A few days ago, I needed to get a new battery for my phone. So
I checked Google for suggestions on where I could get some. Konga, Jumia (the
usual suspects) popped up and I checked around their websites. After sometime,
I logged off and ended up not buying.
A day later, I logged into my Facebook account to do some
gossip. Guess what I saw on the suggested ad section? The same exact battery
model I searched earlier and more similar suggestions. I was surprised. How did
Facebook know I checked up this battery model earlier? Same thing on almost all
other sites I visit.
Did a little research and learned something. It’s called Ad
Targeting. This is how it works…When you visit online retail sites, your
browser submits what you have searched to third-party ad networks. Such
information are like codes stored in what we called browser cookies. These allow
the ad networks share info on what you view and buy. [You can clear and disable
cookies on your browser]
When you then visit other sites in the same ad network,
since they have your info, the ads you viewed could be displayed again, hoping
to tempt you one more time.
image credit: IPdigIT
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