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To Free Ourselves From Cookies, Do Not Confuse Semantics and Context

Published on 14 Apr 2020

There is semantic targeting and contextual targeting. The two should not be confused, according to Geoffrey Berthon (ex-Nextperf), co-founder of Qwarry with Julie Walther (eBay, Yahoo). Contrary to contextual targeting logic, the solution offered by their start-up would be totally “cookie-free”. Investors seem to have understood this since Qwarry benefited from a €2 million fundraising a few weeks ago. We are trying to understand the details of this solution.

Semantic targeting is not new. What is your difference?

Several levels of targeting must be distinguished. Searching for a keyword in a content is the principle applied at Google. We don’t look for keywords, but expressions used in the content to understand the meaning and sentiment of an article. Let’s take the example of auto-targeting. Keyword targeting can refer to both the last launch at Renault and Carlos Ghosn. Semantic targeting will make a difference. The idea is to perfectly master what this implies, as a meaning, and if there is value for the advertiser.

Since you analyze the content consumed by the user, don’t you need to deposit a cookie in the user’s browser?

No. We target the content read by the user at a given moment in time, no matter what the user does before or after.  We receive the URL, and we know what the content is about. All users arriving on the same URL will potentially have the same advertiser, the same banner.

This is different from contextual targeting technologies. These are actually pure re-targeting. They place a cookie on the user’s computer, which will then be re-targeted throughout their browsing in accordance with a performed search. So, with us, it’s different.

Read the entire article on Ad-Exchange.

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