Retargeting is an alluring tactic for all digital marketers. By simply placing a “cookie” on the website visitor, a company can market to that visitor after they have left their website. Companies now know who has visited their site and can remarket to them once they have left their website. Through retargeting, the advertiser can reach very relevant and qualified consumers and the consumers, theoretically, will receive more relevant and attractive advertising. This is how retargeting should work as long as advertisers do not abuse their right to retarget.
Rules to respectful retargeting:
- Do not stalk your consumer.
Just because you can does not mean you should. Pay attention to frequency and cap delivery at 15-20 ads per month. - One size does not fit all.
Neither does one message. You must segment your audience based on behaviors they exhibited on your website. Did they abandon their shopping cart or show interest in a specific product? Use this knowledge to retarget them with a message specific to their activity on your website. - Sometimes the answer is “no.”
Not every person who lands on your website will want to return. They may have opted to purchase a competitor, delayed their shopping or need to purchase, or they may just simply not be interested. Respect this and remove them from your retargeting campaign.
By following these simple rules retargeting will be a valuable part of your media mix. Although retargeting is an effective and often cost efficient way to reach an interested audience, it may not always be the right solution. An advertiser must evaluate the campaign goals and perception of retargeting among the brand’s audience. For example, a more tech savvy audience may reject retargeting based on a shared mistrust of the technology, or a larger well-known brand may already have multi-channel marketing efforts in place and retargeting would simply over-saturate an already aware and active audience.
