Retargeting, or remarketing, is an advertising strategy used to re-engage with website visitors who have already shown interest in a particular product or service. It differs from prospecting in that it targets users who have already interacted with a brand in some way, instead of aiming to introduce new customers to the brand. The messaging for retargeting is also often more personalized and tailored to the individual user.
Retargeting works by placing a cookie—a piece of code—on a website visitor’s browser after they interact with it in some way. This cookie then allows advertisers to follow them around the web and serve them relevant ads based on their interests. As they move from site to site, they will continue to see ads related to the product or service they showed interest in originally.
The biggest difference between prospecting and retargeting is that prospecting focuses on introducing new customers or prospects to a particular product or service, while retargeting works best when someone has already expressed interest but then left before completing an action (like making a purchase). Prospecting typically involves more generic messaging about the brand and uses broad targeting criteria like demographics or interests; whereas retargeting messages are usually much more tailored based on the individual user’s behavior onsite.
Retargeted ads can also be used across all stages of the sales funnel—including for awareness building, educating customers about your products/services, nurturing leads through content marketing pieces such as webinars and whitepapers, as well as converting sales—making it one of the most powerful digital marketing tactics available today. When done correctly, retargeted ads should feel less intrusive than traditional banner ads and can provide users with valuable information at just the right moment in their journey towards making a purchase decision.
