In college, I took an advertising class. It taught me about traditional advertising, but the social media aspect was lacking. When we covered Facebook Advertising, I struggled to follow along due to a lack of examples and a broad overview. So, I decided to search online for more information. I found a video that explained retargeting, which was a topic I had difficulty with in class. The video provided an overview and detailed examples of how retargeting works on Facebook, which was helpful for a visual learner like me.
Retargeting is a type of online advertising that targets people who have visited your website or are in your contact database. It is different from typical banner ads because it focuses on reaching out to potential customers who have already shown interest in your brand. There are two main methods of retargeting: pixel-based and list-based.
Pixel-based retargeting uses a small JavaScript code, or pixel, that is embedded in a visitor’s browser when they browse your website. This pixel signals retargeting platforms like Google Ads or Facebook Ads to serve tailored ads based on the visitor’s site activity. The advantages of pixel-based retargeting include immediacy, relevance, and the ability to utilize user behavior to make ads more targeted. However, the downsides are that there may be a lower volume of people in the campaign at any given time and implementing JavaScript can be complex.
List-based retargeting, on the other hand, relies on gathering users’ contact details. You upload a list of email addresses to a platform like Facebook or Twitter, and the platform identifies users with matching emails to serve them specific ads. List-based retargeting allows for highly customizable criteria for ads, but there is a possibility of mismatched emails between your list and the social network.
Retargeting should not be confused with remarketing. Retargeting focuses on using ads to recapture the attention of potential leads based on their online behavior. Remarketing, on the other hand, aims to rekindle relationships with past or inactive customers through targeted content, often through emails.
When using retargeting, it is important to set clear goals. The main types of retargeting campaigns are awareness campaigns and conversion campaigns. Awareness campaigns aim to re-engage website visitors and inform them about relevant products, features, or announcements. Conversion campaigns, on the other hand, focus on driving specific actions such as filling out a form on a landing page. Awareness campaigns may have lower click-through rates but can help generate impressions and engagement. Conversion campaigns can be measured using metrics like website clicks, form submissions, and cost-per-lead.
Overall, retargeting can be a powerful tool in digital marketing to engage potential customers who have shown interest in your brand. It allows for personalized and targeted advertising based on user behavior and contact information.
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