Ad on DU asks people to "endorse Pat Toomey"

[JPZenger]

Last edited Fri May 8, 2015, 03:37 PM - Edit history (1)

I thought internet advertising was supposed to target the ads to exactly the places and people where it is supposed to be most effective. Then why did an ad just appear when I was visiting the PA section of DU that asked people to click to "endorse Pat Toomey"?

(I didn't click it to see if it was satire).

[StandingInLeftField]

1. It wasn't.

[arcane1]

2. Sounds like Google noticed the Pennsylvania connection n/t

[malthaussen]

3. Internet ads target certain keywords.

They don't take a holistic approach. DU is full of ads for conservative causes, RW gun nuts, and religious freaks. I like to think it is just cynicism on Skinner's part (take the money and run), but really it is just that the ad algorithms are crap.

-- Mal

[Curmudgeoness]

4. I am so glad to have a star!

I think that all the ads go with certain words or sites. This is a political site, so there will be political ads. Also, Toomey's name may be in a post here, which would target an ad for him to show up.

But go ahead and click on it. My understanding is that there is no money paid unless the ad gets a click....and I used to love clicking those right wing ads when I didn't have a star, just so that they had to pay for nothing.

[MADem]

5. If a thread talks about a topic, the GOOGLE ADS pick up on it.

For a few years there, people would joke about the PURPLE vibrator/sex toy in an attempt to get that particular ad to pop up.

If you talked about what an asshole Ann Coulter was, you'd get ads for her books.

The ads aren't smart--they react to what's here. Be happy that money is wasted putting GOP ads in places where they won't resonate. It's a reverse on "bang for the buck."

[emulatorloo]

6. Yes, quite happy to see wingnuts waste their ad dollars and fund DU