In the world of online marketing , strategies more adjusted to the tastes and needs of the user are sought every day, so that the campaigns and the money invested are optimized as much as possible.
Within this complex world, today we focus on the definition and functions of retargeting focused on an online store . If you are interested in the topic because you already have a store or you hope to launch it soon, I recommend that you read this post because it will help you a lot. We start.
what is retargeting
The online world is complex and changing. The needs and tastes of the user set trends that make brands move in one direction or another. And to find out exactly what the potential customer is looking for , tools and strategies are used to get to know them in depth to offer them the product they could really buy.
We can define this digital marketing technique as the search for advertising impacts that are directed towards users who have already had a previous interaction with the online store that is the object of the campaign.
To be more precise, let’s say that a user has visited an ecommerce X, or has opened a communication channel through email or social networks with said store, or perhaps clicked on an advertising link or in a forum. So, using the retargeting technique, it will seek to impact that user again through advertising .
However, this concept is changing and complex. Although initially it was basically focused on what is known as site retargeting , that is, impacting a user who has interacted with a particular website, now this definition is becoming much broader.
In fact, specialists consider this technique as the implementation of a code or tag that makes it easier for a third party to locate specific users beyond the domain where the interaction activity with said users was collected.
How does it work
Given the technique, which primarily seeks to impact users who have already interacted with your website or online store , it is important to know how it works, since it is truly effective in reaching potential customers. So it is important to know how you can reach them.
Use of cookies
The first thing you have to do is create a list of users who visit your online store. To do this, you have to add a JavaScript tag in the footer. That code will place cookies in the browser, and will tell you who has been to your website. Thanks to this, you will be able to create ads that redirect them to your store from other sites.
This code, also called pixel , can’t just be implemented on a page. In other words, you can add it to several, so that whoever finds you in one way or another, you can access a record of visits that is large enough to generate the cookies that are stored in your browser and always have it located.
This option of adding several pixels on various websites is a very useful way to differentiate different types of customers according to their needs and interests , so that you can respond to all of them with your services focused on each one.
Think about what your online store offers, be it products, services, reservations, etc. So, if a user is looking for gifts for less than 10 euros , you can generate ads that redirect him to your website with reminders in order to be able to sell those specific products in the required price range.
Basically what is done with this is a user segmentation . Thanks to it, you can save lists and data of enormous value, since they are telling you what the potential customers of your ecommerce are like, what they are looking for, what their needs are, their purchasing power, their star products , etc.
Remember that information is power . The better you know your customers, the easier it will be to offer the product they want. In addition, since you can use pixels in many online spaces, you can take advantage of this to attract an audience to your social networks, encouraging them to subscribe to your newsletter, etc.
In other words, these codes, which can also be used in display marketing campaigns , are really efficient. In fact, if a user is one step away from completing their purchase, you can even send them a discount email , for example, or use other formulas to encourage them to finish the process and purchase the product permanently.
How to use this technique efficiently
Now that we know what retargeting is and how it works, it’s important to learn how to use it efficiently.
As we have seen, it is best to segment users . In this way it is easier to create retargeting ads according to age groups, place of residence, gender, interests, etc.
But for the technique to be 100% effective, remember:
- Your privacy policymust be implemented on each page of the online store.
- Create a list of users that does not go below 500.
- Choose the retargeting provider. There are many in the online market that offer these services.
- Tag your online business. To do this, you must install the pixel or JavaScript code provided by the providers, so that you can collect cookies from visitors.
- Create a sensible plan. In other words, you have to establish some goals to be achieved in order to adapt the campaign. This way you will be able to segment your audience according to your needs, and redirect them towards your home page, the shopping cart, towards a specific product, etc.
- Study the results. Obviously, once the retargeting plan is in place, you will have to make sure that the conversions are as expected. That is, the public buys, signs up for the newsletter, follows the community on social networks, has registered an account, etc.
- If the result is as expected, congratulations, you already have a new technique to attract potential customers to your store and obtain higher returns.
What must be considered
Be that as it may, there are a number of details to consider when implementing a similar plan. Pay special attention to:
- The price. A click on an ad can have a very varied price depending on your industry and competition, but it will not usually go below €1. Take this into account when preparing a budget.
- Scopes. You can limit the reach of your campaign by various means. For example, based on geographic location, whether your store sells globally or nationally. Also by age, by sex, by day and time, so that the ads are shown in slots in which your potential customers are more active in the online world, etc.
- Number of impressions per customer. A key point, since a user could get tired of seeing your ad everywhere and cross your business. Keep this in mind when planning, as 10 or more impressions per visitor per day is often excessive and detrimental.
- Create various advertisements. That is, do not focus on a single product. It offers other options and services, redirects to various pages of the online store, etc.
- Try varied ads. Ads are not always displayed in the same place on a website. They can appear on the sides, in the headers, etc. In addition, they can be more visual, descriptive with only text, with different colors, etc. Make sure you try various possibilities until you find the right keys.
- Remember that you are not reaching new customers. It is important, since the spectrum of potential public is reduced by retargeting visitors to your online site, but nothing more.
Why use this technique
You may be wondering why to use this marketing technique, and if it will be really effective for your online store. According to studies, you will reach almost 100% of the users who have visited your website if you do it right, and you would be able to reach even 4% of sales from all of them. Additionally, you can get:
- Advertising ROIaround 300% maximum if the campaign is good and effective.
- Very efficient and specific brandingwithout excessive investment.
- Brand reinforcement, awareness, leads, loyalty, increased sales…
Gain brand visibility
Retargeting is considered a direct sales technique , however, its impact goes further, and it can be a fantastic tool for good branding :
- You get the user to take your business into account for the duration of their purchase cycle thanks to the impacts.
- It is achieved that a user with a long purchase cycle takes into account and always considers your product.
- Loyalty, since complementary products and services can be offered to the user, and even reinforced through newsletters, or even through social networks.
- Obviously the strong point is conversion.
As a final point, remember that if they talk about remarketing instead of retargeting , they are referring to the same concept. The only real difference is that we all use the term remarketing, and Google uses remarketing, but it’s basically an identical technique that can dramatically increase your online store’s conversions .