Website traffic doesn’t always equal conversions, and that’s a challenge most online businesses face. One-time visitors to your site are a valuable resource waiting to be tapped into. So, how do you win back the attention of these potential customers who have shown an initial interest in your offerings? The solution you are seeking lies in a concept called remarketing, a powerful strategy that can significantly boost your conversion rates and revenue.

When we delve into the intricate steps of the organic marketing funnel, we can see that it follows a specific path that most users take. It often begins with a user performing a search, following you on various social media platforms, or stumbling upon a status update you’ve posted or tweeted. Eventually, they land on your website to explore what it’s all about.

From a marketing perspective, it now becomes your site’s responsibility, along with its content, to convert these curious visitors into paying customers. However, the reality is that not everyone will make a purchase right away. Still, there’s immense potential in ensuring that even those who don’t convert immediately take some valuable actions, like signing up for an email newsletter, following you on social media, or becoming a part of your online community.

The concept of the marketing funnel might sound simple enough, but the data reveals a harsh truth – the overwhelming majority of visitors to your website will leave and may never return. Take, for example, Fitbit’s website, where a staggering 99.9% of visitors exit without converting. Only a tiny 0.01% actually go on to purchase one of their fitness watches. Interestingly, at some point, the members of that 99.9% were genuinely interested in Fitbit’s products, which is why they visited the site in the first place. This leaves us with a burning question: how can we recapture the attention of such a vast and potentially valuable audience? If these were your potential customers, what could you do to get back in front of them once again?

If you’re intrigued by the idea of reconnecting with this lost audience and harnessing the full potential of your website’s traffic, you’re in the right place. In the upcoming sections, we will explore the fascinating world of remarketing, offering you insights, strategies, and practical tips to effectively engage visitors who have already been to your site.

So, let’s dive into the captivating world of remarketing and discover how it can help you harness the power of returning visitors.

1. Retargeting

Have you ever visited a website to explore a particular product or service and then found yourself followed by ads for the very same item on Google, Facebook, and various other sites you visit? If this sounds familiar, you’ve experienced the magic of classic retargeting in action.

At its core, retargeting is a digital marketing strategy that aims to remind internet users of the opportunity they might have missed when they decided not to make a purchase. It’s a concept that’s been around for a while, but in recent years, it has evolved into a highly sophisticated and personalized marketing approach. In essence, remarketing has shifted from a simple reminder to a tailored, data-driven process that leverages user behaviors, interactions, and preferences to create compelling and highly relevant advertisements.

A user’s actions and interests are tracked when they visit your website, which is how it works. The journey doesn’t end if they leave without buying anything. You can track a user’s online activities off of your website by dropping a cookie or pixel on their device when they visit it. This robust tracking system enables you to show targeted ads created especially to pique their interest and nudge them back to your site to finish the desired action, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or otherwise interacting with your brand.

Retargeting’s appeal comes from its capacity to target customers who have already shown an interest in your goods or services. It acts as a gentle prod, reminding them of the positive aspects of your offerings. This increases the likelihood of conversion while also keeping your brand top-of-mind.

The world of retargeting has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Today, it offers marketers a wide array of tools and features to make their campaigns more effective. One such tool you can consider for your retargeting efforts is AdRoll. AdRoll provides a comprehensive suite of retargeting services and tools to help you reach your goals. However, it’s worth noting that AdRoll is just one of many similar solutions available in the market.

There are several other platforms and services that offer advanced retargeting capabilities. Each of these platforms comes with its own set of features, strengths, and pricing structures, making it crucial to choose the one that best aligns with your business objectives and budget.

So, whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just beginning to explore the potential of retargeting, there’s a world of possibilities waiting for you. In the sections that follow, we will delve deeper into the strategies, best practices, and tools that can help you harness the full potential of retargeting and turn those one-time website visitors into loyal customers. Stay tuned for a comprehensive guide to supercharging your online marketing efforts through the power of remarketing.

2. Remarketed Lists for Search Ads (RLSA)

Remarketed Lists for Search Ads are another tool that has been around for some time, but it’s not something that is talked about much. It can be hard to explain, so consider this illustration:

Let’s say that you know that Terry visited the Tory Burch page on Fitbit; Tory Burch is a fashion designer who put her own spin on the classic Fitbit fitness watch design. You also know that, after Terry left the site, she performed a search for watches or bracelets. Now, you may think that, since Fitbit isn’t a fashion accessory, these two event are unrelated. But, to tell you the truth, this is all a matter of perspective.

Fashion accessories and Fitbit fitness watches are not considered to be synonymous so, if you worked for Fitbit, this isn’t something you would typically bid on. But, the information about Terry’s search can still be quite helpful. For instance, you can use the knowledge that Terry is performing fashion related searches to show ads of the Tory Burch designed Fitbit in her search results.

Remarketed lists can be customized in a myriad of ways, especially if you factor in the pages that users visited and what they were looking for. Plus, since you know the past search behaviors of the people on your list, you can now bid a lot higher for these types of ads. You will probably notice a significantly higher click-through rate (CTR) and possibly a higher conversion rate as well, especially because the person has already been to your site and is familiar with your brand or product.

3. Email Addresses and Other Forms of Online Identification

If you possess valuable data like social IDs, email addresses, phone numbers, or app IDs, you have an arsenal of tools at your disposal to reach out to a highly targeted audience on popular social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. This treasure trove of information unlocks the potential to reconnect with individuals whose email addresses you’ve obtained, thereby rekindling their interest in your products or services.

Twitter and Facebook’s Custom Audiences feature is a game-changer in this regard. It enables you to create highly customized advertising campaigns tailored to your audience’s specific preferences, behaviors, and interactions. By uploading the email addresses you’ve collected from people who’ve initiated the product purchase process on your website or subscribed to your email newsletter, you can strategically position your brand in front of them when they log into these social networking giants.

But that’s not all – Google’s AdWords platform offers an equally potent tool known as Customer Match. This feature empowers you to upload not just one, but multiple email lists, so you can reach users on the list when they perform online searches or visit sites within the expansive Google Display Network. This means that your targeted ads can appear when your potential customers are most engaged and receptive to your messaging.

There is a catch, though. To make the most of tools like Customer Match, you’ll need a minimum of a thousand email addresses. Accumulating this substantial number of email addresses may seem like a daunting task, but the potential rewards are worth the effort. By having a substantial email list, you can get your content and brand in front of industry influencers, decision-makers, and potential customers.

Moreover, when your communication efforts yield positive results, such as backlinks, press coverage, and engaging stories, the impact on your business can be enormous. It not only boosts your brand’s visibility but also positions you as a credible authority in your industry. What’s more, with a well-executed ad campaign, you can keep your advertising costs in check while reaping the benefits of increased traffic and conversions.

So, the next time you consider harnessing the power of customer data, remember that these advanced targeting tools can be your secret weapons in the competitive world of online marketing. In the upcoming sections, we will delve deeper into the strategies and tactics that can help you maximize the potential of these platforms and achieve remarkable results for your business. Stay tuned for an in-depth exploration of how data-driven marketing can take your online presence to new heights.

Important Considerations

Before you delve headfirst into retargeting and remarketing, there are 6 things that you should know. They are as follows:

First things first, whenever you are doing any type of retargeting or remarketing, make sure that you have burn pages and smart burn pixels. This will ensure that, when your customer has completed a transaction on your page, they won’t be shown the retargeting ad anymore. It’s not wise to continuously market to someone who’s already been converted. Likewise, you should also have a burn that is activated after a specific amount of days. For instance, if after a week (or so) you can see that you are getting low click-through and conversion, it may be time for you to stop putting your efforts into marketing that particular ad.

Secondly, if a potential customer has seen your ad several times as they are browsing the web and they haven’t purchased the advertised product or service, it may be time to switch tactics and limit their exposure. You have two options here, they include:

• Give them a new message
• Wait until they visit your site again before you start remarketing to them

Doing anything else may cause you to waste money and bids that could be better used on other clients or marketing channels.

In the past, the concept of remarketing revolved around a basic premise i.e. if a client visited your site, you could show them one ad. But, with the evolution of the internet and the way that it’s being used, both people and ad networks have become a lot more sophisticated. Nowadays, marketers can personalize ads based on specific behaviors. This customization can help improve both your click-through and conversion rates. It can improve your targeting as well.

Don’t give 100% credit to any of the remarketing tactics that you decide to use. That special something that initially brought the visitors to your site should receive, as much (if not more) investment and credit than whatever you did to recapture their attention. When you assign 100% credit to your remarketing tactics, eventually you will stop investing your time, money, and efforts at the top of the funnel. As a consequence, you will end up remarketing to the same, ever dwindling, group of visitors, which can be quite hazardous to your ROI, or return on investment.

It is also important to note that all of your ads shouldn’t be exclusively focused on sales. It’s possible to gain conversions from other sources that include:

• Multiple visits
• Content
• Subscriptions
• Sign-ups
• Participation on your platform or your community
• Attending an event

Instead, take a look further up the sales funnel and find the activities that will eventually lead to conversions. Once you’ve identified these activities, remarket them – you might even be able to bid on the corresponding phrases and keywords for a significantly lower price.

Finally, consider using remarketing tactics in new and innovative ways. For instance, if you get plenty of visitors to your Jobs page, but are still having trouble hiring new employees, get in front of it. That is, use remarketing tactics and follow your visitors around the internet like a puppy. Market to them on their social networks and, if they’ve been to one of your events and you have their email address, you can also reach out to them in this way.

The Bottom Line

The knowledge that you gained in this article will help you attract potential customers that, otherwise, would be lost. It provides the information that you need to create ads that will do a better job of attracting your target demographic, when compared to previous attempts. Happy Remarketing!