Remarketing vs. retargeting: are they the same thing?

Remarketing definition: how is it different from retargeting?

Remarketing is often used as an umbrella term for both remarketing and retargeting, but they are not technically the same. The proper meaning of remarketing refers only to where you use one or a variety of marketing methods to re-engage a past customer to purchase or use your services again. Retargeting, however, is where you use paid ads to reappear in front of a potential customer in order to try and convert them for the first time.

Where can I use remarketing and retargeting?

There are many traditional methods of remarketing such as sending out leaflets and brochures to past customers. Nowadays, there are also several places online to remarket and retarget customers such as:

 – Social channels such as Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, etc.  

– Search engine result pages (SERPs) via Bing or Google Search Ads  

– Chosen websites, blogs, video channels, etc. using Display ads  

– Google Shopping result pages via Shopping Ads  

– Emails and SMS via customer and subscriber lists  

– Onsite (on the company website or app) whilst a customer or potential customer browses e.g. via banners, pop-ups, etc.  

– The most popular are Facebook remarketing, Google remarketing, Linkedin retargeting, Youtube remarketing, and TikTok remarketing.

When should I use either remarketing or retargeting?

You should create a remarketing campaign if you are looking to:

1. Get past customers to repurchase, especially if it is an item they will likely need to replace every so often e.g. hair products every 3 months. In this case, you could start some activity approximately 1-2 weeks before you think they might run out of your product.  

2. Expand the services they use you for e.g. if they already use you for SEO servicesbut you want to upsell them your PPC services.

3. To repeat their business with you e.g. if they hired you for a project which has come to an end and you would like them to hire you for another similar project.

You should create a retargeting campaign if you are looking to:

1. Convert a previously-engaged customer who has not yet converted.

2. Keep in touch with engaged customers who are not ready to do business yet e.g. if they can only do business at year-end or when their existing contract ends.

What are the different retargeting and remarketing campaign methods?

1. Search retargeting

Search retargeting is when a campaign is created based on what a user has searched for. E.g. if they searched for a shed in a search engine, they would be retargeted with shed-based Display ads or paid social ads.

2. Contextual retargeting

Going one step further is contextual marketing which involves partnering with sites that do not compete with your brand but which would attract similar visitors. By adding some code to the backend and allowing cookies, partnered sites can tag visitors so that they can be served your ads on other sites they visit. Meaning they do not need to necessarily visit your site to be retargeted.

3. Website onsite retargeting

There are lots of ways businesses entice customers to convert from offer banners to no-quibble returns and free delivery. Website retargeting takes it a step further by using code and algorithms to track website activity and inactivity. For example:

 – A newsletter sign-up pop-up 10 seconds after arrival if nothing else has been clicked

 – A chatbot asking if assistance is needed after 30 seconds of inactivity

 – An in-line campaign at the bottom of the page’s content

 – An exit-intent offer if the mouse scrolls towards or on the back or close tag icons

4. Pixel-based remarketing and retargeting

Pixel-based remarketing or retargeting involves inserting some HTML code called a ‘pixel’ or ‘tag’ into the backend of your website in order to record anonymous usage data on your website that allows you to serve ads on Google and social channels to a past visitor. The data includes whether a customer has just visited or if they have taken an action such as adding items to a basket or completing a purchase.

For remarketing, you could create a campaign around purchasing a similar or complimentary item for customers who have already purchased an order within a set time frame. For retargeting, you can create ads geared toward customers who have visited your site or taken actions that have not resulted in a conversion within, for example, the last 30 days.

The adverts created are often visual such as Google Display remarketing ads or Facebook retargeting ads. Ads like these are 10x more likely to be clicked and 70% more likely to convert website visitors. 

5. List-based remarketing and retargeting

List-based remarketing is where you upload a customer list into Google or social channels such as Facebook so that you can show your ads to your existing customers in the hope they will convert again. For retargeting, you would upload a prospect or subscriber list of customers who have not yet done business with your company.

RLSA remarketing and retargeting

RLSA (Remarketing Lists for Search Ads) is a campaign method offered by Google Ads and involves creating a retargeting or remarketing list from your website data so that you can target them separately with higher bids, different or broader keywords, and other specifics. These lists are often based on the actions that have been taken on your site and so you can create a remarketing campaign for existing customers or retargeting campaigns for prospective customers.

Retargeting with lookalike audiences

Lookalike audiences can be created from uploaded lists and are based on finding customers who are similar to those who have already purchased from you or another action. This is a great way to find new customers . 

6. SMS and email remarketing and retargeting

Similar to list-based marketing, this method uses customer and subscriber lists to send marketing emails or text messages filled with content or offers on a regular base. 

For remarketing, you can set up automatic email flows that send at specific times like birthdays or at set intervals based on when you think they would be likely to want to repurchase e.g. 3 months after the initial purchase. For retargeting, you can use this marketing method to remind or tempt the consumer to convert.

7. Off-site engagement remarketing and retargeting

Mostly used on social channels, engagement retargeting is when a business creates ads to a list generated by how the potential customer has engaged with the company away from their website e.g. if they have interacted with their Facebook page or post, etc. This ‘off-site’ form of retargeting is a great way to re-engage with users at the start of their possible customer journey with you.

8. Video remarketing and retargeting

A popular form of engagement marketing is often found on platforms such as Youtube where you can show video retargeting ads to people who have watched other videos from you previously or who have shown interest in your channel. These can show at the beginning or in the middle of a content video.

As Youtubeis a Googlepartner, you can also serve your retargeting ads to potential customers via the Google Display network.

What are the types of remarketing ads:

There are two main types of remarketing ads, as follows:

1. Standard remarketing ads

This is where you create an ad or set of ads using an image, selection of images, or video you have created and have chosen all the copy and elements exactly.

2. Dynamic remarketing ads

When you create a dynamic ad, you use a shopping feed (product list from your website) or a selection of different images and copy that Google or the social platform will pull together as it thinks will perform best. This method is often used to show customers items they have engaged with e.g. items they have added to a basket.

Tips to use remarketing successfully

1. Cleverly use the data you have 

For the most successful remarketing and retargeting campaigns, you need to segment your data by areas such as:

 – Products viewed and interested in (the potential customer’s navigation)

 – Where that customer is in the buying journey ? What specific or personalised messaging can you send them?

     > If they bought an item, what complementary products can you advertise to them?

     > If they didn’t buy, think about whether they added items to a basket, compared prices or packages across the site, signed up for a 10% code, etc., and how you can use this information to entice them to convert.

     > If they just viewed some content, what content can you send to remind them of your business and progress them a little more towards buying, subscribing, or contacting you?

     > If they clicked off pretty quickly, what can you do to entice them to take another look?

 – Where are they currently on your CRM? What contact have they already had that you can build upon or follow up on?

 – How they reached your site? Referral, social, search, etc.

 – What you already know about the customer in terms of demographics

2. Be present on multiple platforms

The best remarketing is cross-channel but not over just two, over several, and it involves a lot of mixing it up. Try all the platforms you can to see what works best, what is most cost-effective, what takes the quickest time to convert, etc. Don’t be afraid to test, tweak and test again.

3. Test different time frames

Most platforms set a standard of 30 days after visiting a website as the default setting for retargeting and remarketing but as every business is different, be sure to try more or fewer days, depending on the size of the segment and the frequency in which the ads are being shown to each potential or existing customer. Remember, you want to make sure no one sees your ad too many times that it becomes a nuisance (and a waste of money).

Retargeting vs. remarketing summary

So, although remarketing and retargeting are often used interchangeably, they are in fact subtle differences. The aim of both is to re-engage your audience in the hopes of converting more but remarketing is aimed at repeat business and upsells whereas retargeting is geared towards nurturing those first interactions with your business and hoping to acquire new customers.

If you are looking to create a personalised and data-driven remarketing or retargeting campaign, or if you have any queries, please feel free to get in touch with Next Chapter today. We are a new, exciting and disruptive strategic marketing agencywith specialists in SEO services, Social Media servicesand PPC services.