How Can Targeted Marketing Can Influence Your Spending Habits

Targeted marketing is marketing that advertises a product or service to a specific audience based on certain attributes or traits. These attributes can be gender, race, income level, geographical location, and more.

As seen in many commercials and advertisements, targeted marketing often uses gender and/or sex appeal to market products. For example, many cosmetic and beauty companies use very sexually appealing models and/or emphasize the products’ sexuality to appeal to women.

Similarly, car companies often use strong and powerful male models to highlight the cars’ features and appeal to male consumers.

While this can be effective for selling products, it can also backfire. For example, many people have reported that this has caused them internal conflict about their self-image or has led them to purchase things they do not need.

Targeted marketing is not always negative, though. It can also be used to send positive messages to target audiences.

Who is target marketing good for?

how can targeted marketing can influence your spending habits

Target marketing is a great tool for businesses of all sizes. For small business owners, it can help you reach more customers and drive sales. For large business like supermarket chains and department stores, it can help you cut down your advertising costs by targeting the audiences that are most likely to buy from you.

For consumers, target marketing can help you avoid spending money on things you don’t need. By being aware of how targeted marketing works, you can better protect your finances.

For example, if a certain dairy company tends to advertise their products during programming that you watch, then you know that they target viewers like you. You can choose to avoid their products or buy them to get a deal, but neither one will lead to excess spending on your part.

Target marketing is also changing constantly due to shifting demographics and new technology developments. This means that there will always be new information to learn about and apply to your spending habits.

How Can Targeted Marketing Influence Your Spending Habits?

how can targeted marketing can influence your spending habits

Targeted marketing is a form of advertising that is geared towards a specific audience. Companies use our personal information, lifestyle factors, and demographic variables to filter who sees their advertisements.

This includes targeting by gender, age range, location, and even cultural and socioeconomic factors. For example, if an online shopping site knows you are a male located in New York with a decent income, they will most likely show you ads for nice clothing brands.

By targeting these variables, companies can decrease the amount of wasted advertising spend due to people who do not fit the target audience. By making the ad look more appealing to those who should see it, there is more chance of grabbing your attention and getting you to spend money.

We all may feel like we are constantly being targeted by ads, but it is not because companies are spending too much money on advertising.

Understand how targeted marketing works

how can targeted marketing can influence your spending habits

Targeted marketing is based on the idea that companies can market their products and services to specific groups or individuals, rather than to the general public.

This can be done through channels such as social media, digital advertising, direct marketing, or niche marketing. Companies spend large amounts of money and resources doing this.

You may have noticed this with Facebook ads specifically. When you visit Facebook, it tracks your interests and suggests ads for you to click on based on those categories.

For example, if you were a businessman who ran a shoe store, when you logged in there might be an ad for leather shoes for men that says “Save 50% Today Only” at the top of the ad and links back to your website.

Who does target marketing affect?

how can targeted marketing can influence your spending habits

Target marketing affects almost everyone. From big corporate executives to middle-class families, everyone is exposed to advertisements that try to influence their spending habits.

Companies use your personal information and demographic information to tailor their advertisements to you. For example, if you are a young female, you will likely see makeup ads on social media platforms and YouTube.

This is because they can target this group with their ads by using their data. By targeting specific groups, they can boost their sales which is the ultimate goal of advertising.

How Can Targeted Marketing Influence Your Spending Habits?

By being aware of the influences of targeted marketing, you can limit its effect on your spending habits.

What are your spending habits?

how can targeted marketing can influence your spending habits

Before you can change your spending habits, you need to know what your spending habits are. This can be challenging as it requires a self-awareness of your spending.

Many people don’t keep track of their spending and therefore have no idea how much they are spending each day, week, or month. It is easy to lose track of money when it is not emphasized or recognized.

Surprisingly, the easiest way to identify your spending habits is to start keeping track of your money. You can do this by using a budget, tracking apps, and keeping note of what you buy. By doing this, you will become more aware of what you are spending and why you are spending it.

Are you interested in the product that is being advertised?

how can targeted marketing can influence your spending habits

Targeted marketing is marketing that targets a specific audience that would be interested in the product being advertised.

Marketers use a variety of tactics to gather information about consumers to identify their target audience. Some of these include using computer code to collect data on user behaviors and interactions with advertisements, tracking purchases, and asking people in the area for information.

If people around you are buying something, then it is probably a good investment. Marketing firms pay people to give them information about what products they like and why, so they can spread the word and increase sales.

If you are not interested in the product being marketed, then don’t spend money on it! Being aware of targeted marketing will help you avoid spending money on things you do not need or want.

Does the advertisement appeal to you?

how can targeted marketing can influence your spending habits

Perhaps the most obvious question to ask is: Does this advertisement appeal to me?

If the advertisement features something you like—whether that’s a product, category of products, or a brand—you’re more likely to be attracted to the ad.

If the ad features a promotion you’re interested in, then you’ll feel motivated to take action. If the ad features a price point that fits into your budget, then you will feel satisfied and compelled to make the purchase.

Of course, these feelings are not absolute. You may see an ad for a car within your budget, but if you don’t need it, then you won’t feel any pull to buy it. You may see an ad for a product that is out of your budget, but you won’t feel any pull to purchase it.

These feelings are relative—they depend on what type of feeling the advertiser wants to elicit in its audience.

What if you cannot afford the product?

how can targeted marketing can influence your spending habits

Unfortunately, not everyone can afford the latest and greatest products. Even if you can, there is no obligation to purchase them. The rich and famous are known to stick to older models of products until they are fully satisfied with their performance.

Many famous people use the smartphone version of this concept when it comes to cars. They may stick to one make or model for several years before switching up.

They also tend to have people working in their cars making fixes or upgrades instead of going to a car service for that. Many times, these people are paid less than what a car service would charge so that they can keep working there!

This is because they enjoy what they do and see the long-term benefits.

About The Author

Tiara Ogabang
Tiara Joan Ogabang is a talented content writer and marketing expert, currently working for the innovative company juice.ai. With a passion for writing and a keen eye for detail, Tiara has quickly become an integral part of the team, helping to drive engagement and build brand awareness through her creative and engaging content.