Retargeting and Remarketing: How to Win Back Your Lost Customers
Retargeting and remarketing are two powerful digital marketing strategies that allow you to reconnect with your lost customers and re-engage them with your brand. These strategies help you to target people who have already interacted with your business, but didn’t make a purchase or take a desired action. By showing them targeted ads, you can remind them of your brand and encourage them to come back and complete the desired action.
What is Retargeting?
Retargeting, also known as remarketing, is a form of online advertising that targets users who have previously interacted with your website or mobile app. It works by placing a small piece of code, called a pixel, on your website or app that tracks the users’ activities. When these users leave your website without completing a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form, you can then target them with ads that are tailored to their interests and preferences.
Retargeting is a highly effective marketing strategy because it targets users who have already shown an interest in your brand or product. These users are more likely to convert than someone who has never interacted with your business before. By showing them relevant ads, you can remind them of your brand and encourage them to come back and complete the desired action.
Types of Retargeting
There are several types of retargeting that you can use to target different types of users. Here are some of the most common types:
1. Site Retargeting
Site retargeting is the most common form of retargeting. It targets users who have visited your website but didn’t convert. It works by placing a pixel on your website that tracks the users’ activities. When these users leave your website, you can then target them with ads that are tailored to their interests and preferences.
2. Search Retargeting
Search retargeting targets users who have searched for specific keywords or phrases related to your product or service. It works by targeting users based on the keywords they have used in their search queries. This type of retargeting is particularly effective for reaching users who are in the consideration phase of the buying cycle.
3. Email Retargeting
Email retargeting targets users who have interacted with your email campaigns but didn’t convert. It works by sending targeted ads to users who have opened your emails or clicked on links within them.
4. Social Media Retargeting
Social media retargeting targets users who have interacted with your social media accounts but didn’t convert. It works by showing targeted ads to users who have liked, commented, or shared your social media content.
What is Remarketing?
Remarketing is a broader term that refers to any marketing strategy that targets users who have interacted with your business in some way. This can include retargeting, but it can also include other strategies such as email marketing, direct mail, and phone calls.
Remarketing is a powerful strategy because it allows you to reach users across multiple channels and touchpoints. By creating a cohesive and consistent brand message across all of your marketing channels, you can increase the likelihood of converting lost customers into loyal ones.
How to Set Up Retargeting and Remarketing
Setting up retargeting and remarketing campaigns can seem daunting, but it’s actually quite simple with Facebook’s ad platform. Here are the steps to set up your own retargeting and remarketing campaigns:
1. Install Facebook Pixel
The first step in setting up retargeting and remarketing is to install the Facebook pixel on your website. The pixel is a piece of code that tracks user behavior on your website and allows you to target them with ads later on. You can set up the pixel in your Facebook Ads Manager account and then add it to your website’s header section.
2. Create Custom Audiences
Once the pixel is installed, you can create custom audiences based on user behavior. For example, you can create an audience of users who have added items to their cart but didn’t complete the purchase. To create a custom audience, go to the Audiences tab in your Ads Manager account and click “Create Audience”. From there, you can select “Custom Audience” and choose the behavior or attribute you want to target.
3. Set Up Retargeting Ads
With your custom audience created, you can now set up retargeting ads to target those users with specific messaging. For example, you can show them ads with the products they left in their cart, or offer them a discount to complete their purchase. To set up a retargeting campaign, go to the Ads Manager and select “Create” to start a new campaign. From there, you can select your custom audience and set your ad targeting and creative.
4. Set Up Remarketing Ads
In addition to retargeting ads, you can also set up remarketing ads to target users who have interacted with your brand in some way, but haven’t necessarily visited your website. For example, you can target users who have engaged with your Facebook page or Instagram account. To set up a remarketing campaign, go to the Ads Manager and select “Create” to start a new campaign. From there, you can select your audience based on their engagement with your brand and set your ad targeting and creative.
5. Test and Refine
As with any advertising campaign, it’s important to test and refine your retargeting and remarketing ads to ensure they are effective. Test different ad creative, messaging, and targeting to see what works best for your audience. Use Facebook’s reporting tools to track your ad performance and make adjustments as needed.
Types of Retargeting Ads
Retargeting ads can come in different forms depending on the audience and their behavior on your website or app. Here are some common types of retargeting ads:
1. Dynamic Product Retargeting
This type of ad targets users who have viewed a specific product on your website or app. The ad will display that exact product to the user, along with related products or accessories that may interest them. This helps to remind the user of the product they were interested in and may encourage them to make a purchase.
2. Cart Abandonment Retargeting
This type of ad targets users who have added items to their cart but did not complete the purchase. The ad will display the items in their cart and may include a discount code or other incentive to encourage them to complete the purchase.
3. Site Retargeting
This type of ad targets users who have visited your website or specific pages on your website, but have not yet converted. The ad will typically display a general message about your brand or products to remind the user of their previous visit and encourage them to return and convert.
4. Email Retargeting
This type of ad targets users who have interacted with your email campaigns, but have not yet converted. The ad will typically display a similar message to the email they received, encouraging them to take action and convert.
Remarketing
Remarketing is similar to retargeting, but it targets users who have interacted with your brand in other ways outside of your website or app. This can include users who have engaged with your social media profiles, opened your emails, or attended your events.
Benefits of Retargeting and Remarketing
Retargeting and remarketing can have several benefits for your business:
1. Increased Conversions
Retargeting and remarketing campaigns have been shown to significantly increase conversions compared to traditional advertising methods. By targeting users who have already shown an interest in your brand or products, you are more likely to convert them into customers.
2. Cost-Effective
Retargeting and remarketing campaigns can be more cost-effective than traditional advertising methods because they target a specific audience that is more likely to convert. This means you are not wasting advertising spend on users who are unlikely to convert.
3. Improved Brand Awareness
Retargeting and remarketing campaigns can also help to improve brand awareness and engagement. By displaying ads to users who have already interacted with your brand, you are reminding them of your brand and products, which can lead to increased engagement and word-of-mouth marketing.
4. Customization and Personalization
Retargeting and remarketing campaigns allow you to customize and personalize your ads based on the user’s behavior and interests. This can help to create a more personalized experience for the user, which can increase the likelihood of conversion.
1. Segment Your Audience
Segmenting your audience based on their behavior and interests can help to create more targeted and effective ads. For example, you may want to create different retargeting ads for users who have viewed a specific product versus those who have abandoned their shopping cart without completing a purchase. By segmenting your audience, you can tailor your messaging and offers to better match their specific needs and preferences.
2. Use Dynamic Product Ads
Dynamic Product Ads (DPAs) are a powerful way to retarget users with personalized ads featuring the specific products or services they have shown interest in. DPAs use Facebook’s pixel to track a user’s actions on your website, such as viewing a product or adding it to their cart, and then show them relevant ads featuring that product.
DPAs can help to improve conversion rates and ROI by showing users ads that are highly personalized to their interests and needs. They also make it easy to promote a large number of products at once without the need for creating individual ads for each one.
3. Create Compelling Ad Creative
Even with targeted and personalized ads, it’s important to have ad creative that stands out and captures the user’s attention. This can include eye-catching visuals, clear and concise messaging, and a strong call-to-action.
When retargeting users, it’s also important to consider their previous interactions with your brand and tailor your messaging accordingly. For example, if a user abandoned their shopping cart, you may want to include messaging that encourages them to complete their purchase or offers a discount code to incentivize them to do so.
4. Set Frequency Caps
While retargeting can be effective, it’s important to avoid bombarding users with too many ads. This can lead to ad fatigue and a negative user experience. Setting frequency caps can help to ensure that users are only seeing your ads a certain number of times within a given time period.
You can also use frequency caps to control the number of ads a user sees based on their position in the funnel. For example, you may want to show a user more ads if they have recently viewed a product, but less if they have already made a purchase.
5. Test and Refine
As with any advertising strategy, it’s important to continually test and refine your retargeting campaigns to improve their effectiveness. This can include testing different ad creative, audiences, messaging, and offers.
One effective approach is to create multiple variations of your ad creative and test them against each other using A/B testing. This can help you identify which elements are most effective at driving conversions and improve your overall campaign performance.
Conclusion
Retargeting and remarketing are powerful strategies for reaching users who have already shown interest in your brand or products. By segmenting your audience, using dynamic product ads, creating compelling ad creative, setting frequency caps, and continually testing and refining your campaigns, you can improve the effectiveness of your retargeting efforts and drive more conversions and revenue for your business.
