Advertisers have thrown various behavioral targeting techniques together into the kitchen sink in an attempt to make the most out of everything available. These techniques need to integrate, talk to each other and take multi-channel, offline initiatives into consideration, as well. But there is a light at the end of the behavioral targeting tunnel.

The answer is rooted in cookie technology. It’s been there since the dawn of advertising online and yet we’ve failed to maximize its common potential value. Web-wide, site-wide targeting that leverages all behavioral targeting practices is at our fingertips, but it requires a common language. It requires a common technical thread between the various behavioral targeting technologies, which will enable data to flow together. A language that can be spoken between each step of the selling cycle will bring search and banner advertising, network or event-based targeting, ad server optimization, site-level content management, site-side analysis and CRM all together under a common behavioral blanket. A common performance report, or at least the ability for data to flow between system reports in real or near real-time, is within grasp.

Behavioral targeting has been engaged and evaluated by its parts historically. Now we can do so by summing up the parts and doing so in real-time. Let’s look at cookies, and specifically, third-party cookies versus first-party cookies.

Author notes: Ari Kaufman is vice president, publisher services for LookSmart. Ari also maintains his blog, "Advertising Online, Reactionary with Insight" found at www.arikaufman.com.  Read full bio. Please note that the views in this article do not necessarily represent the views of LookSmart.