Remarketing involves the creation of personalized and targeted ads for consumers who have already visited a company’s website. The process works in this way: as users visit a brand’s website, they are tagged with cookies that follow the users, and as they land on advertising platforms where retargeting is an option (like social media platforms) they get served ads based on their navigation.
Understanding remarketing
Remarketing is based on the simple premise that it is more effective to advertise to consumers who already know a brand as there is more chance they will purchase something. Given 96% of consumers leave a website without making a purchase, it is crucial businesses continually re-engage with visitors and keep their brands top of mind.
The process of remarketing can be illustrated in three steps:
- First, a user visits a brand’s website or consumes its content.
- The user is then tagged with a cookie and added to a list.
- Lastly, the business serves targeted ads to those users based on their previous actions.
Note that users will be able to see remarketing ads while they are browsing the web, reading from their favorite news app, or consuming video content on YouTube. That is, the user does not need to revisit the site where they were first tagged to see the ads.
Different types of remarketing
There are various types of remarketing according to how users are added to the list. These include:
Standard
The most common form where display ads are shown to website visitors on other websites and apps. Google’s Display Network reaches 90% of internet browsers across multiple platforms.
Mobile apps
Where ads are shown exclusively in mobile apps and websites.
Search engines
These ads are shown in search engines to users who have already visited a brand’s website. This allows the business to serve ads to consumers who are interested in a product or service and are still looking for information.
Dynamic
This form of remarketing is similar to the standard version. However, the ads are more personalized according to the products and services viewed.
Remarketing examples
The specifics of each remarketing campaign will differ from customer to customer. With that in mind, here is a general look at some real-world examples:
Nike
Once a user has searched its store for shoes, Nike displays remarketing ads on other sites where the user can scroll through a list of “personalised” sneakers. To finish, the company includes a call to action to encourage shoppers to purchase on its website.
Airbnb
The accommodation provider is also known for displaying remarketing ads in a user’s Facebook news feed. These ads feature a photo of the accommodation listing with a prominent “Book Now” call to action button.
Spotify
The music streaming platform uses traditional display marketing to target users as they surf the web. Some ads incorporate a promotion where the user can receive three months of Spotify Premium for free. The promotion targets existing Spotify listeners who may be hesitant to upgrade their subscriptions.
Key takeaways:
- Remarketing involves the creation of personalized and targeted ads for consumers who have already visited a company’s website.
- Remarketing campaigns can take a few different forms according to how users are added to a promotional list. Standard remarketing is the form used by the Google Display Network, but there are also dynamic, search engine, and mobile app forms.
- Remarketing by definition is a personalized experience for each user. Nevertheless, some general examples of the strategy in action include those from Spotify, Airbnb, and Nike.
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