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How do users evaluate personalized Facebook advertising? An analysis of consumer- and advertiser controlled factors

Evert Van den Broeck (Department of Communication Studies, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium)
Karolien Poels (Department of Communication Studies, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium)
Michel Walrave (Department of Communication Studies, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium)

Qualitative Market Research

ISSN: 1352-2752

Article publication date: 13 May 2020

Issue publication date: 2 June 2020

2766

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the role of five highly relevant advertiser- (i.e. personalization and ad placement) and consumer-controlled (i.e. privacy concerns, perceived relevance and Facebook motives) factors in the evaluation and perceived outcomes of personalized Facebook advertising as well as how these factors interrelate.

Design/methodology/approach

Twenty-eight semi-structured interviews, in which elicitation techniques were used, were carried out among 25- to 55-year-old Facebook users.

Findings

The findings point to a complex tradeoff between the risks and benefits of personalized Facebook advertising, in which perceived relevance and Facebook use motives play a vital role.

Research limitations/implications

This study focused on the general Facebook advertising experience, yet the elicitation techniques were applied only on the desktop website. Future research should look further into mobile advertising formats.

Practical implications

Personalization and retargeting algorithms could be improved and ads should be designed with the customers’ interests in mind to improve their effectiveness and reduce privacy concerns.

Originality/value

Social media advertising innovates at a high pace. Yet, the literature shows an urgent need for research into which ad formats and characteristics appeal to users and why (or why not). Qualitative studies into the determinants of advertising outcomes are scarce but highly needed because they can uncover complex interactions between factors and thus provide a deeper understanding.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the research fund of the University of Antwerp [BOF DOCPRO].

Citation

Van den Broeck, E., Poels, K. and Walrave, M. (2020), "How do users evaluate personalized Facebook advertising? An analysis of consumer- and advertiser controlled factors", Qualitative Market Research, Vol. 23 No. 2, pp. 309-327. https://doi.org/10.1108/QMR-10-2018-0125

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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