Rob mentioned recently the dodgy ads he was getting in Facebook. So with their new highly targeted ad system, here’s the type of ads I’m getting on Facebook.
This seems just to be targeted to Ireland
Same with this, nowhere did I say I was into guys. Targeted to all males in Ireland?
Seems like this is targeted just to Cork? Though they have a Dublin office too.
Targeted to all of Ireland?
For the canvas one, even if they have a Dublin office, they’re giving you the Cork number.
Facebook ads are pretty amazing, all right, but very creepy. It’s often entirely possible to set up an ad to target ONE PERSON; all you need to know is their age, employer, college, and a few other details like that.
By the way, I complained to Facebook about the ad that I mentioned in my blog. They wrote back after a few days to say that they would look into it, and that they’d get back to me. They haven’t so far.
I’m getting casino adds, the fitlads one and another with what looks to be “wanna date a schoolgirl.com”. Facebook aren’t sure if I want to gamble or fuck anything that moves.
By the way, I can confirm that the dodgy ad I mentioned before is still in circulation as of now.
It’s actually about all I’m getting, which is surprising; it’s quite clear from my profile that I’m one of those awful homosexual creatures, so I’d expect to be getting the fitlads thing.
And you WANT to join FaceBook…Why?
I’ve gotten the “Irish Gay Guys”, one, and I’m straight, and engaged, as listed on my profile.
Targeted ads my hole.
I’m guessing FaceBook will be out of business in a few weeks.
If you are a Windows user perhaps its time have a good look at updating your ‘hosts file’
\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
Or try a different browser
To be fair, Facebook only provide the information, it is the stupidity (deliberate or accidental) which ensures the ads get served to the wrong people.
In looking into whether Social Ad PPC or PPV was better for one of my clients, I realised it is very difficult to target the wrong people with the wrong ads, unless you decide to do a blanket sweep.
It actually threw up some pretty interesting stats too.
I get Micks Garage and the Fit Lads one. I actually ended up buying something from Micks Garage so I suppose that was pretty well targeted in the end.
On the other hand the fit lads one is way off the mark but I suppose targeting straight people is one way to break into a new market.
Also getting a Loreal skincare ad which seems particularly badly targeted at someone who uses nothing more than shaving gel on their skin.
Is it just me or does the Fit Lads logo not suggest someone who’s pretty happy with their own company?
Where’s that right hand?
They keep sending me either the Facebook Flyer showing some buxom “older woman” and asking if I want to date her (er, no, my fiancee would kill me) or the Fit Lads one (er, no, I’m not into the winkie).
At least I suppose it’s smart enough to know I’m in Ireland despite me being in the black North.
I think it’s targetted in a very crude way. They kinda ignore the groups (RPGs, iPhone, Mac) and they should work out a way to target you based on how you know your friends…i.e. if I met someone while basejumping then they should advertise psychatrists….
Looks like it’s targeted based on IP. My profile says I live in Ireland but I’m logging on now from France and hence I’m getting French ads.
I’m getting Fitlads ad all the time too… is it because I said I like Elliot Smith??
The Fitlads ad appears to be showing for everyone male and Irish; although based on who I know who’s seen them they might just be spookily well targetted with occasional mistakes…
The ‘Friend Wheels’ on Facebook can be quite fascinating. It can access information about the friends of one’s friends. And, based on some I have scrutinized, I would estimate that if a guy is into guys, then the same might well be true of around a fifth of his contacts. So if targetted ads were sophisticated enough to exploit this sort of information one could be outed regardless of whether one advertises sexual orientation on the profile itself.
Oddly, I’m gay myself (and it’s on my profile). About half my friends on Facebook are also gay males. And yet, I have never got the Fitlads ad (not that I’m too upset about this.)
I wonder did they get their targeting backwards? 🙂