Contextual Advertising is a kind of targeted campaigning for advertisements that appear on the websites or in other media. The ads themselves are chosen and displayed by automated systems reliant on the content viewed by the user. Contextual Advertising targets particular individuals who visit the websites in search of some particular materials.

The contextual advertising system scans the text or the matter of a site for some specific keywords based on the subject, a user demands to see. It intends to direct the user to certain web pages which are relevant to his search topics. Sometimes, ads are posted on the search result pages and sometimes it hits the user’s attention through pop-up ads. For instance, if the user is searching a site about films and the site offers contextual advertising, the user may find ads about Film production and Media jobs or International Film Festivals and Competition.  

Contextual Advertisement is relatively new in online advertising channel. Such ads are available through Google, Sprinks and Overture. A group of experts consider such advertising as the fundamental element of the inquiry marketing mix. The marketers in inquiry marketing ensure that their brand is on the right track that is to say in seeker's path. When an advertisement is contextual and relevant both to the material and your product, it becomes a part of the inquiry process.

Contextual advertising is capable of bringing more than 1, 00,000 paying advertisers to content sites. So, Contextual advertising undoubtedly, has made internet a remarkably new and potent marketplace. It makes possible for a single brand to get distributed across thousands of pages, with an ad relevant to the matter on that page, which is not only difficult but impossible for other conventional campaigning.
As the customers search some subject matters, contextual ads promise to provide them with many more information about the same topic. Contextual ads have deeply impacted the earnings of many websites. Contextual advertisements are placed more properly and are more targeted; they easily drag user’s attention and earn clicks often. So, it is a profitable way for the site owners to generate revenue. Google earns a big share through contextual ads posted on the thousands of web pages that run AdSence program.
There are various advertising agencies to help you understand how such advertising options influence your customers as well as your profit from an online store.

• The three main components to advertise online are:

• Creation: Style, content, placement and design, the total idea of your campaign should be attractive.

• Media Planning: Where should you run your advertisement? To get connected with potential customers your advertisement needs to be posted in the right place.

• Media Buying: Pricing rates, station formats, geographic, demographics, and psychographics and a lot of things matter as you hit the floor to sell your product. Media buyer helps you to link potential customers in a cost-effective way.

It is said that Context is king for many advertisers. Because, it is bringing in king-size profit to many site owners across the world. Well, you may call contextual advertising whatever you want but one thing for sure that today, it is the most intelligent and methodical way to compensate your investment.