What do you think how many of your customers are ready to make a purchase when they first encounter your brand or product? The answer might surprise you. Many local businesses do a good job at marketing. However, many of them drop the ball when it comes to following up on their initial marketing – and this can hurt them. Marketing isn't a one-time encounter with a customer. It's a continuous effort, an opportunity to build relationships and convince customers that your product or service is the best solution to their problems.

The importance of retargeting

Research shows that only a small percentage of customers convert (i.e. make a purchase) on their first visit to a website or online shop. This means that the overwhelming majority of people who click on an advert or social media post do not make a purchase. How can you get these people to return to your website? The answer is retargeting.

Retargeting is a form of advertising that specifically targets people who have visited your website. For example, you can target people who have visited your opt-in page without signing up for your list, or people who have added items to their basket but not completed the purchase. Most customers need eight encounters with a brand or product on average before they make a purchase, especially if it's a new brand.

This means retargeting is your best option for engaging leads and turning them into paying – and hopefully returning – customers. All you need to do to make retargeting work for you is to install a Java code on your page. The code installs a cookie that tracks the customer's actions and allows you to follow up as needed.

Secure retargeting options

The good news is that you have several options when it comes to retargeting potential customers. Here are three methods you can use.

Method #1: Facebook Retargeting

One of the most popular retargeting methods is offered by the social media giant Facebook. With well over a billion users, many of whom are highly engaged and visit the site daily, Facebook is a powerful marketing tool for local businesses. Facebook's retargeting tools are easy to use. All you need to do is install a Facebook pixel on the page you want to use to create your target audience. The pixel tracks the behaviour of visitors to your page and allows you to create a custom audience based on this information. As mentioned above, you could choose to target people who have visited your site without making a purchase. Once the cookies are installed and you create your ad campaign, Facebook will only show your ad to people who have your cookie stored on their computer. This means that you pay for the people you have targeted, but not for others. This makes Facebook retargeting a cost-effective way to build your list or increase your sales. One option to keep in mind when using Facebook is the „Call Now“ feature. This is a feature specifically for mobile users who can call your business with the touch of a button. If you choose to target your advertising to mobile users, the „Call Now“ feature is a great way to connect.

#Method 2: Adroll Retargeting

The second method you can use for retargeting offers the ability to reach potential customers almost anywhere they are online. Adroll is an online advertising service that offers retargeting as one of its options. Because it has access to all major Internet ad services, it can place ads on any of its partner websites, giving you multiple ways to reach your target audience. The basic setup is the same as Facebook. You install a bit of Java code on your homepage and specify what information you want to collect. One of the advantages of Adroll is that you can segment your list. This means that you can target customers who have viewed specific products. For example, a customer who has looked at jumpers on your website could be shown an advert featuring one of those jumpers. This is a more personalised way of retargeting and can be very effective. In addition to general internet retargeting, Adroll also offers specialised options such as retargeting on Facebook and Twitter as well as retargeting mobile customers.

Method #: Google AdWords Remarketing

The importance of Google for local businesses cannot be overstated. While competition for top keywords can be fierce, local keywords are typically less expensive and less contested than general keywords. Google is the largest search engine in the world and is likely the first port of call for any potential customers visiting your website. It is also a likely destination for individuals who leave your website without making a purchase. Google offers several opportunities to re-engage your customers.

Standard retargeting targets customers as they browse websites and apps within the Google Display Network.
Dynamic retargeting targets customers with specific products or messages based on their browsing behaviour with you
Mobile retargeting targets people who have used your mobile app or website while they are using other mobile apps or websites across the Google network.
Such retargeting targets people who have visited your website when they search for related products on Google.
Video retargeting finds your customers on YouTube, which belongs to Google, and shows them video ads before they watch a video

The beauty of all three methods is that you have a great deal of leeway when it comes to who you want to target – and how you want to target them. The best methods for retargeting suggest that it is best to target customers based on specific actions that they take on your website, rather than using general targeting. Reminding customers that they have items in their shopping cart or that they were interested in a particular product will significantly increase the likelihood of them returning to your website – and making a purchase.

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