Today the successful development of many modern industries depends on the effective advertising. That is why advertisers try to use all the opportunities to present the information about their goods to the public. Tendencies of using the Internet resources as a source for setting ads are in a constant progress.
Thus, the Internet and online technologies changed the ordinary meaning of the notion ‘targeted audience’ and began to use all the advantages provided by these innovations. However, new approaches to advertising also revealed such controversial issues as the question of privacy and consumer trust which are widely discussed nowadays.
What makes people buy this or that product? What is the role of the targeted audience for effective selling definite goods? The answers to these questions are significant for those people who are involved in working out targeted advertising with the help of the Internet resources.
The possibility to use the information which is fixed in the websites when persons visit certain pages and click the links made the revolution in the advertising industry. It was the chance to use the current data about the preferences and interests of the public, work out and extend the ads according to this information.
Thus, the effectiveness of this method is supported by the statistical evidences provided by the advertising companies. Nevertheless, in spite of the obvious efficiency of targeted advertising, this phenomenon depends on definite social and legal issues connected with the problem of consumer’s privacy.
Thus, when you visit your favorite site and observe the ads which can prevent you from the effective and quick search, it is necessary to remember that it is you to whom the information is addressed, and it is you on whose data the ads are based. However, was it the consumer’s desire to present such type of the information to website publishers and advertisers who have used it for developing their ads?
The problem of privacy is discussed on different levels. Nevertheless, it is impossible to state strictly if the consumers’ concerns about their privacy have the base because of the peculiarities of the programs used for the interpretation of the information provided by consumers.
Targeted advertising can be considered as beneficial for consumers when we focus on such aspects as the appropriateness of ads for different groups which can be classified according to a number of criteria. The use of targeting advertisements may be both beneficial for the customers and sellers when customers are searching for the necessary item, and sellers are ready to propose it with the help of the advertisements.
However, trying to organize all the strategies in the company on the principles of targeting, advertisers can use the private information accessible in the sites inadequately, without paying much attention to the ethical issues. In this case, such a policy can be considered as ineffective and dangerous for the company which can break the law about privacy.
To create an ad for the targeted audience, it is important to get as much information about the potential customer as possible, but to find oneself successful in the process of collecting data about the customer, it is better to follow the principles of the privacy safety.
That is why it is important to implement definite norms and rules which should regulate the processes in target advertising in such a way they could not be challengeable for the questions of the consumers’ privacy.
Moreover, if the consumer thinks that the data about him is used with breaking the privacy laws, the level of consumer trust can decrease. This process is rather disadvantageous for the website publisher and for the advertiser because there can be a number of restrictive norms for the site and the advertiser which the consumer can use with the help of his advocates in order to protect his rights.
To follow the ads offered in the Internet and do online shopping, consumers should trust the information which is given in the resources. Consumer trust is also based on the level of the popularity of the site. It is important for advertisers to remember this fact while setting the ads on the sites.
Moreover, if there is the information about the facts of breaking the privacy policy associated with the activities of definite sites, consumers’ interest and trust also decrease.
Advertisers have a lot of possibilities to provide their goods in the markets with the help of modern technologies and the Internet. The advantages of these processes can be considered as obvious for consumers who form the targeted audience.
However, to use all these resources effectively, it is necessary to pay attention to the control of definite procedures which are safe for the consumer only until they are connected with his interests and the privacy issue.
If website publishers and advertisers use the definite information according to the norms of the law, they create the situation which is beneficial for both sides of the process. Nevertheless, when the data is used inappropriately, it is the risk not only for consumers, but also for the advertiser.