Are retargeting ads a great way to increase sales by giving interested buyers a second and third chance, or a mechanism for throwing good money after bad when it comes to pay-per-click advertising?
The answer is “neither” or “both,” depending on who you ask and how you use retargeting ads.
That shouldn’t be surprising, given that there are winners and losers in every form of internet marketing. Some business owners thrive off of search engine optimization, while others think social media marketing is much more useful (and vice versa). What we have found, though, is that success with retargeting ads really comes down to the right approach. That is, if you follow the right set of best practices, you’re almost bound to get good results.
To help ensure you get the most from your marketing dollars, here are a few tips you can use today to make retargeting ads more profitable…
Focus Your Initial Ads
As the old saying goes: “garbage in, garbage out.” If your initial PPC ads aren’t tightly-focused on likely buyers, then you can’t be surprised when the subsequent advertising messages you show aren’t effective. All forms of PPC are really about bringing together the right audience with the perfect message. That’s especially true when you’re trying to win attention in the first place.
Vary Your Message
While a lot of small businesses will simply use retargeting to show the same ads again and again, that’s usually a mistake. You do want to use consistent themes and branding, so buyers will remember your website and offer, but you don’t necessarily want your prospects to see the same content again and again. That makes it easier for them to tune you out. So, vary your messaging slightly with each successive contact to create the biggest overall effect.
Limit Your Exposure
It’s easy to overdo it with retargeting ads. When potential buyers see your marketing messages again and again day after day, it feels as if you are stalking them across the Internet. Obviously, that’s not going to be good for business. Remember that and limit your exposure. There’s a fine line between giving customers another chance to take advantage of your offer and making them feel like you are desperate or overbearing.
Watch the Numbers
Retargeting is all about maximizing conversion opportunities, but there comes a point when you have to cut your losses. Finding the right bid price and number of impressions to make this formula work takes a bit of research into your web analytics. Keep testing and watch your ROI as your retargeting campaigns develop. Eventually, you’ll start to develop a feel for the sweet spot where you’re getting more revenue from each ad and impression.
When used correctly, retargeting campaigns can help you squeeze more conversions out of the customers who were always most likely to do business with you. To make that formula work, however, you have to target them carefully in the first place, use retargeting ads that lead to conversions, and keep a close eye on your bottom line.
Need some help bringing these ideas to life? Call our team today and let us put our Internet marketing expertise to work for you!