retargeting-ads

Retargeting Ads – What are they & how do they work?

What is retargeting?

Retargeting is an effective digital marketing strategy that enables businesses to reconnect with potential customers who have previously engaged with their website through Google Ads, Facebook, Bing etc.

How do you set up an ad retargeting campaign?

Setting up a retargeting campaign involves the implementation of tracking pixels, the division of your visitors into custom audience segments, and the creation of persuasive advertising materials for your remarketing campaign. Pixel-based retargeting is a method that allows for the re-display of your content to any anonymous website visitor based on their previous interactions with your site.

How retargeting campaigns work

Retargeting campaigns work by tracking user behaviour through cookies or pixels. When a user visits a website and takes specific actions, such as viewing a product or abandoning a cart, a cookie is placed on their browser.

This cookie allows targeted advertising based on users’ browsing history, showing them personalised content on other websites (social media platforms etc). Retargeting campaigns help by keeping your website in the users’ minds and motivating them to return and complete their conversion.

What’s the difference between remarketing and retargeting?

Although often used interchangeably, there are subtle distinctions between each of the 2 types of retargeting.

Remarketing involves contacting customers through email after they have engaged with your website and provided you with their email address. In contrast, retargeting is the practice of showing advertisements to individuals on different platforms, taking into account their past online activities.

Both strategies aim to re-engage your previous visitors on your retargeting list, with retargeting encompassing a broader digital scope beyond just email communication.

Why is retargeting so effective?

Retargeting is a highly effective marketing strategy because it can take advantage of familiarity and strengthen brand recognition.

Displaying ads to users who have previously shown interest in your products or services helps to create a seamless online experience for them. This familiarity can often result in increased trust and a greater chance of conversion.

Retargeting is an effective tool for maintaining connections with potential customers during their online journey.

Benefits of retargeting

There are many benefits to retargeting.

Primarily, it can help boost conversion rates by re-engaging users who are already acquainted with your brand. In addition, retargeting helps to build brand loyalty by ensuring that your business remains top of mind for customers even if they don’t initially convert after seeing your advert.

This advertising strategy can save money by targeting advertising towards users who have shown an interest already.

Challenges of retargeting

Implementing retargeting campaigns can be challenging and time-consuming and if your website has low traffic, it will result in a limited number of people in your new campaign.

How is retargeting commonly used?

Retargeting is a strategy used in multiple industries for its versatility.

In e-commerce, it is used to retarget visitors who left items in their shopping carts. B2B businesses utilise it for lead nurturing, while content-driven websites employ it to foster increased engagement. It can be used for text or display ads on most advertising platforms.

Retargeting ad goals

It is important to establish specific goals for your retargeting ads in order to evaluate their effectiveness.

To achieve your business goals, make sure your retargeting strategy is aligned with your overall objectives, such as driving sales, increasing website traffic, or promoting specific products. This ensures that every campaign serves a specific purpose and directly contributes to the growth of your business.

Ultimately you will aim to convert previous site visitors into prospective customers by advertising a relevant product based on their browsing history.