Retargeting Ads on Google to Capture Missed Opportunities
Are you losing opportunities from potential prospects leaving your website without taking action? Without retargeting ads, you likely are.
Retargeting ads help companies to re-engage and convert missed leads. By displaying targeted ads to people who previously visited your site, you can increase conversion rates, improve your sales funnel metrics, and drive more revenue.
However, successful retargeting ads require a strategic approach. Jumping in without a clear understanding of paid advertising may lead to missed opportunities. Keep reading to learn the essentials of retargeting ads on Google.
What Are Retargeting Ads?
Retargeting ads are a type of advertising that targets people who have previously interacted with your brand but didn’t take any action at the time. For example, they may have visited your website but didn’t fill out a contact form. If you’ve ever seen an ad on Facebook after visiting a website without purchasing or making contact, you’ve experienced retargeting.
Google’s retargeting ads rely on cookies or tracking pixels. When someone visits your website, a tracking pixel is placed on their browser. After they leave your site, the tracking pixel signals Google Ads to display your ads specifically to that user. These customized ads remind visitors of your offerings and entice them to return and complete the desired action.
Why Retargeting Works
Retargeting is an excellent paid advertising strategy that can help you capture missed opportunities. Sometimes, a visitor may not be fully ready or convinced by your sales page to take action. Retargeting ads give you a second chance to convince that customer to work with you.
Here are some additional benefits of utilizing retargeting ads:
- Stay Top-of-Mind: Showing ads to visitors who have already interacted with your business gives a subtle reminder of their interest in your company.
- Higher Conversion Rates: Since retargeting focuses on warm leads, these ads usually yield higher engagement and conversion rates than other ad types.
- Personalized Ad Experience: We always preach the importance of personalization. By retargeting ads on Google, you can tailor your ads to reflect the specific actions users took on your site, making the experience more relevant to their interests.
4 Types of Google Retargeting Ads
What types of retargeting ads are there? Google offers a few types of retargeting ad formats to re-engage potential customers.
Standard Display Retargeting
These are your standard banner ads – text, images, and a URL directing users to a landing page. Display ads appear across Google’s Display Network, which includes over two million websites, apps, and video platforms.
Dynamic Retargeting
Dynamic ads are similar to display ads but offer a more personalized experience. They show specific products or services the user explored on your website in the ad. For example, if someone looked at your SEO services, the ad would show more information about your SEO services instead of a generalized ad about your business.
Customer List Retargeting
Customer list retargeting uses your existing customer base to show ads to specific customers on Google’s Display Network. By using your existing CRM data, you can upsell current customers or further nurture and engage warm leads on your email list.
Video Retargeting on YouTube
Video ads are highly effective because they are typically more engaging than a standard ad. Video retargeting ads display on YouTube videos and are an effective way to re-engage visitors with a visually appealing format that captures attention.
Building an Effective Retargeting Strategy
The first step is to define your retargeting ad goals. We recommend focusing on one goal at a time to build a solid foundation. These are some common goals:
- Increase brand awareness
- Recover abandoned carts
- Generate leads
- Drive sales
Next, it’s important to segment your audience to personalize your ads. Delivering the right message at the right time is crucial! Create tailored segments based on user behavior and the specific goal of your retargeting ads.
Then, choose the right type of retargeting that aligns with your goals, audience, and preferred ad platform. Using a mix of ad platforms and strategies can increase your chances of conversion and ROI.
Now comes the fun part – creating compelling ad copy and visuals. Use scroll-stopping imagery that resonates with your audience, and write personalized, persuasive ad copy to address pain points and objections. Don’t forget to include a strong call-to-action (CTA) to encourage users to return to your website.
As you implement your strategy, be prepared to test and refine your retargeting ads on Google. A/B testing can help you figure out which ads resonate best with your audience and optimize performance.
Measuring Success: KPIs and Metrics to Watch
Speaking of testing, it’s important to monitor analytics and metrics to determine if your strategy is effective. The best paid ads metrics to watch are:
- Total cost
- Click-through rate (CTR)
- Impressions
- Conversions
- Cost-per-click (CPC)
- Cost-per-lead (CPL)
- Cost-per-acquisition (CPA)
Don’t get discouraged if your metrics are not as high as expected. Try adjusting your strategy and see how it works with your audience.
7 Common Pitfalls to Avoid
As paid ads specialists, we often see clients making these common mistakes when setting up and managing their paid ads campaigns. These issues can impact campaign effectiveness and create the feeling that you’re wasting money. But in reality, with a few tweaks, you can get back on track for success.
Overexposing Your Audience
Have you ever seen an ad so frequently that it becomes annoying? Yes, a consumer needs to see an ad multiple times to recognize it, but when shown too often, it can result in ad fatigue. It will do the opposite of your goal – customers will have a negative experience and perception of your brand. To avoid this, control the frequency of ad impressions per user. We recommend limiting to no more than five impressions per day per user.
Not Segmenting Your Audience
Lack of personalization often leads to underperformance. Generic ads won’t resonate as well as targeted ones with your audience. By segmenting your audience based on behavior and intent, you can increase relevance and improve your conversion rates.
Lack of Ad Variety
Using the same ad across platforms can also cause ad fatigue. Mix it up and keep your audience on their toes! Create multiple ad variations for each platform and campaign. Change the text, images, videos, and CTAs to maintain interest.
Failing to Exclude Converted Users
Don’t waste your paid ad spend by targeting users who have already converted. Make sure to exclude converted customers from your ad campaigns to focus on new leads.
Neglecting Mobile Users
With the majority of users accessing websites on their phones, mobile optimization is crucial. Otherwise, you could miss conversion opportunities on mobile devices. Optimize your retargeting ads on Google for mobile and ensure your ads are responsive for multiple devices. You never know how your customers will access your website.
Weak Call-to-Action (CTA)
Generic calls-to-action significantly reduce conversion rates. On the other hand, strong action-oriented CTAs tell users exactly what to do and what to expect after clicking the ad. Make sure your ad messaging is very specific and easy to understand.
Overlooking Landing Page Relevance
What happens after a customer clicks on the ad? They better be directed to an optimized, relevant landing page that aligns with your offer on your website! The goal is to make it compelling and hard for them to walk away from your offer.
Retargeting Ads with Rutkin Marketing
Retargeting ads on Google is a strong marketing strategy to capture missed opportunities and convert previous website visitors into customers. Imagine how much revenue you could recover with an effective retargeting ads strategy. It’s a worthwhile return on your investment.
Not sure how to get started? Contact us for a free assessment to tell us your goals, and we’ll provide tailored strategies to maximize your retargeting ads efforts. We look forward to speaking with you!
