You might have encountered this: you are planning a trip to Tokyo, you are searching for some hotel information online. After that, you keep seeing the same Tokyo hotel ad on every site you visit, like the ad is tracking you down.
This is what we call “retargeting ad” in digital marketing. Simply put, the ads are served according to your browsing history, as this is the most effective way of running the ads. As a consumer, these ads should be most useful to you. For advertisers, they could reach their target customers with very precise targeting. However, you may still want to avoid these ads as they could become annoying.
You may consider the following ways:
Tip 1: Clearing your browsing history
You can clear this information in your browser setting. But you may also have deleted the frequently visited websites. So please remember to bookmark them.
Tip 2: Clearing the cookies
You could set your browser to not accept cookies. However, you may need to re-enter your username and password every time for some websites. Use with caution.
Tip 3: Use Incognito mode
When you start your browser, you may use the “incognito window”. Under this mode, the browsing history and cookies will not be saved. Yet, your employer or other related platforms may still trace your IP address.
Tip 4: Install anti-trackers
There are many tools in the market that help you block cookies or even ads. For example, Disconnect, Privacy Badger and AdBlock plus are all useful extensions.
Conclusion
The retargeting setting may sometimes be a bit annoying, but it is also a powerful tool for marketers to focus on their target customers. Choosing the right privacy setup on your devices will make your browsing experience more enjoyable. Happy surfing! ( ... what an old-school term! 🙂
Thank you.