Retargeting is a powerful advertising technique that allows businesses to reach out to potential customers who have previously shown an interest in their products or services. By tracking the behavior of website visitors, businesses can display targeted ads to those individuals as they browse the internet. This not only increases the chances of conversion but also enhances the overall customer experience. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at how retargeting works, and provide some top tips for running successful retargeting campaigns.
What is Retargeting?
Retargeting is a form of online advertising that uses tracking cookies and pixel tracking to show ads to individuals who have previously visited a website. There are three main types of retargeting: website retargeting, search retargeting, and social media retargeting.
Website retargeting, also known as pixel-based retargeting, is the most common form of retargeting. It works by placing a small piece of code, known as a pixel, on a website. This pixel then drops a cookie on the visitor’s browser, which allows the advertiser to show targeted ads as the visitor browses the internet.
Search retargeting, on the other hand, works by tracking the keywords that individuals have searched for and then displaying relevant ads to them. Social media retargeting uses the same basic principle but targets individuals based on their social media activity.
Setting up Retargeting Campaigns
To start running retargeting campaigns, the first step is to choose the right retargeting platform. Some of the most popular options include Google AdWords, Facebook, and Twitter. Once you’ve chosen your platform, you’ll need to set up the retargeting pixel and create retargeting audiences.
The retargeting pixel is a small piece of code that you’ll need to place on your website. This pixel will allow the retargeting platform to track the behavior of your website visitors and create audiences based on that information.
Creating retargeting audiences is the next step.
This involves segmenting your website visitors based on their behavior, such as the pages they’ve visited or the products they’ve viewed. Once you’ve created your audiences, you can set up retargeting ads that will be shown to those individuals as they browse the internet.
Best Practices for Running Retargeting Ads
To run successful retargeting campaigns, it’s important to keep a few best practices in mind. One of the most important is to segment your audiences. This allows you to show targeted ads to individuals who are most likely to convert.
Another important best practice is to test and optimize your ads. This can be done by A/B testing different ad variations and then using the results to make informed decisions about which ads to show.
Using dynamic ads is another great way to enhance the customer experience and increase the chances of conversion. Dynamic ads allow you to show personalized ads to individuals based on the products or services they’ve viewed on your website.
Creating a sense of urgency can also be an effective strategy for running retargeting campaigns. This can be done by using limited-time offers or by highlighting the benefits of your products or services.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
When running retargeting campaigns, it’s important to avoid common mistakes that can lead to poor performance. One of the most common mistakes is over-targeting, which is when businesses show ads to too many individuals. This can lead to ad fatigue, which is when individuals become tired of seeing the same ads over and over again.
Another mistake to avoid is not retargeting across channels. This means not showing ads to individuals on
multiple platforms, such as website, search, and social media. By limiting your retargeting to just one channel, you’ll miss out on potential customers who may be more likely to convert on another platform.
Not testing and optimizing your ads is another mistake to avoid. Without testing, you’ll have no way of knowing which ads are performing the best, and you’ll be missing out on potential conversions.
Finally, it’s important to have a clear call-to-action in your retargeting ads. Without a clear CTA, individuals may not know what the next step is, and you’ll miss out on potential conversions.
Top Tips for Running Retargeting Ads
- Target the Right Audience: One of the most important things to keep in mind when running retargeting campaigns is to target the right audience. You want to make sure that the ads you serve are relevant to the people who will see them.
- Segment Your Audience: Segmenting your audience is another important strategy for running effective retargeting campaigns. By segmenting your audience, you can create different campaigns for different groups of people based on their behavior, interests, and demographics.
- A/B Test Your Ads: A/B testing is a great way to optimize your retargeting campaigns. By creating multiple versions of your ads and testing them with different audiences, you can see which ads perform the best and make adjustments accordingly.
- Use Retargeting Platforms: There are several retargeting platforms available, such as Facebook Ads and Adroll. These platforms make it easy to create and manage retargeting campaigns, and they also offer a wide range of targeting options.
Conclusion
Retargeting is a powerful advertising technique that allows businesses to reach out to potential customers who have previously shown an interest in their products or services. By understanding how retargeting works, and following best practices for running retargeting campaigns, businesses can increase their chances of conversion and enhance the overall customer experience.
