Search Marketing Sage

There has been a lot of buzz lately about remarketing (also called retargeting), and especially about using remarketing on the GoogleDisplay Network.  But what exactly is remarketing, and how does it work?  I set out to learn more on the subject and how to use it effectively.

What is Remarketing?

On Google’s website, they define remarketing as a strategy that “allows you to show ads to users who’ve previously visited your website as they browse the Web.”  Basically, you can target users who you know have already seen your website when they’re browsing the Display Network.  Sounds great right?

Basics

How Does It Work?

• remarketing tags work with Google DoubleClick cookies, which add users who have viewed your website to the remarketing list you select
• assign a remarketing list to particular ads showing on the Display Network
• based on the list your ads will be served to those specific users

How to Start:

• In AdWords, you can create a remarketing list in a campaign or ad group, or independently
• under the Audience tab (you can add it from the drop down menu if you can’t see it), select remarketing list
• select “create new remarketing tag” or “select from existing tags”
• add the tag to a page on your website
• click save and you’re done!

If you want to specifically target users based on conversions, create different remarketing lists for different pages.  For example, you could create a list for users who have visited the conversion page, or for users who only visited the homepage.

More In-Depth Strategies

I also recently attended a webinar, “Remarketing on the Google Display Network: Optimizing & Maximizing your Current Strategies” with Jess Olsen from Google, which explained several settings that could be restricting your remarketing success:

• Geographical restrictions – If they have already visited your website, they are interested in your product.
• Language restrictions – If they have read your website, they can read english (or the language in which your website is written).
• Ad formats – Test both text and display ads on the Display Network, since up to 25% of sites are text only.
• Ad sizes – Use all display ad sizes to be eligible for more auctions.

The webinar also suggested expanding your cookie length in order to grow your remarketing list.  The maximum cookie length is currently 540 days, a lot longer than I thought!

Overall, remarketing can markedly increase ad response and conversions if you’re already using the Display Network.  According to a survey by advertise.com and SEMPO, remarketing is currently the most under-utilized marketing technology.  So now you know what it is and how it works – especially if you’re already using the Display Network, start testing it!

Additional References:

AdWords Help Center

Second Law Media Blog