Remarketing — a Blessing or a Curse?
Remarketing is a concept that focuses on trying to recapture the consumers’ attention in order to lead them to purchase. The technical term for this is known as behavioral remarketing, or simply as retargeting.
The purpose of doing this is to be able to display ads to people more frequently after they have left a certain website. It allows you to advertise directly to users that have already expressed interest in your product. The two main systems for remarketing currently used are cookie and IP based targeting.
Why Blessed
IMPROVES BRAND RECOGNITION:
One basic and undeniable benefit of retargeting is that repeated exposure improves brand recognition. The more someone sees your brand, the more likely they will be to recognize it in the future. Consumers are more likely to buy a product from a brand that they know. Repetition is a fundamental component of learning, and it is also something that retargeting is great at. Numerous studies have shown that the context of the exposure is less important than the exposure itself, so retargeting definitely delivers some kind of results.
COST EFFECTIVE:
If someone visited your site once, chances are high that they are at least somewhat interested in what you have to offer. By focusing advertising efforts on individuals who have already shown an interest in your brand, you are simply reinforcing an interest that has already existed. Unlike other forms of marketing, which may offer your message to a broad audience — many of whom will frankly not care a whit about your business — retargeting is specifically marketing toward an interested audience.
ENCOURAGES RETURN:
Retargeting sends that potential customer little reminders. The typical retargeted ad is a banner — aesthetically pleasing and always with a call to action. Perhaps the potential customer will change their mind after seeing the product a few more times or presented with a discount. Maybe they now have the cash to make a purchase. Essentially, retargeting gives you more opportunities to make an impression and encourages the potential customer to return to your site.
Why Cursed
IT’S ANNOYING:
Creepy, dull, and annoying are three words often used to describe retargeting. Too many impressions are the main cause for complaint — it seems that some marketers simply don’t know when to stop.
Making your product a source of frustration is not exactly the best way to make people buy it. As a rule, humans do not appreciate being pestered, at all.
IT’S INEFFECTIVE:
Retargeting is particularly annoying for customers who have already been converted — that is, who have already made a purchase, or even bought the very product that is being advertised to them.
Be careful when retargeting, don’t use it too aggressively and always remember to use the segmentation strategy (showing different ads to visitors with different degrees of loyalty).
IT’S OFFENSIVE:
Some customers may find it a violation of their privacy, the fact that some specific company knows exactly what they search and which websites they visit. Retargeting does not collect personally identifiable information, yet, many still feel that it is inappropriate. While retargeting complies with laws and regulations, it simply does not feel right to some internet users. Viewing your brand through such means may cause them to remember your brand in a negative light, and never buy from you (again). Many internet users do not feel this way, some do, and using retargeting will alienate them.
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