By Jonathan Baker Here is a situation that should alarm publishers (not to mention advertisers): 54 percent of all Americans say that personalized ads creep them out, according to a recent study by YouGov. What’s more, 44 percent of users have ad blockers running all the time—regardless of the websites they are visiting. This is a stark difference from only a few years ago… When Consumers Had More Attitudes of Personalized Ads A McKinsey & Company report from 2021 concluded that 71 percent of respondents welcomed ads that were tailored to both their personal interests and purchasing habits. Additionally, 76 percent were frustrated and disappointed if they did not receive personalized interactions from brands they followed and purchased from. Consumer attitudes regarding personalized ads are therefore shifting. Publishers and advertisers must therefore ask very careful questions. Careful Concerns Are there any ways to reduce the concerns of these reluctant customers? If so, would these customers be open to personalized ad experiences? While there are no guarantees, steps in the right direction to consider are… The Discomfort Among Consumers As bluntly noted earlier, cautious consumers are “creeped out” by ads delivered to them. This negative feeling is based how the Internet “knows” their personal browsing histories, social media behaviors, and purchasing histories, as well as location-based and retargeted ads. The common thread of these concerns of course is privacy. And yet, these marketing methods are key to many strategies! How can publishers and advertisers appeal to consumers who are “anti-personal ads” in the hope of changing their minds? An initial step that must be taken is combining extra patience with added effort. Making Consumers More Comfortable Yes, there are practicable actions marketers can take. These actions may change any feelings of discomfort to those of comfort. These include: Providing the choice to opt out of receiving certain kinds of ads Minimal collection of data Clear privacy policies Regular updates on data usage (For purposes of authenticity and transparency, marketers should follow and curate these practices regularly, regardless of how consumers feel about personalized advertising.) Despite any concerns and fears consumers have, the benefits of a personalized ad experience remain strong in brand messaging. Last month, Media Post reported that 72 percent of consumers will continue and even increase spending based on personalized ads. Is your brand experiencing a loss of once loyal customers who are disappearing little by little? This could because of privacy-related fears and concerns. Contact The EGC Group for help. Our marketing experts will pinpoint the types of ads your customers will be open to receiving. Then, we will know where and how to present them, as well as when to pull back, if necessary. Partner with us. We will help close any divide between you and your customers.
