Regardless of how sharp your marketing skills are or how cutting edge your tech is, chances are you are still missing out on conversions. Online shoppers cite many causes for not converting their visit to a purchase. The top three reasons named are:

• Difficulties using the website
• Concern for privacy and security
• Perceived value

You can address these and other concerns. However, you still need a way to encourage visitors who did not convert to take a second look at your site. This is where an excellent retargeting strategy can drive return visits which turn into conversions and loyal customers.

In this post, you’ll learn about the benefits of retargeting, and why it should form a crucial part of your overall digital marketing strategy.

 

What is Retargeting?

Retargeting is an example of a familiar term with a cumbersome definition resembling this:

Retargeting is an online marketing strategy used by an online entity to send advertisements to a former visitor to their website. These ads appear on external websites and social media pages and feature products or services the site visitor previously viewed on the entity’s website.

To understand retargeting, think about the last time you were browsing online. For example, you were pricing laptops. Later, you see banners from the website you visited showing laptops similar to those you viewed earlier. These appear everywhere you go online. This is retargeting.  

Does Retargeting Work?

In a word, yes. Retargeting offers a significant opportunity for you to place your company in the front of the minds of those who visited but did not convert. Generally, a few business owners will ask if retargeting banners violate any privacy laws. When done by guidelines about the use of cookies, it is perfectly legal. Usually, some people wonder if potential customers dislike retargeting banners. The fact is there will always be some people who do not like retargeting. However, there will also always be some people who do not like puppies. Do not spend time on this type of concern. Focus your energy and budget on proven techniques that get results.  

Three Impressive Retargeting Statistics

1. Three out of four customers pay attention to retargeting ads
2. Retargeting ads on Facebook get 76% more clicks than ordinary ads
3. When you leverage retargeting with other channels, your sales can increase by 50%

 

What Are Some Benefits of Retargeting?

Retargeting offers businesses several benefits including:

• It extends your reach farther than that of your competitors. When using retargeting, your name is joining your site’s visitors as they journey around the vast virtual landscape. This can be a far cry from competitors’ limited reach.
• Retargeting puts your name, products, and services at the front of potential customers’ minds. Attention spans (much like patience) are minuscule. A few friendly reminders will reinforce your presence.
• Visitors to your website are more likely to return (and convert) when you deploy retargeting banners. This is true whether your banner displays added information or just the basics.
• Potential customers perceive your brand’s value as higher when they see your retargeting efforts.
• The likelihood of conversions increases every time a visitor sees one of your retargeting ads.

 

Are Retargeting and Remarketing the Same?

Throughout the industry, interchangeably using the terms retargeting and remarketing has become the norm. Even though the words are similar and share goals, the two processes are not identical. Retargeting is used to serve ads to people that have recently viewed your website. Remarketing works by collecting email addresses from users, which are then used for email marketing campaigns.  

Redefining Retargeting

When discussing retargeting, you are speaking about a strategy that focuses on delivering advertisements or banners to those who have been on your website but did not convert. Here is an example of a typical path retargeting may follow: Myles visits your site whilst searching for new running shoes. He skims through your inventory, clicks on a few interesting styles, and may even put a pair in his cart. However, Myles does not complete the conversion from a visitor to a customer by purchasing the shoes. Behind the scenes, a cookie goes into Myles’ browser when he clicks on a pair of shoes. You can use this cookie to go with Myles to other websites. Typically, Facebook or other social media sites are popular places for retargeting materials. When Myles logs into his Facebook account, he will see a banner featuring your company. Depending on how your retargeting specifications, he may also see the shoes he was interested in earlier. His visit to your site is now in the front of his mind. This dramatically increases the chance that Myles will go back to your web page and purchase a pair of running shoes.  

Differentiating Remarketing

The goal of remarketing is essentially the same as that of retargeting. You want your business, service, or product in the front of your customer’s mind. The distinction comes at this point. Remarketing tactics focus on someone who is a customer, not merely a visitor to your page. Generally, emailing customers is the standard remarketing technique businesses use. There are a few paths remarketing may take.

For example: Myles purchased shoes from your website and is now a customer. You may opt to send him a remarketing email to remind him that he gets a discount on his next purchase. Additionally, sending Myles emails showing him information about unique laces or waterproofing spray for his new shoes is another remarketing route you may use.

 

Utilising Google and Facebook

Tapping into the reach and popularity of Google and Facebook will make the process of retargeting simple and effective. Both internet giants have some tools designed to assist businesses who want to retarget visitors.  

Google

You can get help with setting up your Google retargeting campaign from the numerous tools located in their support section. Once set up, you can become specific about your retargeting audience. The best way to do this is by using the shared library to manage your audience. At this point, you will be able to choose the sort of campaign you will run and focus your retargeting efforts. Google offers you several campaign choices to move your retargeting into high gear.

1. Focus on a Specific Time You will have the option to define your audience based on when they visited your website. This can help you drill drown into a specialised base instead of scattering information to the wind.

   For Example: You ran a special promotion for Mother’s Day last year. You can use the dates of your advertisement to collect a list to retarget ahead of this Mother’s Day. You have an edge this way because you already know your targets have looked for Mother’s Day items.

2. Focus on Those Who Visit Your Blog Retargeting with your blog audience will be less of a sales pitch and more about brand awareness and name recognition. Blog visitors want information, and you want them to remember you provided the knowledge or expertise.
3. Focus on Visitors Position in Your Sales Funnel Look at where your site visitor was when they reached out to you. If they were on your pricing page, it is a good sign that they are close to making a purchase. You can define your target group by setting parameters within the ‘visitors who also visited another page’ option.
4. Focus on Visitors Who Did Not Visit a Certain Page By setting up this parameter, you can target customers who have gone all the way up to the checkout phase but never visited the thank you page. These customers were one or two clicks away from converting. Retargeting this group can add to your customer base because they were very close to making a purchase.

 

Facebook

When it comes to retargeting, Facebook will provide your company ample opportunity to get your brand in front of people who visited your website. By taking advantage of Facebook’s technology and massive reach, you can easily connect with the right audience. Much like Google, Facebook can guide you through the process of setting up your ad campaign. The half dozen steps to setting up your retargeting campaign with Facebook are straightforward.

1. To use Facebook for retargeting, start with Ad Manager. You must indicate that the campaign you are creating is for retargeting. The program will know how to filter for the best possible retargeting audience.
2. Create and upload your audience list to Facebook’s Custom Audience Manager.
3. The next step is entering your destination URL. To make tracking individual campaigns easier, be sure to add a UTM tracking code.
4. Segment your audience based on what factors make the most sense for your business. Facebook offers options for geographical segments, special interest segments, age demographics, and more.
5. Set your ad budget
6. Create your retargeting ad

   

Four Tips to Help You Create an Effective Remarketing Strategy

It is crucial to understand the cold hard fact that most visitors to your site will not convert on their first visit. There are various reasons for this but do not give up on visitors who do not make purchases. Build a solid remarketing campaign to show your site visitors why they want to be your customer.  

1. Retarget Visits to Specific URLs

It is counterproductive to retarget every visitor who lands on any segment of your website. Narrow your focus so that your retargeting attempts land in front of the right group of visitors to your website.

For Example: You sell pet products for numerous types of domestic animals. Sending a one-size-fits-all ad that includes no specifics will have a limited impact on visitors.

However, a focused ad explaining the new line of no-tug dog harnesses is likely to grab the attention of dog owners. You need to create a grouping that includes those who visited dog-related pages on your site. You can carry this themed retargeting out for cat lovers, parrot enthusiasts, and more.  

2. Retarget Existing Customers Who Have Not Purchased Recently

Not all customers will stay actively engaged and purchase products consistently. To remind those customers who have not purchased in a while, create specific retargeting ads.

For Example: Sending special ads to customers with the ‘we miss you’ heading can put your company on customers’ radar. Additionally, retargeting based on various holidays and occasions is a natural way to connect with customers in a way that seems fewer sales.

If you would rather not wait for an existing holiday, make one up to suit your company. There is no law against arbitrarily declaring a summer solstice sale or customer appreciation weekend.  

3. Set Lead-generating Ads That Go Along With Specific Site Engagements

Facebook Lead Ads are a brilliant way of offering retargeting ads that mesh perfectly with the flow of a Facebook timeline. The ads look like typical Facebook posts. However, when you click on them, you are redirected to a lead-generation form on Facebook. By keeping your target audience on Facebook, you eliminate the risk of visitors immediately bouncing from your site after a redirect. This type of retargeting takes much guesswork out of who should be a part of your focus for the ads. Facebook page engagement is an ideal way to create audience groups.  

4. Do Not Neglect Mobile Visitors

You already know that a considerable segment of your customers and potential customers rely on their mobile devices for web connectivity. Remember to consider those who use your mobile app. Additionally, do not forget to retarget those who drop in on your YouTube channel.  

Three Tips to Try if Your Retargeting Is Not Working

After putting together what you believe will be an outstanding retargeting campaign, it is discouraging when the results do not appear. Should this happen to you, do not despair. There are steps you can take to get the retargeting outcomes you want.

1. 1. Try Time-Delayed Retargeting The method can be quite effective in converting visitors who may have been on the receiving end of numerous identical retargeting messages. According to a survey, 53% of responders said that seeing the same message several times decreased their desire to revisit the website or consider making a purchase.

By creating groups that receive different messages at various intervals, your targets will be more likely to check out your website and convert.

1. 1. Enhance Your Email Retargeting Add an invisible HTML tag to your emails. You can use the tag to target those who open that particular message. This is a simple way to narrow your focus and target the email recipients who are most receptive to your messages.
   2. Refine Your Target Audience You may be thinking, “I have narrowed my target group.” However, there is usually room to become more specific when narrowing results. Visit frequency is often an untapped retargeting category. Often a visitor will come to your site once and bounce away, never to be seen again, no matter how amazing your retargeting campaign. While you still want to try and retarget this visitor, your efforts may be in vain. Narrow your vision and create a category consisting of those who have visited your site two or more times. These people have a more substantial interest in your company and what you have to offer. You need to give them a little nudge to convert. This group is receptive to discount offers as well as more information about why they want to become your customer.

While retargeting is a strategy proven to be successful, not every businessperson has the time or the staff to devote to creating their retargeting campaign. If this sounds like you, consider contacting our experts here at Digital Hitmen. We have the experience and the expertise your business needs to thrive   About the author: Based in Perth, Digital Hitmen is a leading Australian digital marketing agency whose mission is to provide brands with impeccable digital execution and guaranteed results. Our team of experts will expand your brand’s digital footprint, increase traffic, and convert that traffic into sales. We work tirelessly to remain the most innovative and results driven digital marketing agency in Australia. Utilising our extensive knowledge in the digital space, and a passion for providing executional excellence, we work with you to execute a customised foolproof plan for digital domination.