What do users think about targeted ads?

Publication date: 16 July 2019

The overwhelming majority of respondents (91%) say they have seen ads relevant to their queries, interests, or actions on the web. According to the Institute of Public Opinion “Anketolog”, 58% also claim they have seen ads of goods and services right after talking about them on the phone or texting on messengers. 78% have seen ads that repeated their recent queries and purchases in offline stores.

It is worth noting that 83% of users from million-plus cities are sure that goods or services they found interested offline are chasing them in online ads. Among users from small cities with up to 20 thousand inhabitants, this percentage is substantially lower (71%).

About half of the respondents (48%) say they do not like interest-based ads. 4% of users, however, feel pleased when being addressed by name. Some respondents (14%) are indifferent about such ads, while almost half of the respondents (48%) find them unpleasant only because such ads bring a feeling that personal data is being used.

25% of users follow links in “catching up” or personalized ads at least from time to time, 42% do it very rarely, 33% never do it.

It is worth noting that users’ interest in ads based on individual preferences and browser history is rising together with their age. 20% of users from the up to 30 age group click on such ads, 25% of users from the 31 to 45 age group do so, 28% from 46-55, and 33% from over 55. Among those users who click on such ads, 15% buy something from time to time, 29% do it very rarely, 56% have never bought anything.