Google Remarketing is an effective form of online advertising, and can be conducted using the Google Display Network (GDN). The main purpose served by Google Remarketing is that is lets advertisers serve their ads only to users who have previously visited their website. In essence, it acts as a filter by collecting data about the visitors to the site, which then allows advertisers to retarget those leads. Google Remarketing, sometimes referred to as Ad Retargeting, is one of the most targeted methods of online advertising, and, when successful, can lead to a dramatic return on investment (ROI).
The Functionality behind Google Remarketing
If you’re a Google advertiser already, you can simply insert a piece Google Remarketing code (sometimes called a ‘tag’) onto whichever landing pages on the website the advertiser wants to have a link with particular categories. For instance, you would use a “shoes” tag for any pages where shoes are for sale. One important thing to note is that the Google Remarketing code will track the unique visitors to the site by accessing the browser cookies.
An advertiser could then login into their AdWords and set up a campaign with relevant adverts which are related to the specific keyword; in this case, “shoes”. This means that a cookie, which is really just a tracking pixel, will be placed on the browsers of users who land on the “shoes” page(s). Using this data, the “shoes” visitors will be targeted with “shoes” adverts on the huge network of domains that form the entire GDN.
If you are about to kick off your very first Google Remarketing campaign, Google would suggest to target anyone and everyone who has ever come to your website. Keep in mind though, that this will result in a more expensive Google Remarketing campaign since you will be serving (showing) your ads to a wider audience, and your ads will obviously not be as specifically targeted.
By using Google’s remarketing script, the tags can be made to be more specific, which will result in your ads being shown to a more relevant audience. At a certain point, you’ll be able to generate your own lists for carrying out highly targeted Google Remarketing campaigns. For example, you might choose to show a different ad to visitors who have already visited your site and have previously made a purchase.
Why you should use Google Ad Retargeting
Google Advertising is a remarkably powerful took for online advertising, as it enables ongoing connection with your target market after they leave your site. For example, if a company wants to reengage someone who has previously visited its site, by using Google Remarketing on YouTube, it could show the person a display remarketing banner ad.
By showing ads to your website’s unique visitors while they are browsing other websites, you are essentially building up strong brand recognition with the market you are actively targeting. This strengthens the status of your brand by making it trustworthy, which increases the chances of making a sale.
To improve conversion rates even more, you should integrate other forms of targeting with your Google Remarketing campaigns. For example, use the data about the demographics of your target audience in your retargeting campaign.
It’s worth noting, however, that users can simply change their settings so that they are not retargeted by your ads.
How expensive is Google Remarketing?
The amount you pay in your Google Remarketing campaign(s) will come down to how much the advertiser wants to spend. In other words, the more broadly you structure your Google Remarketing campaigns, the more you will end up paying. So that costs are kept to a minimum, make sure your Google Remarketing tabs are combined with other targeting methods, such as demographic targeting, audience segmentation, and a cap on the amount of ads served per person. This will ensure your Google Remarketing campaigns are as targeted as they can be, which will make your ads as relevant as possible. When running your campaigns, you will need to choose your goals wisely. For example, are you interested in Cost Per Click (CPC), or the Cost Per Impression? (CPM) Or both?
Google Remarketing using Banner Ads
If you’re using the GDN in your remarketing efforts, you can create ads that include text, videos or images. If you need help creating custom-built Google Remarketing banner ads, the Google Display Ad Builder can be an effective tool. It offers numerous templates, which are customizable to your needs.
Next steps
There is little dispute as to the effectiveness of Google Remarketing and ad retargeting in general. If you see value in using this form of online advertising in your marketing strategy, get in contact with Benchmarketing on 1300 049 498, and one of our remarketing specialists will be able to assist.
