Audience-based targeting is the norm for digital marketing since cookies and social media analytics became tools for analyzing user behavior. This data provides insights to marketers on the interests, keyword searches, and actions their audience performs online.

With a rich database on their audience at their disposal, marketers can launch campaigns and track results in real-time, making adjustments when needed for efficiency.

Meanwhile, contextual marketing is a privacy-compliant method to reach new audiences and promote brand awareness, and one which requires less technical expertise to use.

Brands can benefit from both methods, but only audience-based targeting has data to drive campaigns that can be tweaked at a moment's notice to secure the best ROI.