What do You Need to Know About Retargeting?

UPDATE: Google now refers to retargeting as “remarketing.” If you happen to use the old term, don’t worry. It won’t automatically age you. This is just something of which you should be aware.

Wouldn’t it be nice if every person who visited your website made a purchase or filled out your opt-in form?

You bet it would!

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The purchase path for most buyers isn’t linear. It typically includes multiple twists and turns. For example, a person might visit your website and leave. A few months later they might see one of your Facebook statuses. A few days after that, they might decide to check out you blog. And then, a week or so later, they might finally decide to buy.

Luckily, retargeting can help us guide customers through this rather insane process.

What is Retargeting?

Unlike search marketing, which we covered last week, retargeting allows you to advertise to individuals who have visited your site or a select set of contacts. We like to think of these two groups as a “warm audience.”

(A “warm audience” is a person or persons who have shown some level of interest in your company by either visiting your site or sharing their contact information with you.)

How Does Retargeting Work?

There are two main approaches to retargeting: pixel-based and list-based. Each approach offers slightly different advantages.

Pixel-Based Retargeting

Pixel-based retargeting is the most commonly used approach. When a visitor comes to your site, Javascript places a pixel in their browser (also known as a cookie). When they leave your site and continue surfing the web, the pixel triggers the display of your ad on sites across the Internet when the visitor browses sites that are connected to your retargeting ad’s platform.

For example, if you choose Google Adwords, your retargeted display ad may show up when your visitor is googling or browsing other sites that serve Google Ads.

How the ad is displayed, how many times it is server, and where the ad is placed can all be configured based on the platform you choose. Regardless, you want to be sure your ad is consistent with the content the user was browsing – you don’t want to advertise something completely different just because you can.

Best practice is also to make sure you do not overwhelm your visitors by showing them the ad too many times. You want to remind them of your service, product or sale, not creep them out.

Pixel-Based Retargeting is particularly effective because it’s timely. Your visitors can very quickly be advertised to after they leave your site. If you sell shoes or jewelry, a web visitor might not purchase your item right away. However, making a purchase is probably something they’re considering. Retargeting keeps your business front and center.

Where Can It Be Used: Anywhere ads are served. You can use pixel-based retargeting on banner ads, some Google search results, and through social media platforms.

Where Do You Start? If you’re going to be tracking your visitors and paying for ads, it’s important to start by identifying clear goals. What is it you want to accomplish? We’ll address this more indepthly in a later post, but remember, everything always starts with a goal.

Do you just need to build recognition for your product or brand? Are you focused on increasing sales? Or are you trying to build your email list? What will make the goal a success?

Next, identify where your customers are spending the majority of their time online. Do they primarily use search engines and surf websites? Are they on Twitter or Facebook for multiple hours a day?

Once you have identified your ideal platform, use that platform’s ad services to generate a pixel. This pixel can then be embedded on your site to trigger your ads.

When your pixel is tracking and confirmed, you can start building your ads; setting campaigns; and segmenting where, when, and to whom the ads are served.

List-Based Retargeting

List-based retargeting is much more personalized. It utilizes your already cultivated contacts. This approach offers some serious advantages because it allows you to customize your ads. By segmenting your list, you can create ads for each of your target audiences.

Where Can It Be Used: On platforms where individuals are registered with email addresses. This includes: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Where Do You Start? It may sound obvious, but you need to start with your list. The success of your list-based retargeting campaign is largely dependant upon the strength of your list.

A strong list, means your contacts have voluntarily given you their email address. Any additional information you can garner from them is an added bonus. This information might include where they’re located, age, gender and general interest. The more information you can gather, the more you can segment your lists and customize your message.

The next step is to identify which social media platform your customers are using the most - Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram. From there, you’ll use your desired platform’s ads manager to create your ad, upload your list, and begin reaching your audience.

Of Note: It’s possible the email a user gave you is different from the one they gave their social networks. If this is the case, your list-based retargeting campaign will not be delivered to them.