
Experian is excited to introduce our new Geo-Indexed audiences. Our Geo-Indexed audiences use a new advanced indexing classification technology to identify and reach consumers based on their geo-regional attributes. These audiences can help you discover, segment, and craft messaging for consumers without the use of sensitive personal information, so you can confidently reach your target audience without sacrificing data privacy.
In this blog post, we’ll review how our new Geo-Indexed audiences can help you reach your audience while balancing data privacy and accuracy.
How we collect and use data is changing
The AdTech industry is undergoing a transformation as various forces shape its trajectory. One significant factor is legislation, with as many as 26 states currently considering data privacy laws. Consumer preferences also play a crucial role, as more individuals look to brands for responsible and ethical data handling practices. According to Forbes, 82% of people view brands positively when they consciously opt to refrain from using personal data for personalized ads. Major players in the field such as Apple and Google are actively pushing for a shift away from traditional methods like cookies and other identifiers in data collection and usage. These developments mark a considerable shift in how we use data.
Many brands are seeking a few solutions to continue to find and reach their target audience online, but at Experian, we see a great opportunity for innovation and impact within geo-based targeting solutions.
“We predict that over the next year, you will begin to see innovations in geo-based targeting methodologies that satisfy the industry’s need for audience targeting with responsible data strategies. By embracing innovations in geo-based targeting and adhering to responsible data strategies, you can not only comply with these laws but continue to reach your intended audiences effectively.”
jeremy meade, vp, marketing data & operations
Introducing Experian’s Geo-Indexed audiences
Geo-Indexed audiences from Experian allow brands to reach consumers and households based on geographic regions that over-index for a common set of attributes.
Our Geo-Indexed audiences give brands the ability to:
- Stay connected: Maintain a touchpoint with consumers as other audience targeting solutions disappear or reduce scale due to new legislation.
- Expand your audience reach: With our sophisticated geo-indexing methodology, you will be reaching your target audience’s circle of influence within the geo-region.
- Execute where you want: By linking our Geo-Indexed audiences to Experian’s persistent identifiers, you can activate these audiences on the shelf of your platform of choice.

As a part of the release of Geo-Indexed audiences, we will be rolling out three main categories:
- Language
- Ethnic Group
- Demographics which include:
- Education
- Household Income
- Marital Status
- Occupation
- Presence of Children
Over the next year, we will continue to release new audiences within Geo-Indexed audiences.
How you can use Geo-Indexed audiences
An Auto brand has a new corporate policy restricting the use of sensitive personal information in audience targeting but would like to reach high-income earners. To reach their target audience they use the Geo-Indexed audiences to reach households who are in geographic regions that index highly for income ranges ‘$175,000 – $199,999’ and ‘$200,000+.’
Prioritize privacy without sacrificing accuracy with Experian’s Geo-Indexed audiences
Our Geo-Indexed audiences are available in most major data and demand-side platforms. Visit our partner page for more information.
Don’t see our audiences on your platform of choice? We can help you build and activate an Experian audience on the platform of your choice.
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Hi, Dana here with an update on my holiday shopping post from before Thanksgiving. Like I thought, I was able to get most of my shopping done that Black Friday weekend. It was all pretty fast and easy, but I did have one not so great experience too. My sister knew I was going to get something for my niece, so when she got an email from Toy World that everything would be 50% off on Black Friday she forwarded it to me to let me know. I was thrilled. I had done some searching for good toys this year and had some ideas. While I normally would shop online, the Toy World coupon said the 50% off was in-store only so I braved the crowds for a good deal. Unfortunately, when I got there I learned that the email was wrong – only select items were 50% off and others were buy one, get one 50% off. I was pretty upset because the hottest toys were the ones excluded from the deal. I came all that way based on the email. I wound up getting a gift, but I could have saved myself the hassle and long lines, especially since I didn’t get a deal that was different from any other day. That was a rough start to the shopping weekend, but, no worries, things improved. I have to tell you about my best shopping experience – I’ve been telling everyone! This year I used Pinterest to see what my mom has had her eye on lately. One of her pins is a food processor and I think that’s a perfect gift for her. I’m a card holder and reward member at Aaron’s department store and I know they carry some really nice kitchen appliances. They also happened to send me great Cyber Monday coupons in the mail – it was perfect timing. I went online on Cyber Monday, used the promo codes from the coupons and not only got great deals, but got free shipping too! How easy was that?! They also sent me shipping notifications so I knew exactly when to expect the package. I am really happy that I got something great for everyone on my list and now have time to enjoy the rest of 2012. I hope you enjoy it too! XOXO, Dana Editor’s note: You can tell that Aaron’s knows Dana. They used their direct mail piece to send her online offers because they know that’s her preferred purchase method. They’ve won her over once again and created a brand advocate. Learn where your company stands in your marketing efforts today, and how you can help move efforts forward to ensure your customers have good experiences like Dana had with Aaron’s, and avoid bad ones like her trip to Toy World.

With the busy holiday marketing season in full swing, Experian Marketing Services has released its online retail round-up for the week ending December 8. The online traffic to the top 500 retail sites increased 5% for the period of December 2 – 8, compared to the same week in 2011. Additionally, Amazon remained the top visited site among retailers, followed by Walmart and Target. The chart below includes the top 10 results: Experian Marketing Services also tracks top product searches. Listed below are the top 5 product searches for the week ending December 8: Uggs iPad mini iPad Beats by dre Ipod touch We will continue to publish weekly retail site data and insights through this holiday season. Please leave us a comment below if you have any specific questions along the way. Learn more about the author, Matt Tatham

Twenty years ago this week, the first mobile text message, or SMS, was sent by British engineer Neil Papworth. Today, Americans are texting more than ever and among young adults, many of whom were not yet born when the first message was sent, texting is almost as common a mobile activity as talking. And why wouldn’t it be? According to the latest Simmons National Consumer Study, 48% of adults ages 18-to-24 say that a conversation via text message is just as meaningful as a telephone call. A similar share of adults ages 25-to-34 feel the same way. Regardless of age, texting is still, technically, the second most common activity that Americans engage in on their cell phone after talking. During a typical week, 95% of mobile adults talk on their mobile phone, while 59% text. Among adults ages 18-to-24, however, 89% talk on their phone and 85% text. Despite the increasing availability of mobile chat or instant message applications, texting remains the dominant means for exchanging short messages. Only 8% of all mobile adults use their phone to IM or chat. The fastest thumbs To get a more in-depth understanding of the texting habits of adults today, we leveraged data from the Simmons Connect mobile panel of 1,485 U.S. smartphone owners. Hands down, young adults text more than any age other age group. During a typical month, in fact, smartphone-owners ages 18-to-24 send 2,022 mobile text messages and receive another 1,831 for a combined total of 3,852 texts sent and received. With every age bracket we move up, the number of mobile texts drops by roughly 40%. For instance, smartphone owners ages 25-to-34 send, on average, 1,110 text messages a month and receive another 1,130 for a combined total of 2,240 messages. We are also able to leverage the Simmons Connect smartphone panel to understand mobile calling behaviors. The data shows that while young adults hold the record for the most text messages sent and received, they actually make and receive few calls, by comparison. During a typical month, smartphone owners ages 18-to-24 make 119 calls on their mobile phone and answer another 64 calls. Adults ages 35-to-44 make and receive the most calls on their mobile phones in a given month. (Call counts do not include inbound and outbound calls that go unanswered.) Text around the clock Unlike television and radio, which have peak hours for reaching consumers, mobile text messages reach Americans throughout the day, providing advertisers with a medium to connect with consumers any time they want or need. No surprise, young adults are the most likely to send and receive mobile text messages throughout the day. The smartphone panel data shows that during every hour between 8:00 A.M. and midnight, more than half of young smartphone owners are both sending and receiving mobile text messages. Even when most of us are asleep, young adults’ smartphones continue buzzing from inbound texts. In fact, 37% of 18-to-24 year-old smartphone owners receive texts at 4:00 in the morning. By comparison, just 20% of smartphone-owners ages 25-to-34 years-old receive texts at this late (or early) hour as do 17% of those 35-to-44, 15% of those 45-to-54 and 10% of those ages 55 and older. Better to send or to receive? During overnight hours, the share of young smartphone owners who send texts surpasses the share who receives them. However, by 8:00 A.M., the difference between those two figures narrows to the point that they are nearly equal. In fact, from noon until 11:00 P.M., young adults are more likely to send mobile text messages than they are to receive them. Call or text? While texting is still a secondary use of mobile phones after calling, that’s not the case all day, especially among young adults. In fact, while smartphone owners ages 18-to-24 are more likely to make an outbound call than they are to send a text from their phone between 7:00 A.M. and 10:00 P.M., they are more likely to send a text between 11:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M., during hours when they might understandably wake the recipient. That should help us all sleep a little better.