Targeting is the backbone of advertising -- online and offline. It guides decisions throughout the entire campaign life cycle, from creative development to media placements and strategic planning to the overall marketing mix. Combining the tracking capabilities of the internet with the demographic data we all know and love, behavioral targeting is destined for stardom. It is a technique that everyone wants to master, and few have maximized.

Behavioral targeting gives marketers the ability to serve pertinent ads to predetermined user segments -- not wasting resources on the rest. With so many potential consumers online, behavioral targeting was inevitable. With an overcrowded online space, endless browsing options and advancements in tracking abilities, the reassurance that behavioral targeting gives online advertisers by serving ads to those who exhibit a preference for a product/service is unbeatable. Using this technique, marketers can cater advertisements to users based on how they actually behave, not just on what demographic buckets theorize on how they do.

This ability to translate browsing habits into actionable targeting data is what sets advertisers ahead of the clutter curve and puts their messages in front of ideal audience segments.

All that said, behavioral targeting is not a cure for all marketing ailments. There are many who think that by just targeting those who do "X"  or "Y" online, they will increase their ROI and increase conversion rates. Others believe that behavioral targeting gives marketers the bandwidth to reach everyone online, or the ability to serve a custom ad to every user. To be most effective, behavioral targeting should be used in conjunction with other techniques, monitored for effectiveness and implemented strategically.

Let's take a look at the seven deadly myths of behavioral targeting, and the realities behind them.