The client was disappointed with the performance of the product and the sales team was dissatisfied with their efforts. There was a huge budget towards this campaign and it was planned to be in market for another two months. Moreover, they were not open to reinvest in other products, so we had no choice but to fix this!

The Strategy

After investigating the performance of all the segments, we realized that although have utilized all the auto-related data in the campaign, only specific segments are generating large CTRs. Having studied in more depth, we realized there is a subtle difference in the behaviour of those audiences!

Originally, we had auto parts, accessories and services in the same group as new cars, car renting and leasing. What we found is that these segments are talking to two different types of consumers. While the former group resonates behaviours of car owners, the latter has more ‘vehicle shopper’ characteristics. Someone who already has a car is more likely to search for car maintenance services and parts, whereas a user who is in market to purchase a new car has a different behaviour.

True, it made a lot of sense having car segments to an auto advertiser but the reality is, the nature of the data can be very different. Having found that out and based on client’s objective we dropped Auto Service Shoppers segments and moved the entire budget towards Vehicle Shoppers data.

The Result

The outcome was phenomenal; by the end of the campaign we delivered a huge amount of traffic to the site and achieved a CTR of .13% which is 81% higher than the industry average. In the first month after the revision we saw a boost (107% larger than the industry average). Running the campaign against the appropriate audiences had a direct impact on the delivery of the campaign.

The challenge with audience targeting is to recognize the consumers’ mindset. After studying the purchase path of an auto buyer prospect we adapted our strategy so that it reflects accordingly. In other words, audience targeting goes beyond just reaching the market, rather it speaks directly to individuals and their needs. Therefore, it requires the intelligence to take a step further by putting yourself in users’ shoes and go through all the steps to realize what actions and/or searches they are likely to do.


About the Author
Niloufar Alaghehband is Mediative’s Audience Targeting, Product Manager. With experience in digital advertising, Niloufar seeks to provide insightful solutions for advertisers across the Canadian market with best in class audience targeting approaches. Niloufar is a strong believer in data advertising and is constantly studying various tools, platforms and technologies to ensure advertisers’ message is directed towards the right audience, at the right time in the brand-safe environment. Having completed MSc degrees in Engineering as well as Management, Niloufar is equipped with extensive analytical skills and a good understanding of business trends.