The BBC conducted an experiment with advertising to create "Likes" on Facebook for a bland fictional virtual bagel group. It received nearly 3,000 Likes in a few days, but these seemed oddly distributed mainly coming from India. For whatever reason, it represents a dilution of the actual effect of the advert. If we say a message got responses when in fact it just got targeted by a machine then the industry is involved in a self deception.
What is wrong? Is it that the FB original mission of a purile quiz Hot or Not? has not run away with a fundamentally flawed idea, that the appearance of the approval of others does not guarantee validity. A genuine FB campaign that creates online engagement. Fake advertising results will not.
That someone is probably being paid to respond in this way would be of concern to those validating advertising figures. The same is true of constituents following the Tweets of politicians. When do they have time to write Tweets? Of course they do not. Except maybe Boris Johnson.
Reach implies audience. Targeting requires the attention of potential buyers.
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