An incredible 85% of consumers have a poor opinion of brands that are advertised via retargeting.
What’s more, 88% of people report seeing ads for products they’ve already purchased, and 77% of consumers say they often see too many adverts from the same retailer.
That’s according to Scott Wright from Shoelace, who gave a presentation at the Shopify Midlands Meetup in February 2019.
Scott was on hand to talk about how Shoelace can help retailers retarget ads effectively. Done right, he said, retargeting can build emotional connections with consumers, help you tell your brand story, and create memorable experiences. Done wrong, however, it can quickly become a negative experience that turns people off of your brand.
The key to retargeting is personalizing ads according to every part of the buying journey so that consumers’ interactions with the brand evolve like a story. This means they should be seeing different adverts at different times that are relevant to their specific stage in the journey. Shoelace operates by retargeting at each of the five key stages of the buying journey. Here’s how:
Stage 1: ‘Expressed interest’ (Someone who’s been to your website, but hasn’t looked at a product)
On day 1, show them a content ad. An example of this would be a video that explains key USPs of the brand, like whether it’s vegan-friendly or natural. It’s also important at this stage to boost email lists.
On day 5, you can be more aggressive by showing off your bestsellers. If they don’t go onto the next stage from there, try a messenger ad.
And if someone doesn’t actually interact with these efforts, don’t retarget them. They’re going to be a waste of your time and ad money.
Stage 2: ‘Shown consideration’ (Someone who has looked at a product)
At this stage, show them a dynamic ad to demonstrate that the product is a great fit. If they don't buy after that, show them a lifestyle ad.
On day 5, it’s time to push the reviews. When a consumer can see that you have five-star reviews, it provides that ‘social proofing’ that tells them you are a legit brand that real people love.
Stage 3: ‘Took action’ (Someone who has abandoned their cart)
First, look at the specific products they abandoned and try to incentivize purchase. If that doesn’t work, go back to the beginning. Make sure that you’re pushing USPs, showing them how the products feel, and offering behind the scenes insight.
Stage 4: ‘Became a customer’ (Someone who has bought a product)
Retargeting isn’t just about pushing the purchase; it should also be about retention. At this stage in the journey, you want to make sure that the consumer has signed onto your email list.
This is also a good time to get them to engage with your brand community - for example, you could encourage them to tag their purchase on social media to be featured in your style blog.
Later, on day 30 or so, it’s time to reach out again. Maybe you’re restocking product or maybe you have some new arrivals. At this point, you can encourage the consumer to come back and purchase again.
Stage 5: Building your brand
Retargeting can boost conversions and increase repeat purchase rates, leading to growth and more sales.
But it’s important to remember that it’s not just about making as much money as possible from your customers.
Retargeting should really be a key element to building out your brand and your community. That’s how to create brand loyalty, and that’s where the real value lies.
This blog was created by Blend Commerce and based on a presentation given by Scott Wright at the Shopify Midlands Meetup in February 2019.
