Reverse Targeting: Boost Conversions?

To date, most online targeting has been to sift through the millions of daily hits to find the one or two consumers who will convert into sales, but by reversing the target could marketers raise even more revenue?

by Kristina Knight

The possibilities for reverse targeting – sifting through those millions of daily hits to remove the thousands of consumers who will not convert sales in order to find those who will convert – seem endless. But can the system work?

In an interview with MediaPost’s Behavioral Insider Toby Gabriner, CEO of x+1 said, “We do need to look at behavioral and contextual variables. But we need to work as hard in separating out non-prospects as at finding prospects.”

By screening the audience and determining who to display ads to, there is a greater chance for sales conversions, according to Gabriner. Uninterested surfers aren’t bothered by ads while those who are interested, based on behavioral patterns, see the ads. This kind of reverse screening could signal a change in how online advertisers will work in the future.
“The payoff for audience screening is that publishers can help media planners be more efficient,” Gabriner said (via MediaPost). “If you can eliminate audiences members who will in all likelihood NOT respond to the advertiser's message, why not? It will improve the client's ROI and your standing in their eyes.”