By: Russell Johnson
Strategies to Recapture Lost Website Visitors:
In the world of online marketing, it's common for potential customers to visit a website, browse around, and then leave without making a purchase or taking any significant action. In fact, statistics suggest that around 98% of website visitors leave without converting on their first visit. This presents a significant challenge for businesses looking to capture the attention and interest of these potential customers. Remarketing and retargeting are two powerful strategies that have emerged to address this issue, providing a way to re-engage with lost website visitors and ultimately convert them into customers.
This essay delves into the concepts of remarketing and retargeting, explores their differences, and highlights various strategies that businesses can employ to recapture lost website visitors effectively.
Understanding Remarketing and Retargeting
Remarketing and retargeting are often used interchangeably, but they have subtle differences. Both techniques aim to re-engage people who have previously interacted with a brand, but they do so in slightly different ways:
Remarketing typically refers to the practice of reaching out to users through email marketing campaigns. It involves collecting the contact information of users who have interacted with a website or brand, such as those who have added items to their cart but didn't complete the purchase, or those who signed up for a newsletter but haven’t taken further action. Once the email addresses are collected, businesses can send personalized email campaigns to remind these users about the products or services they showed interest in.
Retargeting, on the other hand, focuses on serving ads to users who have visited a website but left without converting. This is done by using browser cookies to track visitors as they navigate the web. When these visitors browse other websites or social media platforms, they see ads from the brand they previously interacted with. This keeps the brand at the forefront of their minds, encouraging them to return and complete their desired action.
Both strategies share the common goal of recapturing the interest of potential customers who have already demonstrated an initial interest in the brand. By keeping these users engaged, businesses can significantly increase their chances of converting them into paying customers.
Why Are Remarketing and Retargeting Important?
Understanding the importance of remarketing and retargeting requires recognizing a few key statistics about consumer behavior:
Most visitors don't convert on the first visit: As mentioned earlier, approximately 98% of visitors leave a website without taking any action. This means that relying solely on the first interaction with a website is not a sustainable strategy for generating conversions.
Repetition enhances recall: Research has shown that repeated exposure to a brand increases familiarity and trust. On average, it takes 5 to 7 impressions for people to remember a brand. Remarketing and retargeting help achieve this repeated exposure, making it more likely that users will remember and eventually engage with the brand.
Targeting warm leads: Remarketing and retargeting allow businesses to focus their marketing efforts on users who have already expressed interest. This is a more efficient use of advertising budgets compared to targeting cold audiences who may have little to no knowledge of the brand.
In essence, these strategies enable businesses to create additional touchpoints with potential customers, nurture them through the buyer’s journey, and significantly improve the chances of conversion.
Remarketing Strategies
1. Email Remarketing
One of the most effective remarketing strategies is using email campaigns to re-engage potential customers. Here’s how businesses can leverage email remarketing:
Abandoned Cart Emails: When a customer adds items to their cart but leaves without completing the purchase, an automated email can be triggered to remind them about their incomplete transaction. This email can include a clear call to action, a discount code, or a sense of urgency by mentioning limited stock availability.
Product Recommendations: By analyzing a visitor’s browsing history, businesses can send personalized emails suggesting similar products or complementary items. This approach not only reminds the user of their interest but also encourages them to explore other offerings.
Follow-Up Emails: If a user subscribes to a newsletter or signs up for an account but hasn’t engaged further, sending follow-up emails with valuable content, such as educational articles, case studies, or special promotions, can re-engage them.
2. Dynamic Remarketing
Dynamic remarketing takes personalization to the next level by displaying ads featuring the exact products or services a user viewed on a website. For instance, if a visitor looked at a pair of shoes but didn’t make a purchase, dynamic ads would show that specific pair of shoes as they browse other websites or social media platforms. This level of personalization increases the likelihood of conversion, as it reminds the user of their interest in a specific product.
Retargeting Strategies
1. Pixel-Based Retargeting
Pixel-based retargeting uses a small piece of JavaScript code, known as a "pixel," that’s placed on a website's pages. This pixel tracks visitors and allows businesses to serve ads to these users after they leave the website. This form of retargeting is highly effective because it enables real-time tracking and ad delivery, ensuring that ads are shown to users soon after they’ve interacted with a brand.
2. Search Retargeting
Search retargeting allows businesses to display ads to users who have searched for specific keywords related to their products or services but may not have visited their website. By targeting these search terms, brands can reach users who have shown intent but might have ended up on a competitor's site instead.
3. Social Media Retargeting
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter offer powerful retargeting options. Businesses can target users who have interacted with their website or social media profiles, serving them ads as they scroll through their feeds. This approach is highly effective, given the amount of time users spend on social media daily.
4. Cross-Device Retargeting
In today’s multi-device world, users often switch between desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Cross-device retargeting ensures that ads are displayed consistently across all devices a user may be using. This consistency helps maintain brand visibility and encourages users to return to the website regardless of the device they're using.
Best Practices for Remarketing and Retargeting
To maximize the effectiveness of remarketing and retargeting strategies, businesses should keep the following best practices in mind:
Segment Your Audience: Not all website visitors are the same. Segmenting your audience based on behaviors, such as cart abandoners, product viewers, or previous purchasers, allows for more tailored and relevant ad campaigns.
Cap Frequency: While repeated exposure is beneficial, showing ads too frequently can lead to ad fatigue and annoyance. Implement frequency caps to control how often your ads are shown to the same user.
Use Personalized Messaging: The more personalized your ads and emails, the higher the chance of engagement. Use dynamic content that reflects the specific products or services a user interacted with.
Offer Incentives: Providing incentives such as discounts, free shipping, or limited-time offers can entice potential customers to return and complete their purchase.
Test and Optimize: Continuously monitor the performance of your remarketing and retargeting campaigns. Test different ad creatives, messaging, and offers to determine what resonates best with your audience.
Challenges and Considerations
While remarketing and retargeting are highly effective, they do come with some challenges:
Privacy Concerns: As consumers become more aware of online privacy, some may find retargeting ads intrusive. It's essential to respect user privacy by adhering to regulations like GDPR and CCPA and providing clear opt-out options.
Ad Blockers: The rise of ad blockers can limit the effectiveness of retargeting campaigns. To address this, businesses should focus on delivering high-quality, non-intrusive ads that provide value to users.
Conclusion
Remarketing and Retargeting are indispensable strategies in online marketing that provide businesses with a second chance to capture the attention of potential customers. By implementing targeted email campaigns, personalized ads, and dynamic content, brands can effectively recapture lost website visitors, nurture them through the sales funnel, and significantly increase their conversion rates.