What is retargeting? Retargeting is a form of online advertising that involves showing ads to people who have already visited your website, or used your app. There are a number of benefits to this type of advertising. Perhaps the most important is that you reach people who you already know are interested in your products or services. Plus, you're building your brand effectively.
Many people use the words remarketing and retargeting interchangeably, but remarketing involves sending emails to customers who have abandoned a shopping basket, for example. The methods are similar in that they are aimed at potential customers who have already shown an interest - but the differences are obvious, retargeting is about advertising on social media or other websites - while remarketing is about sending emails to potential customers who have already shared their email address.
In this article, we'll take a closer look at what both remarketing and retargeting entail, as well as share our top tips to help you succeed with your campaigns.
How does retargeting work?
I think we've all been there. Suddenly, ads start popping up for products or services we've recently been looking for online. This is what retargeting is all about! When you visit a retargeting website, a cookie with a tracking tag is stored on your computer. The information in the cookie allows us to display personalised ads on social media, for example. The social media "talk" to the cookie, allowing you to create customised and personalised ads that target those you already know are interested in your products or services.
No matter where your visitor is in the sales cycle, it's important to nurture the relationship. That's why retargeting can be effective for both first-time visitors and potential customers who have visited your site a number of times in the past. Targeting is therefore about staying in touch and reminding the customer that you are still available with your products or services. Retargeting keeps your potential customers "top of mind" with your website and increases the chances that they will turn to you.
How does remarketing work?
When a customer has added a number of products to their basket and then become distracted or for some other reason abandoned their basket, it is a good idea to contact the customer to remind them that the purchase was never completed. Research shows that this can be a very effective marketing method and that customers even appreciate being contacted about abandoned baskets, for example. The email should be sent fairly soon after customers have abandoned their basket - this tends to get the best results. Sound like a lot of manual work? It doesn't have to be. Emails can be automated using your e-commerce platform.
Success factors in retargeting
This all sounds great - but are there any risks or things you should watch out for? Many people ask if there is a risk of overexposure when it comes to retargeting? But you don't have to worry about that at all. By setting a limit on how often your ads can be seen, you can ensure that you avoid overexposure.
Another good tip is to edit your ads periodically so that they don't always look the same - customers tend to become "ad-blind" if they are exposed to the same ad repeatedly.
If you sell many different kinds of products, you can work with segmentation. It can increase your chances of converting more. Not all your customers are looking for the same product - so make sure you segment to hit more of the right people with your ads.
Create personalised and targeted ads for your retargeting campaign. Unlike regular ads, this is about showing ads to potential customers who are probably already reasonably familiar with the product or service. So here's how to get your message across.
Tips for those who intend to invest in remarketing
When it comes to remarketing, the challenge is mainly about open rates. Here, it is important to have a good subject line as well as clear and appealing content that creates a desire to act. An example is offering discounts on abandoned shopping baskets within a specific timeframe, thus creating a sense of urgency. Another good option is to offer free delivery to customers who have abandoned their basket. Both options can be very effective.
Another problem that can occur is that your emails get caught in the spam filter. Gmail in particular has developed its spam filter considerably in recent years, making it very effective against spam - while at the same time sometimes emails that should have gone through end up in the spam filter. Ask your visitors to add you to their "white list" of approved email addresses. Also, make sure you don't use words that might trigger the spam filter.
Some good advice along the way
According to studies, the click-through rate for retargeting ads is about 10% higher than for regular ads. Conversion rates are as high as 50-60% in some cases. Other studies show that conversion rates are on average about 20% higher than among consumers who have never previously expressed interest in the products or services.
So, should you go for retargeting or remarketing? Or maybe a combination of both methods? As you can see, there are pros and cons to both, but with a little patience and good research, you can have really effective campaigns no matter which strategy you choose.
Think about which strategy and method might be best suited to reach your target audience. If you are unsure, seek help from knowledgeable consultants in the field. It is also important to continuously monitor, analyse, follow up and adjust your ads or emails to optimise your campaigns. Over time, you will certainly learn how to work to achieve the desired results. Good luck!
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