It's a rich man's world: Google tests credit-based targeting

Masha Korsunsky, senior industry marketing manager, financial services at Google said the search engine has been working with research firm Compete to test the ability to add consumer credit scores to the Google Content Network.

This will allow Google to identify consumers with good credit, based on information they have submitted when applying for credit cards online, and could lead to Google targeting display and text ads to consumers with good credit.

"Let's say we have an advertiser who wants to reach consumers with a high FICO [credit] score who applied for mortgages in the first quarter," Korsunsky said. "We can provide the advertiser with a list of websites on our Google content network that index against this segment."

Using data provided by Compete, Google tracked the search behaviour of participants who applied for credit cards and found 60 per cent of consumers with high FICO scores use non-branded search terms more than brand names.

If Google intends to roll out the service, it will have to tread carefully as consumers and privacy watchdogs are wary of any technology they percieve as knowing too much about them.

In the US, behavioural targetting firm NebuAd was forced to close last month, after it was sued in November 2008 by US web users, who alleged the company violated privacy rights by purchasing information about their web activity from ISPs, using the data to serve targeted ads.

In the UK, Phorm has faced consumer backlash since targetting tests it ran with internet provider BT became public early last year.

This article was first published on revolutionmagazine.com

Only registered users may comment. Sign in now or register for free.