If you are running an online business or using your web presence as the primary way to attract new customers, everything is about conversions. Your entire marketing plan is likely designed around a sales funnel that draws people from initial interest into a purchase or ongoing relationship with your business. Part of the reality we all live with is that people fall out of this funnel. If they didn't, we would all be selling a lot more! We know that, no matter what we do, some qualified customers will never complete a purchase. In fact, if you run an online store, you are likely only converting 2-5% of your site's visitors.
There are many approaches to dealing with low conversion rates. The most typical tactic is to get more visitors. If your conversion rate is only 3%, you can still, in theory, double your sales by doubling the visitors to your site. So, maybe we spend more on Google Ads or run another campaign on Facebook. But, even if we can increase the number of visitors, we are still dealing with a meager conversion percentage.
But, what if, instead of pouring more money into low conversion rate visitors, we spent some effort reaching out to those who visited our website, but never completed a purchase? These are people who already had some level of interest in what we have to offer. They have demonstrated that interest by visiting. Maybe some of them will never make a purchase. But, chances are, some of them just need a little reminder.
This is where remarketing and retargeting can become the most useful tools in your marketing toolkit. Think of all the reasons someone might visit your site and not follow through. Maybe they weren't quite ready. Perhaps they wanted to do a little more research. Maybe they received an email they needed to attend to or decided they needed to know what was happening on Facebook.
What is Remarketing? And What is Retargeting?
It may be easier to understand the concepts of remarketing and retargeting by thinking of things in a physical brick and mortar setting. Picture someone coming into your store on their lunch break and finding something they really like. But, their lunch break ends before they have a chance to buy it. Wouldn't it be great if, on their way home, they could see a billboard for your store featuring that same item? Virtually impossible, but a great idea. Well, in the online world, that is entirely possible through remarketing and retargeting. This type of marketing uses email or customized ads to re- engage potential customers who have already shown an interest in what you offer.
Remarketing and Retargeting are often used interchangeably. While they have the same goal and are based on the same premise, they are slightly different. Remarketing typically refers to an approach using email as the vehicle for following up with potential customers, where retargeting uses online advertising explicitly targeted at potential customers that have already visited your website.
How do Remarketing and Retargeting Work?
If you do any online shopping, chances are you have already experienced both of these. If you have ever added a product to your online shopping cart and then left the site without checking out, you may have received an email from that same website. Maybe it was just a friendly reminder that you didn't complete your transaction. Or, perhaps it was an incentive like a discount to encourage you to come back and finish your purchase. That is remarketing. If you have ever browsed a website and then later noticed ads for the same site while scrolling through Facebook or searching for something on Google, you have experienced retargeting. These are both efforts to re-engage you, the potential customer through highly targeted and personalized marketing.
The Benefits of Remarketing and Retargeting
Chances are you have already invested time and money in getting people to visit your website. Every time a potential customer slips out of your sales funnel, you are losing return on your investment (ROI). Remarketing and retargeting are ways to recoup and expand your ROI. Remember, it is all about conversions. Because remarketing and retargeting are reaching out to customers that have already expressed an interest in what you offer, you will see higher conversion rates from this type of marketing. Also, since it is reaching out to consumers who are already familiar with you, this is a chance to increase your brand exposure. Exposure builds familiarity and, done correctly, trust. So, when this customer is ready to buy, your brand is at the top of their mind.
Getting Started with Remarketing and Retargeting
Getting started can be as simple as beginning to collect email addresses for remarketing efforts. Retargeting will require getting connected to Google Ads, Facebook, or Twitter. However, it is best to start with a plan and some goals for your marketing efforts. We would be happy to help you better understand the benefits of remarketing and retargeting for your business. Our digital marketing team has extensive experience with this type of marketing and can help your business get started driving leads and increasing sales.