You likely don’t think about this, but Google has an ad revenue amount associated with every American, with your personal value decided by what demographic you’re categorized under. For example, Android users are typically viewed as lower value ad profiles than people who use iPhones. On the same token, a single mid 30s to mid 40s adult is looked at as someone with higher ad value than a parent. All of this is based on what these people generally tend to search for on an annual basis, which Google then categorizes and places a number on so it knows what to charge advertisers.
This information is all based on a recent report from Proton. Yes that Proton, the company behind privacy-focused Proton Mail. Put aside the fact that Google, by way of Gmail, is essentially a competitor of Proton’s. The company’s analytical deep dive makes some pretty good points, all of which seem to suggest that Google sees you as more of an exploitable commodity than a truly valued user. Of course, this is really nothing new. Companies have treated their customers as commodities for decades, it hasn’t stopped yet and it’s not stopping anytime soon. Still, just because it’s not going away doesn’t mean you shouldn’t familiarize yourself with the data, if no other reason than because it’s an interesting and eye-opening peek behind the curtain.
The average annual Google ad value of a US user based on these profiles is $1,605
Proton’s report covers a wide array of details about how Google sees its users in terms of dollar signs, but there are some key points that are kind of interesting to think about. On average, a user in the US in terms of ad value is worth about $1,605. The maximum estimated ad value of a person in the US is $17,929, and is “a male in Bozeman, Montana that’s 35-44 years old, and uses a desktop for high-value corporate searches.”
Granted, it’s worth noting that the “35-44 year-old Bozeman male” is obviously the demographic profile for this user category, and not a definitive statement that all of Google‘s most valuable users are males that live in Bozeman, Montana, in this age bracket, using a desktop to search about corporate stuff. However, based on the data, Bozeman is “one of the most fiercely contested local ad markets in the country,” in large part due to the growing number of tech workers and recreational spending outdoors. Edmond, Oklahoma is another one of these areas with high-market ad value.
On the flip side of the coin, the minimum estimated annual ad value is $31 and is an 18-24 year-old father in Fort Smith, AR who uses an Android phone for low-value searches. Fort Smith is among the 10 least valuable US ad markets according to Proton, joined by cities like West Valley City, Utah, Buffalo, New York, and Greensboro, North Carolina.
While we’re not telling you to switch from Google to another service, if you’re tired of the ads and being seen as an exploitable tool for generating ad revenue, it might be worth at least considering alternative options. You can also read Proton’s full report, and see how it put everything together to support this data.
The post Google thinks you’re worth less than an iPhone user appeared first on Android Headlines.
