EXADS’ advanced and custom targeting capabilities allow Advertisers to reach audiences with maximum precision through a wide spectrum of targeting options; including Browser, Time Schedule, Device, Location/GEO, Keyword, Mobile Carrier, Operating System, Behavioral, and Contextual. In this article we will focus on Contextual Targeting, completely non-reliant on third-party Cookies and with which you can seamlessly match ads with website content topics, ensuring the best possible end user experience. Keep reading to learn more.

What is Contextual Targeting?

What is Contextual Targeting and what is a cookieless advertising alternative? With Contextual Targeting, Advertiser ads are targeted and matched with the content on a Publisher website by interest or topic focus. Through EXADS’ platform’s Contextual Targeting tools, Advertisers can set up their campaigns to only place a bid on available ad inventory that matches the specified Contextual criteria. This means that the end user will be interested in the topic reflected in the ads and become more likely to click on them and convert, thus increasing your advertising revenues. Customer segments on sub topics can also be created using behavioral targeting to make Advertiser ads more accurate. EXADS currently offers 2 kinds of Contextual Targeting:

• Category Contextual Targeting: Ads are shown on the Publisher’s website based on the categories that said Publisher has previously set. For example, if you are a Publisher and you own a Travel Search website, you can set your website ads to lay under the same category.
• Keyword Contextual Targeting: This category will show ads on websites based on specific keywords that Advertisers can choose when setting up their campaign and match with the website’s keywords.

The difference between Contextual and Behavioral Targeting

When trying to answer 'what is Contextual Targeting?', understanding the difference between Contextual and Behavioral is key. The main difference between Contextual Targeting and Behavioral Targeting is that Behavioral relies on knowing the end user’s past browsing history to serve the ads, powered with third-party cookies, which as we all know are scheduled to stop working in the near future. 

Instead, Contextual Targeting requires no data about an end user to be effective since it relies on the idea that end users who engage with content about a specific topic are more likely to be curious or interested in ads which reflect the same focus topic. For instance, ads about a new popular series will most likely do well on a VoD website. This is how to serve contextually relevant ads.

What is Contextual Targeting? The benefits of Contextual Targeting

1. No cookies required: This is what a cookieless advertising alternative is; end users have grown increasingly weary of consenting to having their personal information used by online brands. Plus, online advertising is headed towards a Cookieless future! Contextual Targeting allows you to serve contextually relevant ads without intrusive data collection, avoiding privacy concerns because you are not invasively targeting your audiences based on their data.

2. Serve relevant ads and increase your ad revenues: Ad Tech is a highly competitive industry, with millions of ads served yearly - In fact, end users see up to 10,000 ads per day! Which means that relevancy is becoming increasingly important to engage your end users and make your online business thrive. End users will be interested in ads that are contextually relevant and valuable to their browsing purposes, providing you with quality impressions and higher ad revenues.

3. Great user experience: Because the ads are contextually relevant, they contribute to the improvement of the end user experience, creating a more cohesive and enjoyable browsing experience than if you were bombarding them with generic ads. This contributes to a high value browsing experience and a positive brand association.

4. Highly competitive ad zones: Contextual Targeting places your Advertiser’s ads near related content that your end users are interested in consuming; this makes them more likely to be receptive, giving your Advertisers higher chances to convert. This means that your ad zones will become more appealing to Advertisers, making them more competitive and increasing their long-term value.

5. Cross-channel consistency: Contextual targeting enables Publishers to deliver a consistent messaging across channels, whether they be through social media, website platforms or mobile apps. This reinforces the consistency of the Publisher’s brand, contributing to a great business reputation and, in time, to business growth.

EXADS: The ultimate Ad Platform with Contextual Targeting tools

Are you a Publisher or an Ad Network wanting to set up your own online Advertising business? With EXADS you will not only have access to a wide array of targeting settings, but you will also get a diverse range of ad formats and powerful platform tools at your disposal:

Extensive targeting options and tools: EXADS is the ultimate Ad Platform with Contextual Targeting tools. Plus, besides Contextual, we also offer Language, GEO, Region, Device, Browser, OS, Carrier, IP range, Frequency Capping, Day-parting, and more targeting options to suit your advertising needs. 

A fully customizable platform: By using EXADS’ White-label Ad Serving technology you gain full control to manage your data with total autonomy. Publishers can also customize the platform to match their website’s look and feel, allowing them to keep their brand’s identity as well as to manage the end user experience.

Excellent Client Support: EXADS’ full tech support team is available to answer your questions 24/7 and keep you informed of any new features or improvements to the platform. We also have available comprehensive Documentation for Advertisers and Publishers.

Scalability and Adaptability: EXADS has been developed to expand alongside your business’ growth. Whether the end user base experiences rapid or gradual expansion, the technology adjusts, guaranteeing consistent and dependable performance. Furthermore, they offer flexibility, enabling various ad formats and strategies tailored to the platform's unique audience.

Real-time reporting and customizable dashboards: With our real-time detailed performance monitoring tools you will be able to track the performance of your advertising ventures through real-time reporting and other useful detailed tracking tools. This enables Publishers to optimize their zones at any time to ensure that they are always performing at their best capacity. Dashboards can also be fully customized to get just the right and most relevant information for your business.

Conclusion: What is Contextual Targeting?

Finding a robust Ad Platform with precision targeting tools is a key aspect of successfully building your online advertising business. EXADS offers advanced and custom targeting capabilities including Contextual, non-reliant on third-party cookies, thus making your business future-proof. Do you have more questions on what is Contextual Targeting or how to serve contextually relevant ads? Or want to learn more about this or other advanced and easy-to-use platform tools? Contact the EXADS team today!