What is retargeting and how does it work?
Retargeting is a strategy within online marketing where you show ads again to people who have previously interacted with your website or your products, but have not made a purchase or taken another desired action. The idea behind retargeting is to reach these potential customers again with relevant ads, reminding them of your product or service and encouraging them to return and complete the action after all. This could include making a purchase, filling out a form or requesting more information.
Retargeting works through the use of cookies, small pieces of data that are stored on the visitor's computer when he or she visits your website. These cookies track the visitor's behavior, such as which pages they have viewed or which products they have added to their shopping cart. Based on this data, marketers can create targeted ads tailored specifically to these visitors. These ads can then be shown on other websites that are part of an ad network, on social media, or in search engines, increasing the likelihood that the visitor will return to your website to complete the desired action.
Although retargeting is often confused with remarketing, there is a small but important difference. Retargeting focuses specifically on showing ads to people based on their behavior on your Web site. It is a way to bring back visitors who have left your Web site without converting with highly targeted ads. Remarketing, on the other hand, is a broader term that includes other forms of renewed contact, such as sending personalized emails.
A practical example of retargeting is when you view a product on a Web site but don't buy it. Later, you see ads for that same product on other websites or social media. These targeted ads are meant to remind you of your interest in the product and entice you to still make the purchase. Retargeting is a powerful tool within online marketing because it targets people who have already shown some interest in what you're offering, making it more likely that they will eventually convert.
