What is remarketing
Remarketing is a marketing technique that specifically targets users who have previously displayed an interest in your company. This interest can be demonstrated through various actions such as visiting your website, following your social media page, or clicking on one of your ads. The objective of any marketing strategy is to reach the most relevant audience possible, which refers to the individuals who are most likely to be responsive to your advertisements.
The reason remarketing is beneficial is because it targets an audience that already has a vested interest in your business. By remarketing to these individuals, you can bring them back and reignite their interest in your products or services. This, in turn, can result in higher conversion rates and a significantly improved return on investment (ROI).
Why are remarketing campaigns important
Marketo states that a significant portion of your website visitors, specifically 96%, are not in a buying mindset and therefore do not convert, resulting in a notable loss.
With remarketing campaigns, you have the opportunity to focus on these visitors by displaying targeted advertisements in order to persuade them to convert for your offer. The purpose of remarketing campaigns is to remind and persuade visitors who were not initially prepared to convert.
These types of advertisements are effective as they enable you to target individuals who have previously shown an interest in your product. By utilizing social media platforms, search engines, and email, you can reiterate their desire to resolve a problem and emphasize how your product provides the optimal solution.
Types of remarketing campaigns
With the use of targeted ads or emails, remarketing campaigns enable marketers to connect with users who have chosen to exit their websites without making a purchase, providing a distinct chance to engage with them.
By using these remarketing messages, you can enhance the chances of your visitors coming back to your landing page and taking action. This marketing approach aids in boosting sales activity on your webpages, building brand recognition among interested audiences, and ultimately improving your return on investment.
1. Standard remarketing
This form of remarketing focuses on displaying ads to visitors who have previously visited your website and subsequently left. These ads are shown as these visitors browse different websites that are part of the Google Display Network, as well as on apps and social media platforms like Facebook. Moreover, standard remarketing also aims to reach visitors who use search engines like Google to look for keywords related to the products or services you provide.
After conducting a Google search for a heat map tool, we came across a remarketing display ad from Hotjar on Facebook. The ad entices you to register for a complimentary trial through the assistance of a brief video and ad copy.
2. Display remarketing
One of the most popular types of remarketing is display remarketing, which utilizes paid advertising, specifically display ads that appear on the sidelines of other websites, in order to target users who have previously visited your site.
One of the best platforms for running display remarketing campaigns is Google Ads, although there are other platforms available that operate in the same basic manner.
First, traffic to your website is tracked using cookies. Then, users who visit your site are targeted with ads for your products. These display ads are shown on websites that are affiliated with the ad network you are using. If you utilize Google Ads, for instance, your ads will be displayed to users when they visit sites that are a part of the Google Display Network.
3. Search remarketing
Search remarketing is another type of retargeting that operates similarly to display remarketing. However, instead of utilizing display ads, it utilizes paid advertising on search engine results pages (SERPs). This feature is called remarketing lists for search ads (RLSA) in Google Ads. Similar to display remarketing, it tracks the traffic to certain pages on your website.
Instead of advertising to users on external websites, it focuses on reaching them by means of their Google searches. These paid search advertisements bear resemblance to organic results, except for the presence of an “Ad” label in the upper corner. They usually appear above the organic rankings, making them incredibly efficient in enticing users to click.
4. Dynamic remarketing
Dynamic remarketing is the practice of displaying personalized ads to visitors based on their browsing behavior on a webpage. These ads are customized for the specific visitor viewing them, thereby enhancing the likelihood that they will return to the webpage to retrieve any abandoned items.
When visitors see the same item in dynamic remarketing ads on an ecommerce website that they had put in their abandoned shopping cart, it increases the probability of them clicking on the ad.
If a visitor leaves your website after spending time on the pricing page, your dynamic remarketing ad should focus on pricing, possibly reminding them about a free trial offer or a discount.
It is possible to display remarketing ads to individuals who have previously visited your blog or other informational material. The goal is to encourage them to download a guide or participate in a webinar that aligns with their specific interests.
This is the process by which Marketo employs dynamic remarketing in their advertisements.
Remarketing lists for search ads (RLSAs)
Google AdWords offers remarketing lists for search ads, which enables you to personalize your search ad campaigns for past visitors to your webpage. With the search network, you can adjust your bids and ads specifically for those visitors who have previously accessed your website and are currently searching on Google or other partner search sites.
There are two basic strategies to follow when it comes to RLSAs, which allow you to use this type of remarketing ads for visitors who leave your website and then use Google search to find similar solutions.
- Set specific bids for your existing keywords for visitors on your remarketing lists. For example, you can increase your bid by 30% for users who have been on your website in the last 30 days. You can target visitors with specific ads who have either performed an action on your website (like visiting the pricing page or looking at the FAQ section) or put an item in their shopping cart.
- Bid on keywords that you don’t normally bid on just for visitors who have been on your website, or have bought something from you in the past. For example, you can bid on more broad keywords just for the people who have previously visited your site, in order to cast a wider net to get them back to your brand.
One of the best examples you will find is Tirendo, a European online tire retailer, to demonstrate. By using remarketing lists for search ads, the company experienced a 161% increase in conversion rates, resulting in a 22% overall increase in sales.
5. Video remarketing
The concept of video remarketing is very straightforward – it refers to remarketing through video content. YouTube is commonly used for this type of retargeting. When setting up your video ads in Google Ads, the process is similar to setting up search or display ads. On YouTube, your ads generally appear before or during other videos that viewers watch.
To prevent irritation or skipping, keeping these ads short is advisable. As users continue to explore YouTube for various videos, they may come across your ads, serving as a reminder of their interest in your products or services.
6. Email remarketing
Email is an excellent method of remarketing to individuals without relying on paid advertising. By utilizing email marketing, you have the ability to send promotional and reminder emails to prospective customers who have subscribed to your list. To initiate the process of creating an email list, you can establish concise forms on your website that incentivize individuals to provide their email addresses in exchange for items such as newsletters or exclusive discounts.
Once you have completed the previous steps, you can proceed with sending the material that was promised to all individuals on your list. Additionally, you have the option to send out emails to those who have abandoned their carts on your website, urging them to finalize their purchase.
Email is a great form of remarketing that allows for personalized messages. You can utilize email management platforms to send bulk emails that greet each recipient by their name. Additionally, you can suggest further products to those who have already completed their conversion.
7. Social media remarketing
One possible retargeting method you can attempt is social media remarketing, which consists of advertising to individuals on social media. Generally, social media remarketing ads are displayed in users’ social media feeds, known as in-feed ads. This approach allows you to select specific individuals based on various criteria.
There are two ways to approach this. Firstly, you can adopt the same strategy as other forms mentioned by focusing on individuals who have viewed specific pages on your website. Additionally, you can also target individuals based on their interactions with your social media content.
On Facebook, one has the capability to target individuals who have either visited their page or saved one of their posts.
How do you gather data for remarketing campaigns
To ensure the smooth running of your campaigns, it is essential to collect data on your remarketing audience. This can be achieved through two main methods of acquiring an audience list.
Pixel-based remarketing is the most prevalent method of audience collection. It functions by utilizing a JavaScript code, known as a pixel, that is inserted into your website or landing page. Once the pixel is added, it will place an anonymous browser cookie in the visitor’s browser whenever someone visits your website or landing page.
When the visitor leaves your page and explores other websites, the pixel notifies your provider (such as Google retargeting or a social network like Facebook) about the need for these visitors to be shown your ads.
Pixel-based remarketing ensures that your ads reach individuals who have either browsed your website or interacted with your landing page. Additionally, pixel-based remarketing offers the advantage of being timely, allowing visitors to promptly view ads that may entice them to return to your offer.
List-based remarketing involves the utilization of lists containing the email addresses of your current customers or website visitors, enabling you to target specific advertisements at them again.
You can use list-based remarketing to encourage your blog subscribers to download an eBook they have been ignoring or to persuade free trial users to upgrade to a paid plan.
To begin using list-based remarketing, all you need to do is upload your list of email contacts to your remarketing platform. Once uploaded, your ads will be displayed to your audience as they browse the internet. Additionally, you have the option to send personalized emails to your audience to encourage them to engage with your brand.
