If you’ve heard people mention retargeting or remarketing and have nodded along while thinking ‘I have no idea what they’re talking about’ – fear not! We’ve got a simple guide to retargeting for you, plus a look at how retargeting will benefit your business.
What is retargeting?
Most of us have experienced retargeting – did you notice?
After visiting a website, suddenly adverts and banners for that website seem to be following you around the web, and even pop up on your social media… this is retargeting.
You’ll no doubt be familiar with the ‘we use cookies’ message that appears when you first land on a site. When you agree to their use, these little pieces of data are stored on your device by the web browser. The cookie is then used to trigger adverts on other websites.
What is remarketing?
Remarketing is exactly the same as retargeting, it’s just another term.
Remarketing and retargeting are used interchangeably, so if you decide to use this approach as part of your marketing strategy, you may come across either one (or both!).
How will retargeting benefit my business?
Ultimately, smart retargeting campaigns will lead to more customers, more sales and business growth. This all sounds great right? But how?
Actual science.
Yes, we’re talking behavioural science here, and a theory developed by one of the principal scientists in the world of marketing psychology, Dr Jeffrey Lant – the Rule Of Seven.
Dr Lant states that ‘to penetrate the buyer’s consciousness and make significant penetration in a given market, you have to contact the prospect a minimum of seven times within an 18-month period.’
And this is why retargeting is so effective. It boosts the ‘contact’ your potential customer has with your business, without them even visiting your website.
Creating consistent, ongoing familiarity builds user trust and confidence, essential if you’re stand out from the competition. Your campaign will gently guide them back to your website for helpful blog posts, free resources, friendly emails and more.
Research shows that buyers are much more likely to convert if they have trust in a brand – so get your retargeting right, and the rest of your sales funnel should fall into place.
How can I use retargeting in my marketing?
Retargeting can be used at every stage of your sales funnel (wondering what this is? Check out our sales funnel page, and if you don’t have one in place, let’s talk!).
You can divide your website traffic into 3 main categories – cold, warm and hot.
Cold traffic are those visitors who have never heard of or engaged with your brand before. Here retargeting is ideal for nurturing them towards conversion by building trust and confidence in your brand.
Warm traffic are interested visitors, who know about you and are researching your products and services, but still have questions or uncertainties. Retargeting these individuals means you can direct them to your FAQ page, or perhaps offer them a free download – all smart tactics to help them overcome their issues and commit to buy.
Hot traffic are very nearly there. They’re actively looking to buy but just need a little push over the finish line. This could be with retargeting information about payment types you accept, or time-sensitive offers such as a special discount or free postage if they checkout today.
And of course, don’t forget your existing customers! Nurturing this group with retargeting means you can show them further products and services, as well as helping them to become ‘brand ambassadors’ who share details of your business with family and friends.
When should I not use retargeting?
Don’t forget that a successful retargeting campaign is all about finding and building trust and awareness with your target audience. Not everyone who visits your website will fall into that category.
For example, imagine you are a candle maker. You’ve got an amazing new candle that smells like a fresh ocean breeze, ideal for beach lovers who can’t get to the sea. You’re using geranium, cedarwood and ylang-ylang essential oils, and you’ve got this listed in the candle ingredients.
If a user found your site as they want to buy the pure essential oils, they’re not your target audience as you don’t sell essential oils. However, if someone wants their home to smell like their favourite spot beside the sea, they’re your kinda person!
As with all advertising campaigns, there’s a cost involved. Make sure your precious marketing budget is going into the right investments to drive your business forward – in this case that means not wasting money on traffic who are not your target audience.
Ok, I’m in – but how do I get started with retargeting?
So, first you need to work out if you’re going to outsource your retargeting campaigns, or take care of them in-house.
Platforms like Facebook and Google have guides to help you organise retargeting yourself, but of course it requires time as well as money, both in the set up but also in the long term measuring and monitoring to ensure you’re getting a return on your investment.
With this in mind, you may find outsourcing to an agency a better option. We know, of course we’re going to say this as a marketing agency, but if you’re serious about getting an effective remarketing campaign in place, it’s kind of a no-brainer.
You’re brilliant at running your business, supporting customers and selling your products and services, so why not ensure your focus can stay where your strengths lie?
Getting an experienced marketing agency team on your side will save you time, money and additional stress, while delivering the results you’re looking for.
Let’s have a chat and see if we’re the right fit for you.
