Google Introduces Interest-based Adsense | Hacker News Reader

Google Introduces Interest-based Adsense

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30 pointspeter12321 comments

Everybody and their dog has said they're going to provide this Really Soon Now for the last 15 years, and it still isn't going to happen, because interest is not intent.

I'm very interested in saving for retirement. As a working professional, convincing me to use your brokerage/retirement products instead of the next guy is worth Quite A Bit Of Money as long as I stay. However, I have no intent of switching brokerages today, like I would be demonstrating if I had just googled [open roth ira account]. Ditto "wow, he certainly appears interested in computers" vs. "I have my credit card in one hand and my mouse in the other, who wants to sell me a laptop".

This is the big reason Facebook can't monetize my pageviews despite the fact that their algorithms could infer more about my interests than many people who have known me for years.

Google has a pretty good ecosystem setup.

If I click on a google ad to buy an xbox, google know I bought an xbox, or am thinking about buying one (If I went through Google checkout, they can be sure, but that's not in the current mix afaik). It's probably a good idea for them to show me offers on xbox games and accessories once in a while after that.

Facebook can monetize your pageviews. They just choose to spend it all on 800 employees, swish offices, etc etc.

I don't think Google is that good with integrating all the data they have. For example they still show me Google Chrome ads on pages I open with the Chrome browser.

I also doubt Google AdSense would show me ads based on the contents of the referring page (as a limited form of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_targeting). Also Facebook could use all the external links you post or click to build a profile of you, but their limited keyword ad targeting indicates they don't.

> I don't think Google is that good with integrating all the data they have. For example they still show me Google Chrome ads on pages I open with the Chrome browser.

Not to do so would be micromanagement, or rule-based algorithms. It decided, correctly, that you would be interested in Chrome. That's plenty.

interest in a subject is not intent to buy. however, i don't see why its unreasonable to assume that someone who is showing regular interest in something is more likely to buy than someone who isn't.

This sucks. Tracking our every move just to give us targeting advertising is a terrible thing. Especially for consumers.

I'm sure someone somewhere will be naively missing the point, happy that the advertising will more targeted and relevant.

Hasn't Yahoo! been doing this since a while?

http://advertising.yahoo.com/marketing/bt/

Yeah. Next Amazon will remember your previous purchases in order to offer you relevant suggestions for what you might like! Then where would we all be?

You can also opt out from being shown the targeted advertising.

http://www.google.com/ads/preferences/view?sig=ACi0TCio0d5X9...

adblock https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865

flashblock https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/433

ghostery https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/9609

Well I am happy advertising will be more targeted and relevant, both as a consumer and an occasional advertiser. A transaction implies agreement on both sides, anything which facilitates it is good. Advertisment by itself will never put a hand in your pocket.

As for tracking every move... They're already doing it for some time. This way indeed it will be easier to get to the information - a spouse of a friend may find your Interests page ... interesting. But considering the world now, and most likely the world of the future is filled with social networks whose primary job is to advertise your interests to everybody, I don't think most people will have a problem with this. Especially the young. As for those who do... you can always opt out.

Google's strength is ads that you (likely) want to see, instead of flashing banners, stealing your attention. Ads are presently targeted by your google search, and by your gmail content.

Note that google already tracks your searches: http://www.google.com/history/

Very cool. Anything to make advertising more targeted and relevant is a great thing. Both for advertisers and consumers.

I'm sure someone somewhere will be up in arms completely missing the point, complaining that Google is tracking their every move though.

well they are tracking their every move!

As they have been for years. My point is this isn't any 'extra' threat. If you don't want to be tracked for some reason, install adblock, or block the google domains.

Since adsense appeared on tons of websites they've been able to track people. Just like all the other advertising networks that have been tracking people for the last 10 years+.

Phew. Interest meaning involvement/attention and not interest rates. I read the headline and checked the date to see if it was April 1st already because Adsense revenues based on the Fed prime rate or 30yr fixed mortgage rate would be a funny caricature of the current economic situation. Of course, it would not be funny if they actually did it, which I'm glad they didn't.

As long as they are just inferring what type of ads I am interested in, I wish that someone would just ask us what we are interested in. Or at least rule out the things we are NOT interested in. Like, stick a little button on their ads which says "dislike?" and we could click it and not be shown any more of those ads (or ads in that category).

According to the article, users will get a Ads Preferences Manager. It will show what Google thinks you're interested in and you can change the categories as well.

Edit: It has an opt-out button as well. http://www.google.com/ads/preferences

That's exactly what Adpinion does: http://adpinion.com/

is this based on cookies or the css history hack?

Probably cookies, I think the Google cookie lives for a really long time. And anytime Google sends you something, they can send and check for cookies. That includes Google Analytics, too, I suppose.

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