In a world where privacy concerns are taking center stage, advertisers are taking a step back to a more traditional approach to advertising – contextual advertising. With contextual targeting, advertisers and publishers are not dependent on consumer data to deliver targeting solutions, instead relying on the audience who is consuming the media. The days of third-party cookies are numbered and with it, the importance of contextual relevancy for both ads and content is more important than ever. Small niche websites that have very targeted audiences already benefit greatly from contextual targeting as they can know exactly who is consuming their media.

The content displayed alongside the ad is equally important. Engaging and relevant video content further enhances the brand awareness. If the video is interesting for the user, the user’s site duration is likely to increase.  Additionally, more relevant video content will ensure an upgraded user experience. 

Aviad Zamir, Truvid’s Director of Business Development further explained, “combining contextually relevant video ads with engaging and relevant video content optimizes brand awareness and ensures an excellent user experience.”

According to a recent study, 79% of consumers are more comfortable seeing contextual ads than behavioral ads. This is because the ad is compatible with the content of the page and feels less disruptive to the end user, which increases engagement.

Some would argue that contextual targeting has more impact than its predecessor, cookies. Not only does contextual advertising benefit advertisers, but it is also brand safe and ethical from a data perspective. Contextual technology can understand the nuances and sentiment of a page and deliver ads that are relevant and applicable in the context and at the time they are viewed. 66% of consumers said that they were uncomfortable with businesses and brands tracking their browsing history to show them personalized ads. It is evident, users feel more comfortable with contextual advertising rather than ads based on data. 

The traditional approach to advertising has a proven track record and is available right now, unlike alternative cookieless solutions which are new and currently lack scale. Rather than following a user around the internet, brands can identify a relevant environment and deliver an ad within that content. This approach can also reduce ad fatigue for the end user.

It’s ironic to think that we are going back to the basics in the adtech scene. We are reverting to what advertising used to be – very traditional. Cookies replaced contextual advertising for a while because they were a way of tracking each individual user. However, the industry has realized that contextual advertising is more effective for all parties, in reaching the right audience.

The future of advertising may look a lot like the past, with the reemergence of contextual advertising. As we continue to prioritize privacy concerns, the focus will shift back to traditional methods that have been tried and tested. Advertisers must be prepared to adapt to these changes and embrace a more contextual approach to advertising if they want to succeed in the modern digital landscape.