Myth 5: Behavioral targeting alone will solve your conversion problem
Reality: Targeting is not a perfect science, and there are definitely instances where behavioral targeting may not be the best way to make a media buy -- especially when used on its own. By framing a BT buy around other demographic criteria, purchase history or in-context placements, the ads will reach a more concentrated user base and amplify effectiveness.

The buzz around this technology has led some to believe that it can convert users without much additional effort, which is not usually the case. One problem with relying too heavily on behavioral targeting is that ads wind up in irrelevant placements because publishers can run them at any time, without regard for context. This is a major disservice to advertisers, as research shows that users respond to ads when they align with the context of the web page.

Simply using behavioral targeting will not automatically make the campaign perform better. Media planners and advertisers must still investigate which are the proper placements, ad unit sites, frequency caps and even the creative strategies (like banner design and landing pages).

It is easy to assume that emerging technologies and trends can miraculously solve marketing problems and increase conversion rates -- and they could. But for most, success will stem from a combination of established techniques and cutting-edge trends.

Diversification is key.

Myth 6: You cannot optimize behavioral targeting campaigns
Reality: Some may think that once users are targeted the task is complete -- they either convert or they don't. Luckily for advertisers, this is not true. If a certain user bucket converts well during the course of a campaign, marketers would be wise to continue to invest in this behavioral group and perhaps divert resources from another.

On a separate note, I have seen cases when buckets that are predicted to have high conversion rates do not perform as well as hoped. When a BT buy does not yield the expected results, budgets can be reallocated and behavioral parameters changed. Like all campaigns, it is important to keep track of how a behavioral buy is being carried out and not expect one method to bear the burden of all conversions.

If an advertiser is tracking and analyzing a campaign, there is always room for improvement.