Glossary/Adtech & Programmatic/Behavioral Targeting
Adtech & Programmatic
Behavioral Targeting
Targeting ads based on a person's past browsing or purchase behavior.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
Behavioral targeting is the practice of serving ads based on a person's past browsing, search, app, or purchase behavior. Signals about previous actions are used to infer interests or purchase intent, helping advertisers reach likelier prospects. Its reliance on tracking makes it sensitive to privacy regulation, consent requirements, and browser restrictions on identifiers.