Study: Behavioral Targeting Reaches More Buyers, at Lower Cost

In a study of the impact of behavioral vs contextual targeting on an internet advertising campaign, behavioral targeting identified and reached 50.3 percent more imminent buyers of Panasonic plasma TVs than contextual targeting. According to the study by Next Century Media and Insight Express, the cost of reaching each potential buyer was also 50 percent less than with contextual targeting, MarketingVox reports.

Audiences reached by behaviorally targeted advertising showed a 67.6 percent greater preference for the Panasonic brand (among plasma TVs they would most likely next purchase) than those reached by contextual targeting. The study showed a 168.9 percent advantage for behavioral targeting over run-of-network, in terms of increasing the likelihood of buying the Panasonic’s brand of plasma TV.

Behavioral targeting also generated a 63.1 percent increase in unaided brand awareness - 3.45 times more than was the case with contextual targeting. That finding is consistent with those of a Next Century Media/Pretesting Company eye-tracking study regarding the same advertising campaign.

The online advertising campaign ran on the Tacoda Audience Networks, delivering a total of 12.6 million impressions.