Retargeting has become a staple for marketers eager to increase conversions, and it's one strategy that's getting better all the time. Retargeting platforms have only become more precise and effective over the years, thus encouraging one of digital marketing's most rewards-rich campaign channels.
Building a retargeting strategy may seem like a challenge at first, but armed with the knowledge of what to do — and, perhaps more importantly, what not to do — you can launch an effective campaign. Here are some essential dos and don'ts to lay the foundation for a successful retargeting strategy.
Do Target Shoppers Who Abandon Carts at Checkout
Retargeting can be deployed through several channels — social media, email or website, for example — but when it comes to increasing sales, the best bet is on retargeting those close-but-not-quite conversions on your website or online store. There, the primary target audience is made up of consumers who've recently shown interest in or intent of conversion before bailing out at the last minute. Reminding them of their interest may convince them to return and complete their purchase.
Don't Retarget Everybody
As HubSpot notes, it's important to segment your audience by their varying levels of interest and readiness to convert so that your ad dollars are spent targeting the right ads to the right people. Your retargeting strategy should consider a number of data points, including time spent shopping online and number of page views, to identify the shoppers most likely to convert. This can help you choose which consumers to retarget and how much to bid for an ad at any given point, thereby increasing returns by cutting out low-value prospects.
Do Create Urgency Through Statistics
Stats and concrete numbers can be a great way of informing customers while creating a sense of urgency. If there are only four of a certain item left in your inventory, or only 12 hours left for your online sale, build these numbers into your retargeted ads. This can encourage customers to make a now-or-never purchase.
Don't Display Ads Indefinitely
Retargeting has great value — for a while. After consumers have seen an ad a few times, it begins to lose its value. Consumers who haven't converted by then likely won't, and continued ad displays may even encourage a negative brand association. You can still target these consumers by changing the content displayed to them — just be wary of displaying ads for more than a week. HubSpot notes that you can leverage frequency caps to set a fixed limit on how many times an ad will appear.
Do Diversify the Types of Retargeting You Use
After one week, any retargeting approach used on consumers should be retired. But you can continue seeking sales from those targets by changing your pitch. If you displayed a specific product or service, consider promoting a special offer or new additions. Diversify your presentation to recapture audience attentions — this will keep your campaign fresh, and the shift in ads will provide valuable data to inform your future efforts.
Don't Sweat Daily Performance
Retargeting is a long game. Marketers who get too caught up in the short-term results risk upsetting their strategy before it's even had a chance to demonstrate its returns. If retargeting efforts flop on any given day, stand pat — don't rush to make changes.
The proliferation of strong ad networks and effective marketing technology has turned retargeting into one of the best digital campaigns to run. Mind the best practices and keep a close eye on your results to make incremental changes that drive sales and deliver a strong ROI.
