Google Personalised Adverts - Help Or Hindrance? Will Search Engine Optimization Still Be A Worthwhile Marketing Tool?

It is reported that Google has released a system for advertisers that personalises online adverts. Apparently the system allows enterprises to adjust advertisements based on the user’s browsing history. It is thought that many large partner enterprises have already started to use the facility.

How often does the average user use a search engine? If you are a search engine optimisation consultant, probably every day! But to normal people, once a week is probably a lot. The user may perform search confined to a site such as Wikipedia or a newspaper, but a proper web search? Rarely. Thus, this targeted media is not going to be very visible if it is limited to the search engine results pages. Plus someone who is performing a true search is going to be more interested in the organic search engine positioning of what he is really looking for than just another advert. Then again, Google is diversifying away from just the search facilty into other services where these adverts can be seen.

And how is this mechanism going to use the browsing history? How much history does it need? Most users default to keeping only a week. Some users explicitly wipe out the history on a regular basis. When someone’s interests are a combination such as ballet and ice hockey (not as rare as it seems), what sort of advert will that create?

On first impression, this remarketing system is no different to retailers such as Amazon attempting to recommend new products according to the company’s browsing history. Then again, many Amazon customers use up many hours trying to tune the recommendations that can be totally irrelevant.

This new advertising scheme is another weapon in the armoury of online media that is unrealistic for many enterprises. For smaller enterprises, applying search optimization strategies to the company’s website is still going to be cost effective. search engine optimisation has a long term effect that does not rely on more obvious advertising strategies have become blasé about advertising. To them, a well optimised website is going to be more important than another banner or box advert that is there to be ignored. When an intending customer is using a search engine for its designated purpose, the natural search engine positioning of your company’s website is more relevant than anything else. It doesn’t matter what the client’s hobbies are, he wants the services that your organization has to offer, and search optimization can help that.

There may be the occasional advert that has an effect beyond its purpose. Those tend to be expensive television campaigns way beyond the scope of most enterprises. Online media is never going to have that social impact, but then again it can be much cheaper. search optimization techniques can help your company’s website reach a broad spread of new buyers who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer anywhere at any time of day.

Personalised advertising could work for larger enterprises. For them, it will have enough prominence to be worthwhile. For the smaller organization, search engine optimisation strategies applied to your website to enhance its natural search engine positioning can still have wide-ranging advantages.