When an online marketer discusses targeted advertising, what comes to mind? Since we're talking about the online market, certainly Google Content-Targeted Advertising and Adwords position themselves at the forefront of our thought processes, but an advertising campaign that most efficiently and effectively reaches your target market can be, and probably should be, so much more.

Content-Targeted Advertising refers to the ads that show up at various places on the Internet based on the content on that page. Adwords is based on what keywords have been used in a search and therefore a person who made that search would theoretically be interested in a theoretically similar product or service.

These systems have advanced so far that they are, in fact, fairly good at delivering results that are related to keywords or content. But is that enough to say you're really employing a strong targeted advertising campaign?

Targeted advertising has evolved since the development of Internet marketing, but it is still about reaching real people who want, need, and, most importantly, will buy your product or service. In years past, it has all been about demographics, with strategies based on the premises that run along the lines of: many people in this [age/gender/culture] seem to like it, therefore many more people in the [age/range/culture] will like it and certainly buy it.

Of course, it will require that we bludgeon them with advertising, but it will work out in the end. Right?

Probably not as well as it used to.

Research into customer behavior is now a valid method of target market research. It's no longer a question of demographics, but one of intent. With the proper analysis, marketers can move past the generalities of demographics and into the specifics that you can target when you understand actual behavior and intent.

Demographics as a foundation for targeted advertising assumes that a customer will fly straight and true right through to the checkout line. And why? Simply because everyone else in your demographic did, so why shouldn't you? There is sound research to be had here. Surely the 20-30's are interested in different things than the 60-80's. But interest doesn't mean they behave same way as everyone else in the demographic.

Intent as a foundation for targeted advertising, on the other hand, lets you focus on what a visitor really wants and what they expect from your website. Some visitors may be open to your product, but only if you provide enough information to make them feel safe or confident in their purchase. Or maybe they require more discussion from other customers who purchased the item and look to forums for their information. If you do your research right, you can begin to tailor your site and target real intentions to buy rather than a general chance of interest.

In simpler terms, then, if you are targeting demographics, then women get shoe ads and men get truck ads. Life isn't that simple. By targeting real intentions you actually deliver to your clients something they actually want.

Can this really be done? Due to the nature of the Internet, customer behavior and trends can be tracked and analyzed easier than ever before. It is possible to learn the things that turn customers on or off, and a strong targeted advertising campaign must take these behaviors into account. Someone shopping for shoes is going to require some pictures and an intuitive purchasing system. On the other hand, someone looking to invest in mutual funds or other wealth investment system will likely spend hours upon hours researching before they make a decision. You can learn this kind of information and use it in a successful marketing strategy, providing the pictures or the information your customers desire.

In the old days, advertising was a random, shotgun approach to delivering your message. The idea was to push people or convince them that they wanted what you had to offer. Internet marketing and targeted advertising, on the other hand, is about making yourself available to the people who are already looking for you.