believe the most relevent statement in the EULA is :
“This Software will collect information about websites you access and will use that information to display advertising on your computer.”
I think this makes the intent of the software fairly clear but it does assume the user reads the EULA. Its fairly well known that most users do not read the EULA and just click NEXT, NEXT through the installation. There is very little information outside of the EULA on the software’s behaviour and the user has no control over what information is provide and when ads can be displayed.
So exactly how exactly does the Behaviour Marketing component work? My account manager at Soho assures me that there are several options to position my advertising.
* Targeted URLs
When a user goes a target website, presumably a competitor, the software can launch a popup with my website displayed. Is there any limit to the number of URLs? Not really, it depends on how many the advertiser is willing to pay for.
* Key Word Based
Its also possible to have your ad displayed when the user starts entering data related to certain key words, either in the URL string or on web page forms. Is there any limit to keywords? No, not really it depends on the how much the advertiser is willing to pay.
* Time Based
If I have a time sensitive promotion, for example an election, err.. time limited sale. I can display my ad on periodic basis for a a given time period. For example if I have a time sales special going on for a month, I could have my ad displayed every day when the user starts their web browsers. Is there any limit to the sales period or the display interval? No, depends on the advertiser again but the account manager doesn’t recommend displaying the ad repeatedly more often than every 15 minutes. Can you imagine getting the same ad every 15 minutes?
Targeting a demographic with this Behavioral Marketing system is not really possible. Soho can isolate customers to a particular geographic area though. In my case they would even be able to provide my ads only to customers in the Province of Ontario, Canada.
Conclusion
Soho claims to have 25 million users of that can receive their Behavioral Marketing advertising. While it can be tempting for small companies, and even large ones like Dell, do use Behavioral Marketing Software I don’t believe it’s the path to customer loyalty. Ultimately I don’t believe you’ll attract meaningful customers by annoying them with unexpected advertising.
Colin Smillie has extensive technical experience gained at several leading Internet, wireless and security providers in Canada and Asia-Pacific. He studied Electrical/Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ottawa and Computer Electronics in Ontario, and has been able to translate this technical expertise into the classified media industry for Trader Media Corporation. His current role as Product Manager of Automotive Products involves product development, competitor analysis and advertising performance tracking and search engine optimization, as well as alliance-building with third parties. He speaks fluent French, good Japanese and enjoys designing computer games in his spare time.
Tags: Behavioural, marketing, software, spyware, Target, TrackingOnline Marketing Your Security Risks And Prevention
As an online marketer my computers security is always in the back of my mind. My computer is the heart of my business, so keeping it safe should be prioty number one. Although sometimes it does slip to priority number two, which could as a result have a devastating effect on both myself and my customers. So this is a gentle reminder to be really aware of your online security. Ask yourself the question, Do you have a firewall? Do you have antivirus? Do you have antispyware software? You have…fantastic. You haven’t got all three protectors then start too panic just a little. However there is an easy solution.
Visit expert websites such as Microsoft etc www.Microsoft.com and view their online security sections. There are amazing resources available offering full expert advice and links to applications and scans that will help you patch all the gaps in your computers security.
I am quite aware of Internet security issues at most times, but lately have been a little lazy when it comes to important issues, like keeping all of my security applications fully updated. What brought my attention to this issue was the current threat, the ‘Sober’ virus, although a medium risk it is still a threat. It is just one of hundreds that have appeared before and that will appear again in the future in many different forms. The pointer of this current threat for myself, started as usual by getting emails with attachments, addressed from such sources as the FBI and Paris & Nicky Hilton.
From experience of virus threats before, I deleted then instantly, even though it was so tempting to open them. But resisting the urge, they were instantly deleted. Then I checked all of the current virus threats doing the rounds, and there the information instantly was before me. Had I opened those emails, the result would have been, that my full email list would have been sent out too, with the virus attached, thus replicating the ongoing effect of the virus. And secondly it would have turned off all my computers antivirus protection. Such are the penalties and the effects of opening a simple email attachment from someone whom I did not know, which may have had as a result, a devastating effect to my whole computer system and online business activities.
There would have been no excuse for myself if this result had of happened. Because there is no valid reason or excuse on the planet available at all for me to not be aware of security issues. The range of information and software available to combat any security problems are readily available and mostly free. Ad-aware as one example combats spyware and adware and is available in a free version. Zonealarm is another example which is an Internet firewall and is available also in a free version. And most antivius companies offer free trial versions of their software as well.
All of these company names given are as a guide only, always make your own individual provider choices. And there are so many choices available out there online, so do the research, and make your decisions on your own computer security requirements. Although as a note, I would advise you to only visit expert sites and use the companies that they recommend. There are issues with certain products pretending to be what they are not. So check the information only through valid expert sources and search all your options from there.
Your computers security and your online surfing safety, using available security applications is a paramount action. But as always the action to protect is solely up to you. Be exactly aware of what is happening online with ongoing security issues and react always accordingly. Update your available security software always and check that it is always enabled. Because it will only ever save you time, money and your own piece of mind in the long run.
Michael J.Keenan (CEO-SitePromotionNow) Acheiving High Online Sales Turnover For Over 5 Years. Visit me at http://www.sitepromotionnow.org Also visit me at my new online marketing information blog at http://sitepromotionnow.blogspot.com/
Tags: advertising, antispyware, antivirus, business, firewall, marketing, online selling, security
