These examples show that Google and Facebook are engaged in a battle. The goal of this battle is nothing more and nothing less than gaining absolute control over the profiles of online users. This makes sense, because as the Internet continues to grow, it becomes increasingly important to be able to refine content, search results and advertisements based on the interests, preferences and needs of users.
After all, the added value of Facebook and Google is not just publishing an online advertisement for a fraction of a euro cent per view. The added value is bringing this advertisement to the attention of the right target group. Knowledge about these target groups is based on large amounts of customer profile data, which have been collected over the years using a free search engine and many other free online services.
The value of free
There is no such thing as a free lunch. Things that seem to be free are kenya phone number list always paid for by someone in one way or another. The only reason why these two companies invest hundreds of millions of dollars in providing fast, reliable online services is that they expect to earn this amount back – of course many times over. How? Through targeted online advertising and by becoming the de facto standard intermediary for social commerce transactions. Think of initiatives like Google Wallet . The price you pay for using free services from Facebook and Google is that these companies will no longer offer you 100% objective information, because someone else is willing to pay money to influence you. And for that last purpose, Google and Facebook need your profile data.
What does this mean for your own company?
If successful companies like Facebook and Google invest so much in ways to capture customer profile data, why wouldn't your company do the same? Good question. I think you should (and can). In the next 2 blogs of this 3-part series, I will delve deeper into the value that customer profiles have for your company. And what you can do yourself to collect these customer profiles, for just a fraction of the costs that you currently pay to email marketing list suppliers and customer data brokers. So keep an eye on Frankwatching!