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In the age of digital marketing, there are so many things to know and do. One of those things is remarketing, which can be an excellent tool for boosting sales and increasing your business. Let’s explore the ins and outs of remarketing.

Remarketing Defined

Sure, you’ve heard the term, but what exactly is remarketing? Simply put, it’s a means of reaching out to would-be customers who have previously visited your site by showing them relevant ads while they’re browsing the web. What makes this type of marketing different than standard display advertising is the super-targeting capabilities. Because this type of marketing is targeted, your advertising dollars are going directly to people who are most likely to convert their browsing into profits for you.

How It Works

Using static images, animated images, videos and text, you’re able to target customers who have already shown an interest in you and your business. A special tracking code leaves cookies behind on the computers of those who have visited your website. From there, the cookies will be used to show relevant ads anywhere on the display network.

You can select your audiences and customize the ads they see by creating lists based on pages that they visited-or pages they didn’t visit-and how far into the checkout process they went. For example, for customers who add something to their carts but don’t check out, you could show them ads offering a 10-percent discount on their purchases when they do come back. You also have control over how many impressions you leave (more on that later) and the time your ads appear after they visit your site, up to 180 days.

How Well It Works

Remarketing is beneficial to just about every website, but how helpful it is really is contingent upon the type of business you have and your personal business goals, as well as how comprehensive you are able to make your lists. By taking the time to create very targeted lists, you’ll be able to attract more specific shoppers and appeal to more specific needs. This personalization translates into customers feeling more connected to your brand. Luckily, analytical tools allow you to see exactly how effective your campaigns are. Whether your goals are to increase traffic, sales, awareness or registrations-or a combination of those-remarketing typically offers a fantastic return on investment.

Finding Balance

The trickiest part of mastering remarketing is finding the appropriate balance. If you use too many ads, it could be off-putting and, frankly, annoying. On the other hand, if you use not enough, your ads will be overlooked entirely. So what’s the magic number? Well, it depends. Google lets you measure reach and frequency, so you can figure out the best number for your needs. The general consensus around the Internet is that five impressions a day is the maximum you want to leave. But again, that can vary dramatically based on your business and your target, so you’ll have to monitor and see where you’re getting the best return.

Long Story Short

Remarketing is an effective, efficient way to meet your marketing goals. It’s designed to target those who have already shown an interest in you, so you know your efforts aren’t being wasted. From getting people to sign up for your newsletter to convincing them to make a purchase, there are infinite ways to make remarketing work for your needs. Analytics make it easy to track every step of your campaign, so you can measure progress and meet your marketing goals. If remarketing isn’t in your marketing tool belt, it is definitely something that you need to explore further.