Product and service advertisements are a major source of revenue for many companies. These ad-dependent companies must show you ads and encourage you to click them for their business to survive and thrive. Relevant persistence is essential to maximizing click-through rates, and a proven technique to get you to click on ads is to show you something you’re interested in and to keep showing it to you wherever you travel on the Internet. Preventing ads from following you on Internet
Have you ever noticed that ads follow you around from website to website, pitching products or services no matter where you go? That’s ad tracking, and it’s built into the web browsing software you’re using to surf the Internet. Your web browser keeps track of your preferences and behavior on the Internet using cookies. Cookies are small, harmless strings of text that websites store on your computer to remember information about your visit, including items stored in a shopping cart, browsing history, and more. They also enhance security by keeping you logged into a secure site after you enter your credentials. Cookies can also help advertisers pitch items to you that you’ve already reviewed online.
Whenever you look at a new pair of shoes, review insurance plans, or check the latest stock quotes online, your web browser remembers your actions by placing cookies on your computer containing information about your actions. Companies use the information stored on your computer to present ads to you that are relevant to your online experience. Showing ads featuring items and services in which you’ve already demonstrated interest increases the chance of a purchase. That’s why you’ll see ads for those new shoes on websites other than the site you originally saw them.
If you are uncomfortable with ad tracking, there is good news. You can limit ad tracking and prevent businesses from following you around from one site to another by adjusting your web browser settings.
- To disable tracking in Google Chrome, go to: https://adssettings.google.com. Switch off both “Ads Personalization Across the Web” and “Ads Personalization on Google Search.”
- To disable tracking in Microsoft Internet Explorer, click the Tools icon in the upper-left portion of your screen (looks like a gear), select “Safety,” then select “Turn off Do Not Track requests.”
- To disable tracking in Mozilla Firefox, click the menu icon in the upper-left portion of your screen (looks like three horizontal bars), click “Options” next to the gear icon, select “Privacy & Security” on the left side of the screen, then scroll down the page until you reach “Tracking Protection.” Under the “Tracking Protection” section, choose the “Always” option.
Switching off the ad tracking capabilities of your browser gives you more control over your online experience and allows you to keep your interests to yourself.
Preventing ads from following you on Internet
Preventing ads from following you on Internet Preventing ads from following you on Internet Preventing ads from following you on Internet Preventing ads from following you on Internet Preventing ads from following you on Internet Preventing ads from following you on Internet Preventing ads from following you on Internet