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Online interactions are not only redefining how we receive and gather information, but also our definitions of ethics online are also being redefined. Majority of consumers now believe that using data to personalize ads is unethical. According to research, 59% believe that personalization to create tailored newsfeeds — precisely what Facebook, Twitter, and other social applications do every day — is unethical. Not only that, 91% of people find online ads more intrusive today than they did just a couple of years ago.



As we can notice, regulations such as GDPR are now being enforced to bring some boundaries and tracking. These shifts are making sure the advertising industry clearly differentiates editorial and news content from paid ads for transparency and less confusion of the public.



Transparency



Between the years 2016 and 2018, the once cheered for internet and social media platforms being a safe and happy space no longer exists. The internet is no longer an ethical place to share and connect without data being exploited, the way it was dreamed of in the 90s.



This has pushed many consumers to take “breaks” from their phones and social media accounts to alleviate the stress. The more informed millennial consumers are now shifting the arena of transparent advertising, where they want the opportunity to “opt out” of advertising tracking methods. There is a rising popularity of ad blockers more than ever before. Over 45% of users are using ad blockers to stop ads being displayed; many users are opting to pay the ad-free premium services. Transparency in advertising will inform consumers if tracking practices are being implemented and make the decision if they want to participate. Without this option, users are more and more are unforgiving to the services they use, such as Facebook.



On the other hand, many marketers and publishers have allowed agencies to autonomously buy ad space, granting them a lot of freedom. Especially with Google, Facebook and other advertising programmatic exchanges do not provide much transparency in the selling process. Now is the era of the sophisticated and automated decision making, pouring advertising budgets into the vortex of digital advertising. So transparency is not only needed on the consumer end, but also on issues of brand identity safety, looking closely where your brand ads are hosted and their context. In this way, many fraudulent digital ads can be easily spotted and dealt with. The more personal interactions in booking ads are now gone, the focus being on overall reach.



A specific way to address both issues is moving all display advertising in-house; using digital platforms and services to execute your projects while still managing all the decisions. This will give priority to your ad inventory quality and lessening the noise users feel when browsing online. Creating more control over digital advertising will be key for all digital marketers to move closer to greater transparency.



Personalized versus Contextualized



Both personalized and contextualized ads have emerged with their own benefits, mainly being used as separate strategies. While contextualized ads use content to determine insights about their audience interests, personalized ads focus mainly on the user profile data to enrich the audience experience. Today the online noise cannot be muted without using both approaches together to strengthen your ad value.



Personalization takes the first step to take into account what your audience would like to see as they are browsing. But contextualization in digital also provide additional insights into the why they are browsing for information. Using both methods in research and gathering data will better help meet exact requirements and improve user experience one step further. And in this manner, your marketing efforts and tools will be used to its full capacity and bring higher ROI.



Another important point to make sure is monitored continually is updating customer profiles with the latest information from various touch points. The more updated the information, the better and more current detailed view of your audience. This will also help create new niche content ideas as well as promotions for your publication. Mixing behavioral targeting and contextual advertising, helps the reader to find what they are looking for and ensure engagement. The higher the ad relevancy, the less noisy and the more valuable it becomes to the individual. As you manage and regulate your digital advertising, the relationship between your content and ads become as one unit and bring a sense of trust and quality to your brand.



As the consumer perceptions keep shifting from personalized content and protection of their profile data, there is now a need for a new standard for digital businesses. At each level of revamping, modernizing and growing their business offerings through emerging technology, every publisher need to consider their consumer’s right to privacy, as well as using this data ethically.






19 Oct, 2020
AdPerfect, one of the leading obituary platforms used by media companies across North America, will provide its technology and expertise to The Seattle Times, the most read local news and information company in the Pacific Northwest. The AdPerfect Obituary platform provides readers and customers with an exceptional experience for sharing the life and memories of a loved one who has passed. The platform provides a modern user interface and an efficient self-serve option for funeral homes and private parties to place obituary notices. “We’ve worked closely with AdPerfect for a number of years on other products and their customer service, attention to detail and willingness to be a true partner is second to none”, said Gary Smith, VP of Advertising – The Seattle Times AdPerfect was acquired by Tribute Technology last August, a company that provides funeral management and website software to 70% of the funeral home businesses in the U.S.A and Canada. Today, with a direct connection between AdPerfect’s obituary software solution and local funeral home’s software, this never-before-seen opportunity is quickly being adopted by hundreds of local media outlets. “We’re ecstatic to have The Seattle Times take advantage of our obituary platform, as the devotion and admiration they enjoy from informed readers throughout the Pacific Northwest demonstrates how committed they are to their customers. Being able to provide The Seattle Times and funeral homes in the Seattle area with a fully integrated platform will mean better service for families” said Jim McIntosh, Executive Chairman of AdPerfect. About AdPerfect AdPerfect is the most trusted provider of mobile-friendly self-service advertising solutions for publishers and newspapers. We build reliable online platforms and engaging interfaces focused on attracting advertisers, driving user traffic and growing print and digital revenue. For more than a decade, we have always been, and continue to be, committed to designing technologies that support the evolving needs of the media publishing industry. For more information, contact Jim McIntosh, Executive Chairman, AdPerfect at jim.mcintosh@adperfect.com or phone 604.760.9039.   About The Seattle Times The Seattle Times serves the Northwest with independent, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism, as the region’s most trusted news media company, dedicated to public service. The Seattle Times is the second largest newspaper on the West Coast and the most-visited digital information source in the state. Founded in 1896 by Alden J. Blethen, The Seattle Times is now led by the Blethen family’s fourth and fifth generations. It also owns the Yakima Herald-Republic and The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin About Tribute Technology Tribute Technology is the leading technology provider for the funeral and death care industry. Tribute Technology provides website design and development; online obituary applications; case management software; extensive funeral payment technology including credit card processing, ACH payments, crowdfunding, financing, and life insurance assignments; floral eCommerce solutions; digital marketing services; and personalization software for keepsakes, funeral stationery, and video. Tribute Technology's goal is to be the turnkey funeral technology solution for funeral homes and publishers across North America.
08 Sep, 2020
In partnership with the Local Media Association’s Digital Summit, Daryl Hively of Guarantee Digital conducted podcasts with each of the Association’s many Research and Development partners prior to the start of the conference. In this episode, Daryl sat down with Matthew Ipsan, to learn more about the AdPerfect freemium model, how the company is focused on helping the industry find new and sustainable business models and how the acquisition of AdPerfect by Tribute Technology is a game changer for local media companies.
04 Sep, 2020
Kirsten and Matthew were joined by guests Ashley Montroy, Executive Vice President of Tribute Technology and Nancy Davis from the Arbor Day Foundation. Both companies have seen tremendous revenue results by harnessing the power of data to make the customer journey both enjoyable and efficient.
04 Sep, 2020
With nearly 600 people in attendance, virtually, Matthew Ipsan of AdPerfect explained how the AdPerfect freemium model is a perfect example of a new business structure - one designed to provide local media companies with two essential elements for sustainability - significant expense reduction and new incremental revenue through e-commerce.
By jgreen 15 Feb, 2020
Tribute Technology, the leading provider of funeral management and website services, with cutting-edge personalization and technology solutions used by more than 70% of funeral homes in the United States, has acquired AdPerfect, one of the leading obituary platforms used by media companies across North America. The acquisition will deliver online and self-serve obituaries at no cost to local publishers, while also providing publishers of all sizes and platforms with significant revenue-driving products, such as the Tribute Store.
By jgreen 22 Jul, 2019
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By Pelin Arin 12 Jun, 2019
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According to recent research from the Online Classifieds Industry Report, 56.9% of companies are confirming that they plan to launch new products or services, while 58.6% planning to hire new staff in the next year and even, 38% plan to modify their business model in the next 3-5 years. This shows an optimistic and […]
By Pelin Arin 27 May, 2019
Online classifieds advertising, although mostly underappreciated, is now a dynamic category with constant challenges for the future, such as rise of new players and big data. Traditionally newspaper publishers would provide the bulk of all classifieds advertising, especially the employment, automotive and real estate advertisements. But following the shift toward online, classifieds […]
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