Five things worth sharing from the last week or so, brought to you by a different member of the Browser Media team every Friday.
This week’s My Five is by Joe.
1. Errrr – not the best ad targeting?
If I had to pick just one aspect of biddable media that I think makes it so potent, it would have to be the degree to which you can target a very specific audience.
Most platforms offer tools that allow you to be very selective about who gets to see your ads. As most biddable media operates on a ‘pay per click’ model, it is important to ensure that you are not wasting budget on clicks from users who are extremely unlikely to be interested in what you have to offer. Yes, the click through rates are likely to be low if your targeting is way off the mark, but you really do not want to waste impressions by getting the targeting wrong.
I was quite amused to see the following ad this week during a Facebook visit:
Whilst I am very pleased that Kontron has got the gig to kit out a major European airline, I really don’t think that they got the targeting right on this one. Curiosity got the better of me and I have to confess that I clicked on it and thereby used up valuable marketing budget when I have absolutely no intention of installing their in-flight entertainment systems in my fleet of private jets…
It seems that I am not the only one to have seen the ad, nor am I the only one to question the targeting. There are some funny comments, with the following summing up how most people felt:
2. Is TikTok the new Vine?
Until one of my sons introduced me to TikTok earlier this year, I have to confess that it had been off my radar. In case you are also over 30 (if it makes you feel better, I clear that particular milestone by a country mile…) and don’t know about TikTok, it is a social video app that allows users to share short videos. The videos are often edited with stickers, filters, and augmented reality, and definitely appeal to the younger generations.
Incredibly, TikTok was the world’s fourth most downloaded app in 2018 beating Instagram and Snapchat, so it is definitely a force to be reckoned with. I was interested to read 11 Reasons TikTok Is A Sleeping Social Media Giant this week, which does a good job of showing why it is a growing powerhouse and definitely one to watch as a marketer.
Perhaps another sign of my age is the fact that it all feels a bit familiar to me. Isn’t it just a case of being Vine with filters?
3. Twitter wages war against abuse
Social media can be a very unpleasant place to be with an endless supply of cretins bullies who use the anonymity of hiding behind a keyboard to unleash abuse that I very much doubt they would say to someone’s face.
There is no doubt that this is a real problem and there have been a number of campaigns to highlight the issue, most recently by Jesy Nelson, of Little Mix, sharing the misery inflicted on her online.
I was therefore interested to read the news that Twitter has created new algorithms to identify ‘cyber-bullying’ and ‘cyber-aggression’. I think we will need to see how effective this proves to be and what Twitter will actually do to accounts that are flagged up, but it is encouraging to see that pressure is building on all the social media platforms to do more to stamp out online bullying.
4. Farewell John
I think it is fair to say that it has been a terrible week for journalism, especially if you are a cricket or rugby star. Some terrible examples of journalism at its very lowest and I would like to think that such despicable behaviour will not go unpunished.
This week also marked the end of an era as John Humphrys signed off after 32 years on Radio 4’s Today programme. A tough, yet highly intelligent interviewer who is passionate about extracting the truth and not afraid to push hard for answers.
BBC director general Lord Hall joked, “public figures would breathe a sigh of relief at Humphrys’ departure”. I think I will just sigh with sadness and will miss the sound of his voice on the radio. Thank you very much for so many years of excellent broadcasting.
In case you missed it, you can watch his fairly emotional goodbye here.
5. Dogs in bags
If you are a frequent Browser Media blog reader, you will know that we have a soft spot for dogs. This is especially true for My Five posts, which are often adorned with dog photos.
A fitting end to My Five this week is a highly entertaining article showing some creative solutions to ‘containing’ a dog that have been adopted to overcome the canine ban on New York City’s subway network.
I was tempted to get Ruby, our office dog, into a sack but she has only just forgiven me for the lights:
Have a great weekend everyone!
