blinkx adds Behavioural Targeting

blinkx, the online video search engine, has introduced Behavioural Targeting through blinkx AdHoc, the first contextual and behavioural advertising platform for online video.

blinkx can now track video consumption patterns over time, build an awareness of a user’s interests and enable advertisers to match ads with an online video audience based on behaviour.

Over time, the system builds a multifaceted and accurate profile of the individual user’s habits, and utilising this behaviour analysis, it attaches the user to one or more predefined profiles. blinkx can then serve ads to users that are aligned to their past viewing habits and interests, regardless of the kinds of content they might be watching at another point in time.

blinkx Chief Executive Suranga Chandratillake said its new technology would allow it to understand its audience even further, which would give a better performance for the advertiser. "Targeting is extremely valuable," he told Reuters. "What we saw, particularly during a recession, is that if you can target viewers then advertisers can justify higher spend.Targeting in general can be very powerful in keeping the (ad rate) pricing high."

blinkx said its platform would monitor activity only on the blinkx site, and would not store any personal details and search habits. All users on the site will also be able to opt out of the behavioural targeting aspect.