REMARKETING CAMPAIGNS EXPLAINED: TYPES, TIPS, AND BEST PRACTICES

WHAT IS REMARKETING?

Remarketing allows you to re-engage customers who have already made a purchase. This is done through personalized email campaigns and ads on platforms like Facebook and Google Ads.

For instance, Grammarly sends remarketing emails offering exclusive discounts to existing users, encouraging them to renew or upgrade their subscriptions.

“When you change one thing, you have the ability to change EVERYTHING.”

REMARKETING VS. RETARGETING

Remarketing is all about reconnecting with your existing customers, nurturing relationships, and encouraging repeat purchases.
On the other hand, retargeting focuses on bringing back potential customers—those who visited your website or interacted with your content, but didn’t complete a purchase.

Retargeting works by showing targeted ads to these visitors as they browse other websites. This is achieved using:

While both strategies aim to reengage your audience, remarketing focuses on building loyalty with current customers, whereas retargeting encourages prospects to return and complete their purchases.

REMARKETING/RETARGETING CONFUSION

Google Ads, a top advertising network, refers to both remarketing and retargeting strategies as “remarketing” on its platform. This has caused some confusion and conflicting definitions of the terms.

The key distinction is that remarketing relies on having contact information, like an email address, allowing you to directly reach out to customers.

In contrast, retargeting uses anonymous tracking methods to display ads to people who have interacted with your website, even if you don’t have their contact details.

HOW REMARKETING WORKS

Remarketing works by using existing customer data to reengage them through targeted email campaigns or personalized ads.

When a customer makes a purchase on your website, their information, such as email address and purchase history, is added to your database.

To display personalized ads to these customers on other platforms, upload their email addresses to Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or other advertising networks.

Here’s how you can upload your email list to Google Ads for your remarketing campaign:

Here’s the same option on Facebook:

When you upload your email list, these platforms use a process called “matching” to identify user accounts linked to the email addresses.

For instance, if a customer’s email is [email protected], Google Ads will search for a Google account associated with that address, while Facebook Ads will look for profiles tied to [email protected]. If a match is found, the platform adds that user to your remarketing audience, but without disclosing any personal details.

This enables you to serve personalized ads to your customers as they browse websites or social media apps.

WHY REMARKETING MATTERS

Stay Top of Mind: Keep your brand visible even after customers leave your site. Seeing your ads on other websites reinforces brand recognition and reignites interest.
Personalize Your Approach: Craft customized ads based on customers’ purchase history. By showing them relevant products, you increase the chances of repeat purchases and demonstrate that you understand their preferences.
Encourage Repeat Purchases: Bring past buyers back by promoting new arrivals or sales. Regular outreach can turn one-time customers into loyal supporters.
Upsell and Cross-sell: Suggest complementary or higher-value products based on previous purchases. This not only boosts your average order value, but also increases your revenue.

Remarketing ads are highly targeted, often yielding better conversion rates and greater efficiency than other ad types. By reaching an audience already familiar with your product, you’re more likely to see a higher return on investment (ROI).

TYPES OF REMARKETING CAMPAIGNS

Remarketing campaigns come in various formats to help you reconnect with your existing customers. Here are some of the most common types:

1. EMAIL REMARKETING CAMPAIGNS

Email remarketing is a powerful way to reengage customers and drive repeat sales. These campaigns involve sending targeted emails based on customers’ previous interactions with your brand, such as:

By tailoring the content to each customer’s specific behavior, you can create a personalized and engaging experience that encourages them to return and complete their purchase.

There are three main types of email remarketing campaigns:

CART ABANDONMENT EMAILS

Send cart abandonment emails to customers who’ve added items to their shopping carts, but didn’t complete the purchase. These emails gently remind them about their abandoned items and encourage them to finalize their purchase.

To increase effectiveness, include:

POST-PURCHASE FOLLOW-UP EMAILS

Post-purchase follow-up emails are sent to customers after they complete a purchase. These emails serve several purposes:

Maintaining communication after the sale demonstrates your commitment to excellent service and helps build long-term customer relationships.

WIN-BACK CAMPAIGNS FOR INACTIVE CUSTOMERS

Win-back campaigns, or reactivation campaigns, are designed to re-engage customers who haven’t interacted with your brand or made a purchase in a while. These customers may have forgotten about your brand, switched to a competitor, or lost interest.

To create an effective win-back campaign, segment your inactive customers based on their previous purchase behavior and the length of their inactivity. Then, craft personalized email messages that:

Acknowledge the customer’s absence and express your desire to reconnect
Highlight new products, features, or improvements since their last engagement
Offer an exclusive incentive, such as a discount, to encourage a return purchase
Request feedback to understand why they became inactive and how you can enhance their experience

This approach helps revive customer interest and brings them back into the fold.

2. GOOGLE ADS REMARKETING CAMPAIGNS

Google Ads offers both remarketing and retargeting capabilities, allowing you to serve targeted ads to your existing customers through its “Customer Match” feature.

To get started with Google’s remarketing, simply upload your customer list to Google Ads. Google will then match the email addresses with Google accounts, enabling you to display ads to these customers across various Google platforms.

Here are some types of Google Ads remarketing campaigns you can run using customer lists:

HOW TO CREATE A REMARKETING CAMPAIGN ON GOOGLE ADS

Google Ads’ remarketing program enables you to target both existing customers via email lists and website visitors who haven’t yet made a purchase.

To create a remarketing campaign on Google Ads targeting your customers, follow these steps:

Create a remarketing list of people you want to reach
Set up your ad campaign

Let’s begin with creating your remarketing list.

CREATE A REMARKETING LIST STEP-BY-STEP

Sign in to your Google Ads account, then navigate to “Tools” > “Shared Library” > “Audience Manager.”
Click the “+” icon and select “Customer list” to create your remarketing list.
Choose your data source. This determines how you will upload your customer data to create the remarketing list. Select “Upload a file manually.”
Name your audience segment, select a data type, and upload the CSV file containing your customers’ email addresses. Then, click “Save and continue.”
Once your list is uploaded successfully, Google will take up to 24 hours to match the email addresses in your file with Google accounts associated with those addresses.
You need at least 1,000 matched customers to run remarketing ads.

CREATE AN AD CAMPAIGN STEP-BY-STEP

Click on the “+” from your Google Ads dashboard and select “Campaign.”
In your campaign’s objective, choose “Create a campaign without a goal’s guidance.”
Select your campaign type. Since remarketing ads are typically display ads, let’s go with “Display.”
Select your conversion goal, add your business website, and give your campaign a name. Hit “Continue.”
Next, configure your campaign settings. Which includes: Choosing the target location and language, Setting your daily budget for the campaign, Selecting your bidding strategy, which tells Google Ads how to spend your budget to get the most clicks or conversions
Select “Audience Segments” from the list of targeting options.
Go to the “Browse” tab and select “How they have interacted with your business.”
You’ll see the remarketing list you previously created. Select it and click “Next.”
Next, create your ad. This includes adding images, ad copy, descriptions, logos, and videos (optional).
Finally, review your campaign and make it live.

3. SOCIAL MEDIA REMARKETING CAMPAIGNS

Upload your customer email list to social media platforms to create targeted ads that will appear directly in your customers’ feeds as they scroll through their social media.

Social media remarketing combines the power of remarketing with the wide reach and precise targeting options offered by social platforms.

Here are the top platforms for running remarketing campaigns:

FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM REMARKETING ADS

Facebook and Instagram offer a variety of engaging formats for remarketing ads. Simply upload your customer list to Ads Manager to create custom audiences and begin targeting your existing customers with personalized content.

Your ads can appear seamlessly in your customers’ feeds as they browse Facebook or Instagram.

Common ad formats for remarketing on Facebook and Instagram include:

Single Image or Video Ads: Showcase your top products, services, or promotions.
Carousel Ads: Allow users to swipe through multiple images or videos, perfect for storytelling or showcasing several products.
Collection Ads: Highlight a product line with a main image or video and related product images.
Stories Ads: Full-screen ads that appear between user stories, designed to capture attention.

Maximize the effectiveness of your Facebook and Instagram remarketing ads by following these best practices:

LINKEDIN REMARKETING ADS

LinkedIn is perfect for remarketing if you’re targeting professionals or operate in the B2B space. You can effectively reengage customers in a professional context.

To create LinkedIn remarketing ads, upload your customer list to LinkedIn Campaign Manager.

Then, select from ad formats such as:

Sponsored Content: Ads appear directly in your customers' LinkedIn feeds, blending with organic content. These ads can feature images or videos.
Text and Dynamic Ads: Customizable ads based on your customers' profile information.
Sponsored InMail: Send personalized messages directly to your customers' LinkedIn inboxes.

Follow these best practices for creating effective LinkedIn remarketing ads:

X (FORMERLY TWITTER) REMARKETING ADS

X’s fast-paced platform is ideal for reaching customers with concise, impactful messages.

Upload your customer list to X Ads Manager, then create remarketing campaigns to display ads to customers as they engage with the platform.

Common X ad formats for remarketing campaigns include:

Tips for creating successful X remarketing ads:

4. SMS REMARKETING CAMPAIGNS

SMS remarketing allows you to send targeted text messages directly to your customers’ mobile phones, providing a more personalized communication experience. This direct and immediate approach often leads to higher engagement and conversion rates compared to other marketing channels.

Remarketing usually focuses on reaching customers through email, but you can also use the phone numbers you’ve collected to send personalized SMS messages. These messages can include tailored offers, discounts, or promotions that align with your customers’ interests and preferences.

TIPS FOR CREATING AN EFFECTIVE REMARKETING CAMPAIGN

To effectively target your existing customers with remarketing ad campaigns, consider the following tips:

1. LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMERS

The better you understand your customers, the more relevant and effective your ad campaigns will be.

You already have basic customer data, such as purchase history, location, and product preferences. Use this information to personalize your campaign. To take it a step further, dive deeper into your audience’s demographics, behavior, and socioeconomic.

This can help you understand:

Gain these insights by analyzing your competitors’ audience, as they likely share the same target market.

2. LEARN FROM YOUR COMPETITORS

Analyzing the channels that drive the most traffic to your competitors can help you determine where to focus your own remarketing efforts.
For instance, if a competitor generates significant paid traffic from Facebook, it could be an ideal platform for your remarketing ads as well. Since you share a similar audience, your existing customers are likely active there too.

Also, evaluate your competitors’ most visited webpages. Which pages are attracting the most traffic and keeping users engaged? Studying these high-performing pages can provide inspiration for your own remarketing landing pages.

Take note of their messaging, visuals, and offers. How do they grab attention and encourage action? Leverage these insights to create compelling remarketing landing pages that resonate with your target audience.

Use tools like SEMRush’s Traffic Analytics to gain insights into your competitors’ website traffic.

3. USE DYNAMIC REMARKETING

Dynamic remarketing displays ads featuring the exact products a customer viewed on your website. For example, if a customer browsed a pair of blue sneakers, your ad would show that specific pair of blue sneakers.

This personalized approach grabs attention right away, reminding the customer of the exact item they were interested in, which increases the likelihood of them returning and completing a purchase.

To set up dynamic remarketing ads:

Create a product feed: This is a file (usually in XML or CSV format) containing details about your products, such as ID, name, description, price, and image URL. This allows ad platforms to pull relevant product data for your dynamic ads.
Add dynamic remarketing tags to your website: These small pieces of code are placed on specific pages like product pages. They track visitor behavior and send product details to your ad platform, ensuring the right products are shown to the right visitors.
Set up dynamic ad templates: Create ad templates on your chosen ad platform that will automatically fill in with the relevant product information from your feed, based on the visitor’s interactions with your site.
Launch the campaign: Run your dynamic remarketing ad campaign targeting the audience in your remarketing list.

4. EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT AD FORMATS

Ad platforms offer various ad formats for remarketing, such as responsive display ads that adjust their size and appearance to fit different placements. Test out different formats to see which resonates best with your audience.

The goal is to test different options to find what generates the highest engagement and conversions from your existing customers.

5. SEGMENT YOUR REMARKETING LISTS

Segmentation allows you to serve more targeted ads to different customer groups based on specific behaviors or characteristics.
You can create segments based on factors such as purchase history, spending habits, or recency of the last transaction. For instance, create separate lists for customers who made a purchase within the last 30, 60, or 90 days.

This approach lets you customize your messaging and offers to each group’s unique interests and needs, maximizing relevance and engagement.

6. IMPLEMENT FREQUENCY CAPPING

Frequency capping lets you control how often your ads are shown to each customer, preventing ad fatigue.

By setting a cap on the number of times an individual sees your ad in a specific time frame, you ensure your ads remain effective without overwhelming the audience. For example, you can limit an ad to appear no more than three times per week.

Most advertising platforms allow you to set frequency caps to align with your goals and preferences.

LET MCIVOR MARKETING LAUNCH YOUR REMARKETING CAMPAIGN

At McIvor Marketing, we understand the power of remarketing and its ability to engage both new prospects and existing customers. Whether you’re aiming to bring back past customers, boost repeat sales, or increase brand awareness, we have the expertise to craft tailored remarketing campaigns that deliver results. Our data-driven approach and dedication to transparency ensure that your remarketing strategies are executed with precision, maximizing ROI and enhancing your customer relationships. Ready to take your marketing to the next level? Contact McIvor Marketing today to start building a remarketing campaign that truly speaks to your audience!

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