Leveraging Retargeting Strategies With Email

Businesses utilize retargeting to re-engage past visitors, and when integrated with email campaigns, this strategy fosters higher conversions and strengthens customer relationships.

Retargeting: Definition, Concept, and Utility

Retargeting is more than just a marketing tactic; it’s a strategy rooted in understanding user behavior and the digital footprints they leave behind. By leveraging this understanding, businesses can make more meaningful connections with potential customers, nudging them closer to conversion.

What is Retargeting?

Retargeting, sometimes referred to as remarketing, is a specialized form of online advertising that caters to users who have previously visited a website or shown interest in a product or service but have not yet converted. The primary goal is to re-engage these users, prompting them to reconsider the product, service, or action they initially bypassed.

The essence of retargeting lies in its approach: instead of casting a wide net to a general audience, it focuses on those who have already shown interest in a particular offering. Think of it as a gentle reminder to a potential customer who may have been distracted or hesitant during their last visit.

The Underlying Mechanics of Retargeting

The technical side of retargeting is facilitated by tracking tools. When a user visits a website, a small piece of code, often referred to as a pixel, places a cookie in the user’s browser. This cookie allows advertisers to ‘follow’ the user across the internet, enabling them to serve targeted ads that are specifically related to the content or product the user previously interacted with. These ads are tailored to the user’s past behavior, ensuring they are relevant and compelling.

For example, if a user browsed a pair of shoes on an online store but didn’t make a purchase, they might later see an ad for those exact shoes while browsing a different website or social media platform.

Why Businesses Embrace Retargeting

Below are some reasons that drive businesses to adopt retargeting with such enthusiasm.

Increased Conversions

Since retargeting targets users already familiar with a product or brand, the probability of conversion is higher. It’s akin to nudging a potential customer closer to the checkout line.

Enhanced Brand Visibility

One of the main advantages of retargeting is increased brand recall. By presenting users with multiple touchpoints, it ensures that the brand remains top-of-mind, increasing the likelihood of eventual conversion.

Optimal ROI

Advertising can be expensive, and not every strategy guarantees a good return on investment. Retargeting, given its precision targeting, often results in a favorable ROI. Money is spent re-engaging those who already have an inclination towards the product, minimizing wasted ad spend.

Harnessing Pre-existing Interest

The beauty of retargeting is that it doesn’t aim to generate initial interest but leverages already existing intrigue. This makes the marketing endeavor more efficient as it focuses on users who are closer to the decision-making phase.

Platforms Powering Retargeting

Several platforms offer retargeting services, but among the most prominent are Google Ads and Facebook Ads Manager.

Google Ads

Through its Display Network, Google Ads allows advertisers to place retargeted ads on a multitude of websites that potential customers might visit. Given Google’s vast reach, this ensures widespread visibility.

Facebook Ads Manager

Considering Facebook’s expansive user base, retargeting on this platform ensures a broad audience reach. Furthermore, Facebook’s detailed user data ensures that retargeted ads are as relevant as possible, increasing the likelihood of engagement.

📌Takeaways

Both platforms employ cookies or pixels to track user activity, which then informs the retargeting strategy, ensuring users see ads that resonate with their previous online behaviors.

The Role of Email in Retargeting

As the digital marketing landscape continues to evolve, the role of email in retargeting remains paramount. With its unique ability to directly access users, its persistent nature, and the unparalleled scope for personalization, email retargeting offers brands a compelling avenue to re-engage, reconnect, and rekindle relationships with potential customers.

Email’s Unique Strength in Retargeting

At the heart of any effective retargeting campaign is the goal to reach consumers in meaningful, non-intrusive ways. Emails stand out in this regard. They grant marketers a direct line into an individual’s personal space: their inbox. Unlike a fleeting ad on a webpage or a brief social media post, an email can patiently wait, serving as a personalized reminder. With its power to be customized, an email can gently prompt users to recall their past interactions and take the next step, be it a purchase, a subscription, or any other desired action.

How Email Stands Apart from Other Retargeting Channels

While other retargeting methods have their merits, email holds a distinct advantage in terms of visibility and longevity. Display ads, for instance, are ubiquitous, often leading to banner blindness among internet users. These ads can easily get lost in the cacophony of online content. Social media, on the other hand, is a volatile space. With ever-changing algorithms determining what users see, there’s no guarantee that a retargeted ad will even make it to a user’s feed.

Email, conversely, doesn’t play by these rules. Once delivered, it resides in the recipient’s inbox. Whether it’s opened immediately, in a few hours, or even days later, the email remains a constant presence, awaiting interaction. This persistent nature ensures that the retargeting message has an extended window of opportunity to be seen and acted upon.

Deepening Connections Through Personalized Email Content

The true essence of email retargeting lies in its capacity for personalization. Each email can be a bespoke message, crafted with the individual recipient in mind. By harnessing data from past interactions, marketers can customize content that resonates on a personal level.

Imagine an email that doesn’t just advertise a product but recalls a user’s past browsing behavior, referencing items they’ve shown interest in. Or consider an email that uses the recipient’s name, creating a direct and personal connection. These small, yet impactful, touches transform a generic retargeting attempt into a tailored experience. Such interactions don’t just drive conversions; they nurture lasting relationships between brands and consumers, fostering loyalty and trust.

📌Takeaways

Challenges and Potential Pitfalls

• Avoiding Spam: Ensure your emails offer value. Avoid clickbait and always provide an opt-out option.
• Accurate Tracking: Ensure your retargeting pixels and tracking tools are set up correctly to avoid inaccurate data.
• Fresh Content: Regularly update email content to ensure users aren’t receiving repetitive or outdated information.

Wrapping Up

Leveraging retargeting with email isn’t just a trend; it’s a strategic move rooted in understanding user behavior and capitalizing on pre-existing interest. As technology and user behavior evolve, so too should our strategies. Regularly test, measure, and refine to ensure your retargeting campaigns remain impactful.

Meet the Author

Elaina Lai is a seasoned email marketer whose expertise in crafting compelling subject lines, analyzing campaign performance, and segmenting email lists has resulted in a consistently high open and click-through rate for her clients. She is passionate about staying up-to-date on the latest email marketing best practices and technology and loves finding new and innovative ways to drive results for her clients.