How would you describe digital advertising to your grandma?

Alright, Grandma, let’s think about the digital world like a big online neighborhood. In this neighborhood, there are all sorts of shops, services, and social spaces where people spend time just like in our real-world community. Digital advertising is a way that businesses use this virtual space to show people their products and services.

Imagine when we flip through our favorite magazine or watch TV, we see ads for things like recipes, clothes, or helpful gadgets. Digital advertising is similar, but it happens on the internet. Instead of seeing ads in a magazine or on TV, you'll come across them when you're browsing the internet, playing an online game, or scrolling through social media sites like Facebook.

Businesses use data, which is like information they’ve gathered, to make sure the ads you see are things you might be interested in. It's a bit like how your favorite corner shop knows you like a particular brand of tea and tells you when it’s on sale. Online, this might mean if you're searching for gardening tips, you might see ads for seeds, tools, or garden gloves.

These digital ads can appear in various forms:

• Banners: Like posters you see hanging in a store, but they're right on the web pages you visit.
• Videos: Short clips that play before or during another video you’re watching, kind of like a commercial break.
• Search Ads: When you look up something online, you'll see little ad listings at the top, showing businesses that have paid to get your attention based on what you’re searching for.

And that's how digital advertising helps businesses reach you by placing these digital "posters" and "commercials" in places you’re likely to see them as you browse the internet. Just like with flyers and TV ads, the goal is to help you discover new products or services that might make your life easier or more enjoyable.