Imagining a less creepy future for digital marketing

Greater privacy controls will limit how marketers can target ads, so maybe it’s time to rethink some tactics

In recent months, platforms have taken several steps toward increasing privacy controls for users and limiting some abilities for marketers.

Google announced changes to the Chrome browser that will impact how cookies are shared with advertisers. Facebook announced plans to give consumers the option to decouple third-party data from Facebook ads. In the latest iOS update, Apple made it easier for users to opt out of location sharing and prevents other methods of location tracking.

There will likely be many more changes like this down the road, and these will be positive changes for consumers. For users, it represents a greater push toward privacy controls, as well as transparency about over how their data is being used.

But for marketers, it also points toward an environment where it will likely be harder to reach intended audiences.

Digital ad targeting standards are largely self regulated, aside from some exceptions (such as this Massachusetts law that regulates geofencing around medical facilities). The FTC in 2009 decided to allow ad networks to self-regulate behavioral targeting, and ad networks as well as industry groups have developed guidelines for acceptable targeting.

But just because you can serve someone a highly tailored ad based on their recent browsing history, a geofenced ad based on their location, or retarget an ad with a specific product (you put this in your cart but forgot to buy!) it doesn’t mean you should. And just because users have the ability to opt out of certain ads, that doesn’t mean these tactics are any more admirable.

Being tracked online

Some people have come to accept that they’re being tracked online, but many consumers are annoyed or creeped out by advertisers tracking them online.

A Pew Research poll in 2013 found that almost two thirds of internet users don’t like targeted ads. Pew released findings of another poll earlier this year indicating most Facebook users have no idea how their personal information is being used in ads.

Berkeley University researchers found similar results in a 2012 study, concluding most people don’t like advertisers tracking them online and don’t understand how this tracking works. More recently Acquia found 65 percent of people don’t know which brands are using their data.

With findings like this, it’s no surprise that more platforms are pushing toward greater privacy controls.

So this may be the perfect time to reevaluate digital marketing tactics and focus on less creepy ones.

SEO, SEM and other tactics

There are other ways you can still reach specific audiences without being creepy.

The importance of organic and paid search is clear, but another great benefit of these tactics is you can reach your audience in specific ways without tracking them. You can target highly specific keywords with your PPC campaigns and you can also target specific long-tail keywords with your SEO efforts.

But people who search likely already have an intention to purchase, otherwise why would the be searcing? What if you want to increase awareness of a product or service or reach people at an earlier stage in the customer journey process?

There are a couple digital tactics to consider.

Influencer marketing has its own ethical and legal considerations but if done right, it can be a highly effective tactic. This also allows you to do more niche marketing without tracking people online.

For example, if you sell outdoors products, you could find a social media influencer respected in the outdoors community. You’re still reaching your outdoors audience without creepy display ads.

Ethical considerations

Marketers have an ethical responsibility to listen to and respect the needs of consumers. The challenge is there is no simple or direct feedback mechanism for users who are creeped out by your online ads.

Some might speak up, others may not. Some may not  care. Some may stop doing business with you or have a negative perception of your business.

Removing some tactics from your digital marketing toolkit may hurt your ability to market to audiences, but in the long run it may also improve your reputation and relationships with consumers.

Companies like Apple have maintained their favorable reputation among consumers in part because of its commitment to privacy.

Jenna Jaconson, a retail marketing professor at Ryerson University, told the American Marketing Association she can see brands positioning themselves as ethical leaders, saying brands that are openly ethical and put consumer concerns first could win business.

This sounds a lot better than being creepy.