What Buyers Get Wrong About Contextual Targeting

Contextual targeting is one of the oldest and most trusted methods in digital advertising, but its capabilities have expanded dramatically. Unfortunately, many buyers still operate with outdated assumptions that limit the value they can extract from it. In an era of privacy regulation, audience fragmentation, and evolving targeting needs, modern contextual strategies have evolved into powerful tools for both performance and brand safety.

Misconception 1: Contextual targeting is just keyword matching.

For many advertisers, contextual targeting still conjures images of basic keyword lists. While keywords are a component, today’s best systems go much further. Peer39, for example, uses semantic analysis to understand how words relate to each other, the tone of the content, and the context in which terms appear. This prevents false positives such as matching the keyword "apple" to technology articles when you want content about fruit—and ensures far greater relevance.

Misconception 2: Contextual targeting can’t scale.

Some believe contextual targeting is niche and can’t deliver broad reach. In reality, advanced contextual platforms scan millions of pages, apps, and Connected TV (CTV) programs in real time. Peer39 analyzes over 2.5 billion unique URLs and 1 million apps daily, responding to 400+ billion bid requests, and classifies 90% of URLs as new each day through its proprietary First Look technology. The result: Peer39 data is applicable on up to 40% more inventory than competitors, making it possible to target at scale without sacrificing accuracy.

Misconception 3: Contextual is only for brand safety.

Brand safety is important, but contextual targeting’s value extends to audience discovery, competitive conquesting, and campaign performance. It allows you to align creative with content that puts consumers in the right mindset, improving engagement and conversion rates.

Peer39’s approach.

Peer39 surfaces the industry’s largest set of identity-free signals across web, CTV, and mobile. Using semantics, sentiment analysis, and granular category mapping, Peer39 delivers privacy-safe targeting and analytics that ensure ads land in the right environment for the message.

How buyers can unlock full value

• Use semantic targeting for nuanced relevance
• Leverage sentiment to align with positive or neutral tone content
• Combine brand safety filters with performance-focused categories

With Peer39, advertisers unlock scale, precision, and performance—without relying on user identifiers. Contextual is no longer just about avoiding risk; it’s about fueling growth, discovery, and measurable results.