A content developer on a recent podcast said he averages six pieces of content produced a day. By the end of the year, he is striving to do 10 pieces a day – approximately 300 pieces a month. We’ll be nice and say that he is one busy content developer. Let’s figure a fair amount of content is 200 pieces a month from a single developer. But of the number that are actually engaged, at least 96% will not produce a sale from the initial engagement. This figure, however, can be increased dramatically with effective content retargeting – statistics suggest up to a 70% increase in website visitors’ conversions after retargeting.The Purpose Of course the vital purpose of retargeting is to keep your brand/service/product top of mind for potential customers. That 96% who expressed some interest clearly represents a vast potential swell of conversions. But since they didn’t complete your call to action and purchase the fishing rod, the wiper blades, the shoes, or the package to digitize your old media collection, what do you do? Retarget. Loop back and remind them of what initially attracted them, what nudged them to dig in a little bit. Yes, it involves cookies, and while cookies get a bad rap, there sure are a lot of us who seem to enjoy them!The Process Now that we are beyond the earliest stages of online marketing and digital commercialism, many people understand that it is a process and they actually don’t mind the retargets. It’s like an auto-reminder to them that they may want to investigate something in a little more detail – as well as jog their memories that they had a need for something in the first place. The majority of our purchases – all but the most pressing – are made in this way. Yes, if you have a leak in the roof or a flat tire that needs replacement, it’s not an extended process. But many more final purchases are a culmination of a process of multiple steps: Form a Concept. Explore Possibilities. Compare Options. Dig A Little Deeper. Decide If You’re Really Buying. Make Your Choice. Of course, you could name and rearrange that process and those steps in a hundred different ways, but that is the general flow. So it is only logical to put serious effort into that series of steps – you have numerous opportunities to get the ball rolling once again with a well-timed and well-placed tap on the electronic shoulder.
The Possibilities Retargeting is by definition not a stand-alone ‘marketing technique.’ It is a tool in a collection of effective content marketing. There has to be something that draws people to your site to begin with, so build upon this attraction. Decent retargeting has some parallels to basic follow-ups of all types – don’t bombard, stalk, or harass your potential client just as you don’t call the person you interviewed with 17 times in the day and a half after leaving the office. You shouldn’t be bombastic or in the least bit condescending in your retargets. Rely on the strengths of your service or product; highlight the value proposition for your potential client. We will do a deeper dive on retargeting in a future blog, hitting items such as Retargeting Pixels, Retargeting By Time, By Behavior, and By Existing Customers, Retargeting Goals and Full Retargeting Campaigns.
Rest assured: the data conclusively demonstrates that retargeting can be a highly productive venture, so to discount its use is really not viable. There are professional services to help retarget that you may want to explore. Look at your retargeting approach as one dimension of your overall strategy, hone it, give it thought, respect your potential clients – and certainly make sure to use an algorithm that will not continue to retarget for the exact same item or service after they have made a purchase!We’re always ready to assist with your marketing, social media, video production, SEO, website creation and more! Contact Steven James or – even better – come on in and have a talk with us about anything involved with getting your story out into the world!
