Have you encountered a product on a website, only to later see an advertisement or email about it? This scenario is a prime example of retargeting, also known as remarketing. Both strategies are highly effective in re-engaging interested users and converting them into customers.
Despite their effectiveness, there’s often confusion surrounding the difference between remarketing and retargeting. Are they synonymous, or do they serve distinct purposes? This blog post aims to clarify these concepts and provide insights on how to leverage them to boost sales.
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Currently, the terms “remarketing” and “retargeting” are frequently used interchangeably. This is understandable, as they share common goals and employ similar strategies to achieve them. Both approaches involve marketing to users who have previously engaged with your brand.
These users often haven’t made a purchase yet. You may also aim to upsell or cross-sell to existing customers or encourage them to renew a subscription.
While remarketing and retargeting share many similarities, they also exhibit distinct differences. Remarketing is primarily associated with email marketing, whereas retargeting is typically linked to online advertisements. The key difference lies not in the strategy itself but in the channel used.
Understanding Email Remarketing
Email remarketing involves using email to re-engage users and encourage them to make a purchase.
By utilizing an email marketing platform, you can automatically send emails to users based on specific timelines or actions they take on your website. For instance, if a user leaves an item in their shopping cart, you can send them a reminder email the next day. Including a special discount or offer within the email can motivate them to complete the transaction.
If a user completes a purchase, you can send them an email featuring complementary products or upgrades. Alternatively, you can periodically send users emails about new products similar to their past purchases or encourage current customers to renew a service as their subscription approaches its end.
Exploring Ad Retargeting
Ad retargeting involves targeting display ads or social media ads to users who have previously interacted with your brand online in a specific manner.
For example, a user may add an item to their cart or click on a product without completing the checkout process. When this action occurs, a cookie is set in their browser. Advertising platforms like the Google Display Network or Facebook can then use this information to display ads to these users on other websites they visit.
These ads may showcase the exact products the customer viewed on your website or display several products within the same category. The content of your ad is, of course, entirely up to you.
Ad retargeting is commonly based on on-site interactions, such as a user placing an item in their cart but not completing the checkout process. You can also target users based on off-site interactions, such as those who engage with your brand on social media pages or other websites.
For instance, Facebook allows you to target users who interacted with your page, a video you posted, an event you created, and more.
Remarketing and retargeting enable you to target highly qualified leads who are close to making a purchase decision. This capability can help you quickly increase your sales.
When you retarget or remarket to a user, you know they are interested in your brand. They have already visited your website or social media profile. You may also have insights into the types of products they are interested in based on their browsing behavior.
If a user places an item in their cart, they are likely close to making a purchase decision. They are seriously considering your product. They may have even planned to complete the transaction but got distracted.
In such cases, a remarketing email or retargeting ad can be the perfect tool to encourage them to convert. Users may not convert on their first visit to your website, but if you can bring them back, the chances of conversion are significantly higher. In this way, remarketing and retargeting can help you maximize your website traffic and advertising budget.
Confusion surrounding remarketing vs. retargeting arises due to the blurring lines between various marketing channels. In the past, you could email users who subscribed to your email lists, but you couldn’t be sure if your ads were reaching those same users. Email, online ads, and other channels were fairly segmented.
However, with online advertising platforms like Google Ads and Facebook, you can now target users with paid ads using email lists. These platforms can match users’ email addresses to their data and login information, serving targeted ads to those users. Additionally, you can use similar content in your paid ads and emails to target the same user groups, further blurring the lines between channels.
While we could delve into the subtle differences between remarketing vs. retargeting, these distinctions are not as crucial in today’s digital marketing landscape. What matters most is identifying the channels that align best with your objectives and audience. You need to find the right balance of email marketing, paid ads, and other channels to achieve your goals.
You will likely end up using a combination of email marketing and paid ads, and the data from all your marketing efforts will influence your cross-channel decisions. Therefore, the most crucial aspect is to create well-researched, data-backed campaigns, track their performance, and adjust them based on new data. Consider using a digital marketing platform like MarketingCloudFX to track your campaign data, gain AI-driven recommendations, and automate email marketing and lead nurturing.
At WebFX, our team of over 500 digital marketing experts knows how to analyze digital marketing campaigns and develop strategies that deliver results. In fact, we’ve assisted our clients in generating over $10 billion in sales over the past five years.
For more insights from our digital marketing team, sign up for one of our email newsletters. If you require assistance in enhancing your remarketing or retargeting strategies, request a free quote today.
