As a marketing vehicle, the Internet is multitalented. A strong suit is collecting and comparing considerable amounts of visitor data. Compared to other ad media, the Internet delivers more data about who our customers are and what they actually do, and does so more specifically and quickly than we ever dreamed possible.

Combine such data with the context of site content or a specific ad campaign, and you see accurate snapshots of customer behavior patterns that can be observed, tracked, and measured.

Behavioral marketing’s promise is marketers can use this information to determine where to spend ad dollars for maximum return on investment (ROI). Behavioral marketing allows advertising to better segment and target audiences. Yet a critical piece of the puzzle is missing.

Although behavioral marketing offers an impressive advantage, it’s the ad message that makes the difference in long-term ROI marketing efforts.

Crafting messages customers will respond to, through persona creation, is the missing piece of the behavioral marketing puzzle.

Continue reading my column at ClickZ…