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Data points that Facebook uses to target ads

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Data points that Facebook uses to target ads

#91

Post by TheSpiceIsLife »

tspiteri wrote: post #87
sgift wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon does this all the time with me. "You just buyed a headset, do you want another one?" ... really? How many people buy multiple headsets in rapid succession? Hopefully, their engine will learn with time to differentiate between categories where you often buy many in rapid succession and categories where you only buy every few years, so this gets better. At the moment, it is completely useless.

Well, I bought a headset for home, liked it, then bought an identical headset for the office. Someone else might like it and buy another for a friend. Probably their engine has found out that this is common enough for it to be worth recommending another headset rather than something else.

But why would I need a recommendation engine to show me ads for the thing I just bought, even in that scenario because I've got it in my hand and like it, so I'll just order another one like I did two days ago.

Re: Data points that Facebook uses to target ads

#92

Post by anexprogrammer »

wvrvwwwe wrote: post #77
erikb wrote: post #61

"perfectly targeted ads"? Never had that experience. Even if I summarize all the analytics solutions out there, like ads, Facebook stream, Youtube, Amazon, Netflix. What they usually do is they figure out what I did in recent history or in general and present me more of that. I don't know about other people, but that's absolutely not what I want. That's boring, or maybe even unnecessary. Like, if I just bought a book…

> What we need is not a "I know what you did and here is more of that" suggestion engine I really agree on this. The Youtube homepage exemplifies it for me. It recommends only content the same as or very similar to what I've watched before, and only the most popular of that. I've watched a ton of conference talks, programming tutorials, etc. yet those never show up. It's mostly junk with clickbait titles from big cha…

"I do like Youtube's recommendation algorithm for the side bar suggestions"

You do? It does ok if I'm watching something technical or some reviews. It's laughably bad at music and wider interest content such as a documentary. If you hit a music track, 50% of the recommendations are the same damn track in degrading levels of quality, 30% the same band. The 10% that's left for other artists are normally a really bad connection to the mood. The last 10% lately is taken by awfully bad match, clearly sponsored, junk though never identified as sponsored.

Most of the time I'd like suggestions in the same genre or mood of music. If I've just watched an upbeat rock track why not suggest other upbeat rock tracks? Last.fm radio was superb at this, for years, until CBS destroyed it. So it can't be that hard.

I think the only times I use the sidebar is if the vid I landed on is terrible quality or a bad hit.

Re: Data points that Facebook uses to target ads

#94

Post by et-al »

johannkaupen wrote: post #67
erikb wrote: post #61

"perfectly targeted ads"? Never had that experience. Even if I summarize all the analytics solutions out there, like ads, Facebook stream, Youtube, Amazon, Netflix. What they usually do is they figure out what I did in recent history or in general and present me more of that. I don't know about other people, but that's absolutely not what I want. That's boring, or maybe even unnecessary. Like, if I just bought a book…

Experiencing this with Instagram now. I used Instagram to follow lots of different accounts but basically didn't like anything apart of places I want to go to based on pictures posted by NatGeo and the likes to have a list of that at one point. Now Instagram only shows me this stuff and I'd have to scroll very far to find posts by friends. Now I'm not using Instagram anymore.

Wish there was an option to switch back to chronological view.

I'd argue that the new algorithmic feed makes things less democratic because naturally the most popular images and posters will trend to the top of my feed, leaving the friends who post once in a blue moon towards the bottom (even though I'd like to see their images just as much). The randomness of chronological was nice, now I just browse in my bubble of existing interests.

Re: Data points that Facebook uses to target ads

#95

Post by hueving »

tspiteri wrote: post #87
sgift wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon does this all the time with me. "You just buyed a headset, do you want another one?" ... really? How many people buy multiple headsets in rapid succession? Hopefully, their engine will learn with time to differentiate between categories where you often buy many in rapid succession and categories where you only buy every few years, so this gets better. At the moment, it is completely useless.

Well, I bought a headset for home, liked it, then bought an identical headset for the office. Someone else might like it and buy another for a friend. Probably their engine has found out that this is common enough for it to be worth recommending another headset rather than something else.

If you liked it, why do you need ads for alternatives?

Re: Data points that Facebook uses to target ads

#96

Post by fma »

hueving wrote: post #95
tspiteri wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, I bought a headset for home, liked it, then bought an identical headset for the office. Someone else might like it and buy another for a friend. Probably their engine has found out that this is common enough for it to be worth recommending another headset rather than something else.

If you liked it, why do you need ads for alternatives?

They serve both the one you have been looking at and other ones. If you like it then it's one click to buy more. If you hate it, it's one click for an alternative...

Re: Data points that Facebook uses to target ads

#97

Post by ardacinar »

erikb wrote: post #61

"perfectly targeted ads"? Never had that experience. Even if I summarize all the analytics solutions out there, like ads, Facebook stream, Youtube, Amazon, Netflix. What they usually do is they figure out what I did in recent history or in general and present me more of that. I don't know about other people, but that's absolutely not what I want. That's boring, or maybe even unnecessary. Like, if I just bought a book…

Another targeting mistake is by language. On Facebbok, My profile includes Swedish, Italian and Dutch as languages I know. I've seen ads in those languages even though the products aren't even close to available for me (Though the ads are kinda memorable, especially the Postnord ad that I ran into for about 100 times, I wonder how much ad money they spent solely on me)

Re: Data points that Facebook uses to target ads

#98

Post by jypepin »

I definitely notice facebook ads being more and more interesting to me. And even more interesting is that most ads are of the "need creation" type. Things I didn't really google anything about, or I never really thought as a product I would buy that show up and are actually relevant to me.

Last one I can remember is from yesterday a new startup doing good, cheap luggage (both carry on and bigger ones) which had me go to their website, spend some time looking at some of their stuff and made me think that I new a new carry on since then and I'm very close in puttin $250 in a carry on...

I guess I travel pretty frequently I don't know if facebook is able to say that I travel a lot by different locations I check in, or from my use of google flights and booking.com etc. but yeah, I never googled anything about luggage or buying anything else related to travelling (except hotel and plane tickets). So pretty interesting to see

Re: Data points that Facebook uses to target ads

#99

Post by anexprogrammer »

erikb wrote: post #61

"perfectly targeted ads"? Never had that experience. Even if I summarize all the analytics solutions out there, like ads, Facebook stream, Youtube, Amazon, Netflix. What they usually do is they figure out what I did in recent history or in general and present me more of that. I don't know about other people, but that's absolutely not what I want. That's boring, or maybe even unnecessary. Like, if I just bought a book…

Not a one of them appears to have thought of linking categories. If I just bought a mid or high price set of ear buds, sell me a nice case, some new music to listen to on them, or even a better music player, etc. Nope, more headphones usually.

If I just added some hiking boots, show me fluffy socks, gloves and coats. Maybe a compass and rucksack. Nope, more boots x4. Also bought: More boots x2, 1 pair of socks and a USB stick. Top Sellers in Athletic & Outdoor Shoes: Guess what? Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations... At which point it's getting tedious.

The only time the also-bought ad engines work is when buying music or books. I often buy those in 3s and 4s, and same artist/author or similar genre work pretty well there. For most everything else I buy they just don't work and are about as welcome as a party political tv slot.

I'm amazed none of them have tried to get a bit better at this.

Re: Data points that Facebook uses to target ads

#100

Post by barrkel »

zappo2938 wrote: post #17
barrkel wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't purchase GQ or Vogue because I don't want to be visually assaulted with lifestyle gunk. I have enough uses for my money and I don't want more things competing for that attention; trying to inculcate extra desires is not increasing my welfare. Some people aren't like you. They like having higher-level control over what they want; that is, they want to will what they want, and in that effort, they are working i…

I built a website for a monthly trade newspaper. They have 40 - 60 companies that advertise on the website. It's is a useful connecting companies and people who really need to purchase their services and products for their occupation. Clearly you don't want what GQ or Vogue is selling. If GQ or Vogue targets your demographic and the ad is ignored, not interacted with, or the X is clicked, Facebook will still show the…

You do see the difference between trade publications - connecting supply with existing demand - and the kind of marketing done in something like GQ, which is far closer to demand creation, right? For lifestyle goods in particular, demand generation is almost synonymous with trying to make the consumer unhappy with their life. It's pretty evil stuff, even more so in women's style magazines.

To the degree that FB advertising could be used for either ends of the advertising spectrum, FB data gathering for this purpose is at best amoral while averaging immoral. But we both know most advertising on FB isn't selling thirsty people water.

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