Your brand already made its first impression. Retargeting gives you the chance of a second one. By reaching out to previous website visitors, retargeting enables you to get back in front of lost leads and try again to convert them. Regardless of the platform you use, there are some key best practices that you must follow in order for your retargeting to be successful.
Retargeting aims to re-engage people after they leave your website by showing them relevant ads. The ads are seen on social media networks, other websites, and even in Google searches.
Retargeting is enabled by giving the retargeting platform (i.e. Facebook) a list of email addresses, or by placing a cookie in the browser of the person visiting your website. A cookie is a small file that tracks the visitor's actions. The cookie is used to display ads if the visitor leaves without making a purchase.
With the right approach, retargeting can be extremely effective. A good strategy will build brand awareness and re-engage folks that have shown an interest in your products or services.
Keep the following guidelines in mind when determining your retargeting strategy.
Retargeting requires a certain level of balance. Don't retarget your leads so frequently that they feel stalked. They'll feel like their privacy is being invaded. This is the biggest risk of running a retargeting campaign.
In one survey, most people said they felt ads were "interesting and useful" while shopping. However, even more people agreed that seeing the same ad multiple times quickly became irritating. Not only that, it made them less likely to purchase the product or service. In this survey, 12% of people complained of overexposure to a company directly.
Research finds that you will have the highest risk of agitating consumers if you show ads on irrelevant sites. You'll get the most bang for your buck placing ads on websites that are somehow related. Consumers are four times as likely to purchase an item if they see an ad while researching it.
Finding the right balance between overexposure and underexposure is essential.
You need to keep your ads visible to retargeted leads in order to stay at the forefront of their mind. If you don't show your add enough, the underexposure could lead them to a competitor.
Use split testing, research and your own experience to find the proper balance between underserving and overexposing. The right number of impressions for your website may be dramatically different than that of another depending on the demographics of your ideal customer.
A view-through conversion happens when a person sees an ad, doesn't click on it, but later returns to the ad's associated conversion page and completes the desired action.
People tend to click less on display ads on content sites than on ads on search engine results pages. They're on the content site for a reason other than looking for the product or service you offer. That doesn't mean they won't return to your site later and perform the conversion. If you're ignoring view-through conversions you won't have a full picture of the effectiveness of your ad.
Most leads will be familiar with your logo, fonts, and color scheme after seeing your site. Your ad should reflect these things but remember that branding goes beyond your logo. Your ads should reflect the same imagery and messaging of your website. Everything should be consistent.
By branding your ads properly, you increase the likelihood that leads will recall your products. If they remember your brand, they're more likely to click on your ad.
Don't retarget every visitor that comes to your site. Retarget only the ones who were on your site long enough to demonstrate at least some level of interest. Someone who visited your home page for just a second or two before exiting probably isn't worth your marketing dollars.
Change how you retarget leads based on their interaction with you. For instance, leads who briefly browsed your website may see your awareness campaign. Those who viewed a specific product and perhaps went so far as to add it to their cart should see your conversion campaign instead.
Here are some examples of retargeting ads from major companies. These show up for shoppers across the web after shopping on each company's website for a few minutes.
ShopBop's retargeting campaigns do a fantastic job of evoking a sense of brand loyalty with the simple discount code "INTHEFAM." Plus, they provide a discount code for a hefty 25% off the shopper's purchase.
The ad features a selection of dresses that the lead looked at while on the site. It also shows some dresses similar to or frequently bought with the dresses they expressed interest in. The result is a very high-converting, successful retargeting campaign. It illustrates why retargeting ads are 76% more likely to get clicked than generic ones.
This ad from J.Crew Factory does a lot of things right. It uses eye-catching imagery that grabs your attention. Plus, it utilizes a clock to induce a sense of urgency in the shopper's mind. The discount count "TICKTOCK" gives the lead a huge discount of 40% off and free shipping. That's more than enough to bring back the average buyer.
This highly branded retargeting ad from BestBuy doesn't feature specific products. This makes it a good example of what a retargeting ad can look like without discounts or products.
This second retargeting ad from BestBuy does show a specific product. Aside from making the price and "Buy Now" buttons obvious, it also makes the "Price Match Guarantee" impossible to not notice. This guarantee gives the shopper confidence that they're getting the best deal.
This ad also illustrates how you can use retargeting to increase purchase amounts. A buyer might see this ad for an iPhone case after purchasing the matching iPhone from BestBuy.
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This ad is another great example of how you can use retargeting to get back both new leads and loyal customers. ModCloth uses a strong call-to-action that can engage shoppers new and old. It entices everyone to "Check out today's new arrivals!"
This ad type performs well since already-happy customers are the easiest to convert. As an e-commerce shop, you should always strive to turn your leads into buyers and your buyers into long-term customers. Thus, retargeting is a strategy you should utilize throughout every stage of your relationship.
Eniture Technology specializes in helping e-Commerce merchants grow by providing useful information, digital marketing services, off-the-shelf apps that solve common problems, and custom programming services. Please contact us if you need help growing your online business or implementing the concepts presented in this blog post.
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