Remarketing is an advertising strategy used to target shoppers who have previously interacted with your website or mobile app. These targeted ads appear on other websites and apps in order to create brand awareness and increase conversion.
Remarketing is also sometimes called retargeting.
How Does Remarketing Work?
A JavaScript tag is used on a site, which in turn adds a cookie to a user’s browser anonymously. The cookie tracks sites that a user later browses and then coordinates with the ad platform of that website to show relevant ads. These ads can show specific products or services, and work particularly well for previously viewed product pages or abandoned cart items. This is all done without the need to store sensitive personal information.
A remarketing ad for Egyptian cotton bedding in a Facebook feed.
Remarketing is an important part of advertising because:
- It helps prospective customers find you again – Shoppers won’t always recall the websites they visited when looking for a particular item. You can help them remember your site by placing strategic ads, especially when they are actively searching for a product that you already offer. With remarketing, shoppers are also reminded of your brand — which can be the gateway to establishing a relationship with them.
- It maximizes personalization – Remarketing can make ads more relevant to a shopper’s wants and needs so that they feel understood or seen—even beyond your site. Ads can be personalized based on the actions a user has taken on your website as well as the time since their last interaction. You can combine remarketing with dynamic ads to make sure that the content of the ads automatically changes according to each user.
- It increases your reach – Through remarketing, you can take advantage of different ad platforms with access to up to 2 million websites and apps. This enables you to meet customers where they are, regardless of the website or app they are on, and introduce yourself as a brand they can trust.
- It leads to increased conversions – When interest in your brand and products is already established, remarketing can provide a powerful nudge for shoppers to convert. Your ads can redirect them to a specific product page, where they are just one step away from adding that item to their cart and finally making a purchase.