- Retargeting increases your conversion rate.
- Did we mention it increases your conversion rate?
- Conversion, conversion, conversion…
Whether you’re capturing emails with a lead gen form, optimizing your site for organic search or sharing compelling original content across your social networks, the ultimate goal is always the same: to convert traffic and engagement into sales. So why not earmark part of your marketing budget for directly focusing your efforts on conversion?
Retargeting is the best way to turn window shoppers into buyers, so the decision to add it to your marketing toolbox should be a no-brainer.
What is Retargeting and How Does it Work?
Not to be confused with Google’s Remarketing (because when you’re Google, you can name it whatever you want), retargeting is a cookie-based technology that enables you to reach out to users who visited your site but didn’t convert.
Retargeting can be done via search engine or social media ads. For example, if a user created a shopping cart on your site but didn’t finalize the purchase, you can use a tool like Facebook Website Custom Audiences to show a corresponding ad to that user when he or she visits Facebook. Displaying ads to users who have already shown interest in your site but didn’t convert can re-engage those apprehensive shoppers and keeps them moving down your funnel until they become buyers.
What’s the Best Way to Do Retargeting?
The right place to retarget is different for everyone. There are marketers who will tell you that YouTube is the best way to go, or that Google’s platform is the only thing worth your time – but the smartest rule of thumb is simply to be where your customers are. If your market is made up of avid tweeters, retarget on Twitter. And so on.
Retargeting is not for the lazy. Be prepared to customize your ad copy for each group of users based on which pages of your site they visited, what they searched for, and where they are in the buying process. Running generic ads is not enough to re-engage them. Think about it: if a user is at Step 2 of the funnel, should you show him a generic introductory ad that will put him back at Step 1? Nope.
Just like dating, successful retargeters bring the total package. Retargeting doesn’t end with the user clicking your ad. You may also need to create landing pages that correspond with your ads, or make changes based on the data points you gather throughout the campaign. Revise your ads as you determine what design, tone, and copy prompt more clicks.
Also just like dating, don’t be creepy. Have you ever visited a website and then saw ads for that same company everywhere in the following weeks? That’s called ad-stalking and, yes, it’s creepy. Well, it’s creepy for a few days until you start tuning them out – eventually you don’t notice them anymore. That’s exactly what you want to avoid with retargeting. Oversaturating a user’s online experience is going to result in a lot of money spent but very little ROI. Instead, reach out to users often enough to be remembered, but sparsely enough that you don’t become the creepy guy.
