Social Media Advertising
Article | July 13, 2022
What is retargeting and why do you need it? Well, because it’s easier than ever to lose a sale online.
Think of it like this: you successfully drive a potential customer to your site with great content or social media engagement.
But then their phone rings. Or they have to take a quick meeting. Their child calls their name. They look up at the TV and forget to return. Or one of a million other potential distractions in our fast-paced world get in the way.
They could be lost forever. Or — you could use retargeting to get them back to your site.
That’s what we’ll cover in the sections that follow. You’ll learn what retargeting entails, why your business should be using it, which platforms to do it on, and best practices to maximize ROI.
Let’s get started.
Quick Takeaways
Only 2% of web users convert on their first visit to a website.
Retargeted web visitors convert at a 70% higher rate.
Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social platforms are effective places to use retargeting.
Retargeting ads are most effective when they incentivize, are personalized, and/or leverage high-value content.
What is retargeting?
So what exactly is retargeting? In short, it’s the process of monitoring the behavior of your web visitors so you can drive them back to your site later.
It’s done by adding code to your website that tracks user actions by placing cookies in their browsers. You can then use that information to show them targeted ads when they’re elsewhere on the internet.
Those requests you get to “accept all cookies” when you visit a new website? It’s retargeting in action. Brands are asking your permission to track what you’re doing so they can show you ads that are relevant to you.
Today 87% of marketers use site retargeting to attract potential customers back to their website. Given that only 2% (!) of web visitors convert on their first visit to any site, it’s a smart strategy for brands to capture low-hanging fruit in their web traffic and avoid losing prospects who will likely convert with a little bit of encouragement.
Let’s look at 3 reasons why retargeting should be part of your digital marketing strategy and the benefits your brand will experience from doing it.
Why Retargeting Needs to Be Part of Your Strategy
Consumers actually like retargeted ads
The consensus view of retargeted ads has always been tainted with a little bit of uncertainty about their use of individual consumer data. And there’s no doubt about it — consumers do worry about their online privacy.
At the same time, however, they are also more aware than ever that brands are using their information to advertise to them and target their buying preferences. And they still browse and buy online at a rapidly increasing rate.
Here’s what it comes down to: retargeting doesn’t turn consumers off as long as it’s done ethically (AKA you’re only retargeting people when it actually makes sense and they’ve agreed to your privacy policy).
In fact, recent research has found that 25% of consumers say they actually enjoy seeing retargeted ads. And while a quarter of consumers may not seem encouraging, actual consumer behavior suggests that number is quite a bit higher.
Here’s what the numbers tell us:
Retargeted ads earn a click-through rate 10x higher than regular display ads
Retargeted website visitors are 70% more likely to convert
3 out of 4 consumers notice retargeted ads when they see them
It’s helpful to think about this in the context of your own life, too. We all see ads for products and brands we’ve briefly visited without buying from. But rather than get annoyed, our interest is usually sparked again. We may click on the ad to look at it again and rethink whatever reasoning we had before for not buying. We may follow the brand on social media for updates.
Retargeting is a massive opportunity for brands to cut down on lost sales by reminding consumers why they were interested in the first place and incentivizing them to come back and make a purchase.
Where to Retarget
Google and YouTube
Google and YouTube are the two most visited websites in the world, with a casual combined 85 billion monthly views (nbd). You can target ads on these massive platforms with Google Ads on the Google Display Network.
Most consumers are doing their brand and product research using Google search. What better place, then, to have your ads displayed to convince users to choose you?
Facebook and Instagram
Ads on the two platforms are both run under Facebook Ads Manager. You add the Facebook Pixel to your website’s code. When users take an action on your site (for example, adding to cart or making a purchase) the pixel is triggered and they’ll see retargeted ads on both Facebook and Instagram.
Learn more about the Facebook Pixel here.
TikTok
TikTok has exploded onto the scene over the past two years. It’s easy to assume this platform might be best for targeting younger audiences, but the truth is there are tons of audiences on TikTok that encompass a range of ages and interest areas.
For example #MomTok — moms sharing tips, stories, and advice — is one of the most active corners of the app. #BusinessTok, #FitnessTok, and #BookTok are some of the other most popular hashtag-driven interest groups on the app. These are only a few examples. In other words: retargeting on TikTok is for every type of audience.
You can get started at TikTok for Business.
LinkedIn
For B2B companies or brands targeting a more corporate or professional audience, LinkedIn could be an ideal platform for your retargeting efforts. You can add the LinkedIn Insight Tag to your website to begin tracking your visitors and serving them ads on the LinkedIn platform.
3 Retargeting Best Practices
Incentivize
The thing about web visitors you retarget is that they have shown interest in your brand already, but for some reason they weren’t motivated to make a purchase (or maybe they did but haven’t been back to make another one).
The way to convince them? Offering incentives. Consider this: you see a pair of shoes you love. You almost buy them but you think “Well, they’re just a little too pricey. I’m going to pass.”
A few days later you see those shoes you love, except they’re being offered at a discount. Your main argument for not buying the shoes is gone. You’re much more likely to go back and make the purchase.
Incentivizing your retargeting audiences is worthwhile because you eliminate one of the biggest roadblocks to purchase: concerns about price.
Personalize
Like all other kinds of online experiences, consumers want their retargeted ads to be personalized to their preferences. Nearly 80% of consumers say personally relevant ad content from brands increases their purchase intent.
Adding simple phrases that are unique to a person’s experience with your brand (i.e. “You left this item in your cart!” or “Based on your previous purchase, we think you’d love this!”) can be what makes your ad stand out to your audience.
Leverage Content
Content drives more organic traffic than any other method of digital marketing. That said, targeted ads are the highest-converting of all methods. Why not combine the two for maximum ROI?
Consider the types of content your web visitors interact with and/or what content created by your brand would be most relevant to them. Promote it through your ads, emphasizing how it can help users solve problems, learn something new, or accomplish an important goal.
Content that can be effectively marketed through retargeting ads include:
Blog articles
How-to guides
Checklists
Webinars and video demos
Ebooks and whitepapers
Read More
Advertiser Campaign Management
Article | July 19, 2022
Every business understands that brand marketing is the name of the game. In fact, the brand is a business’s best asset. It can help a business stand out amongst its competitors in the most authentic way possible. It can also act as a bridge and connect a business to its target audience.
When it comes to brand marketing, many businesses do not struggle with the concept. They struggle with the application. Marketing techniques are changing every few months. New platforms are being introduced in the digital world. It’s easy for businesses to lose themselves and their identity while adapting to change. Unfortunately, this is one of the common issues that businesses face while marketing their brand.
5 Common Branding Problems for Businesses
Every business has encountered at least one of these problems:
• Lacking an established identity. An undefined brand is just as bad as not having a brand
• Consistent messaging across various platforms. Some businesses struggle with remaining true to their brand values as they navigate new channels
• Possessing a creative marketing strategy. Without a direction or guide, it’s hard for businesses to discover their target audience and where to market to them
• Staying true to a target audience. Many businesses have lost their core audience while trying to gain a new one
• Lack of scalability. Some businesses struggle with discovering which marketing techniques can take them to the next level
Fortunately, there’s a solution that can solve all these problems. That solution is multimedia content.
How Multimedia Content Can Help Maximize Brand Marketing
What is multimedia content?
Content that incorporates a variety of different elements for its consumers. These elements could be audio, text, or graphic images. Each of these elements can be used separately to market content. But when used together, they can enhance the brand marketing experience for businesses and its customers.
What are some examples of multimedia content?
• Landing pages that include videos and images
• Blog posts with video clips from podcasts
• Infographics that include text
•Social media posts that include text and images
Multimedia content also allows new marketing possibilities for businesses. Digital marketing includes a vast array of content, from blog posts and website pages to videos and infographics.
Businesses can take advantage of these elements and create new marketing content for their customers. A software company, for example, can create an installation guide with infographics and post it on their website page. Businesses can also create storyboards to explain difficult concepts about their products or services. Discovering new content to produce for their customers is another way that businesses can stand out amongst their competitors.
Consistent Branding with Variety
Businesses can use different media elements to add a little variety to their content. Audio and visual elements can be used to enhance blog posts or FAQ pages and increase the engagement for readers.
Adding these new elements can help businesses stand out amongst the competition while remaining authentic. Maintaining a consistent brand identity makes it easier for businesses to establish trust with their target audience.
Exposure to a Wider Audience
At the same time, businesses always want to think of ways to expand themselves. This is what makes multimedia content so beneficial for businesses. They can use different multimedia elements to introduce their content to a different audience. Take an IT service company, for example, who wants to market their services to customers outside of their local area. They can create a blog post on cloud storage, repurpose it into a video and post the video on the business’s YouTube page, with the link to the original blog post in the description box of the video.
This type of content is marketable to every type of consumer. Businesses can provide audio content like podcasts to customers who may not yet be subscribed to their websites. They can create visual content for customers who are more drawn to striking images.
Incorporating these different elements allows businesses to reach customers that they may not have reached through just text-based or audio-based content.
Creative Possibilities for Digital Marketing
Multimedia content also allows new marketing possibilities for businesses. Digital marketing includes a vast array of content, from blog posts and website pages to videos and infographics.
Businesses can take advantage of these elements and create new marketing content for their customers. A software company, for example, can create an installation guide with infographics and post it on their website page.
Businesses can also create storyboards to explain difficult concepts about their products or services. Discovering new content to produce for their customers is another way that businesses can stand out amongst their competitors.
Established Brand Identity
Each business wants to be viewed as unique by their customer base. They do not want to be compared to every other business in their industry. With multimedia content, businesses can add a unique touch to their content marketing. Different multimedia elements and the way that they are embodied throughout the content can help businesses to stand out amongst its competitors.
Using these elements can also help a business remain in the creative stages of marketing. When a business remains in the creative phase, it makes establishing a creative marketing strategy easier.
Consistent and Creative Marketing Strategy
Like every other aspect of business, marketing is easier when a strategy is in effect. Multimedia content helps answer many marketing questions for businesses. Instead of spending additional time wondering what marketing platforms are effective, multimedia content can be used for every type of platform.
This allows businesses to use many interactive elements in their content and become more proactive in their marketing strategy. Businesses can create effective marketing systems by scheduling specific times to post different types of content across several platforms. By leveraging these methods, businesses can remain consistent with their brand marketing.
Greater Opportunities for Growth
Creating multimedia content also leads to increased productivity for businesses. Multimedia content gives businesses several options for content marketing. They can choose to create original content or repurpose their current content and add something new and refreshing.
These options help businesses reduce the amount of time they would spend on creating content. With the additional time, businesses can brainstorm opportunities for growth. They can spend additional time generating leads and catering to their current audience.
Taking The Next Steps with Multimedia Content
For businesses that want to transition into multimedia content, the best place to start is with the business’s vision. Consider what goals want to be achieved with the use of multimedia content. This type of content is so multifaceted that it can help any business achieve its core objectives.
Software companies can use multimedia content to educate their core audience about a particular product. They can use different interactive elements to illustrate how their product or service helps solve their audience’s problems.
Next, consider the needs of the target audience. Conduct some research and discover the audience’s responses when it comes to different types of content. Keep track of the different types of formats and platforms the audience is visiting.
Once the goals and needs of the audience are clearly defined, think about the different types of multimedia content that can be created. Businesses can incorporate different types of audio, visual, and interactive elements into their marketing content.
Lastly, remember to track the results of the multimedia content once it’s been created and distributed. Taking these next few steps can help businesses maintain a consistent brand marketing strategy.
Read More
Social Media Advertising
Article | July 14, 2022
In the last year, streaming adoption has grown throughout the UK. We spent more time at home, and many of us turned to new, digital forms of entertainment. But even now with the UK open, many consumers continue to appreciate some of the habits they adopted over the last 16 months, including streaming.
Through a recent Kantar study, we learned that 84% of Amazon customers surveyed in the UK are either cord-stackers (viewers who watch both streaming and broadcast or satellite content), or cord-cutters (viewers who only stream content). This sends a clear message. It’s not just early adopters streaming content. It’s the majority.
Furthermore, video gaming and e-sports are also on the rise—consumers in 600,000 households started playing console games on their TV in 2020 in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, according to Kantar’s Worldpanel ComTech data. In the UK, e-sports is increasingly popular with nearly 1 in 4 TV viewers streaming e-sports. And where are many gamers watching other gamers? On Twitch. There are now 30 million average daily users on Twitch from 230 countries. Consumers in the UK are also streaming more podcasts, music, and other audio content, year over year.
Read More
Advertiser Campaign Management
Article | July 19, 2022
Creating ad campaigns is a gamble. As advertisers, you are never sure if it was optimized enough, have no idea which micro-targets it resonates with the most, and it could take up to a year to determine the campaign’s sales impact. Market trends change by then. However, AI-powered ad creative can turn things around for you. You will know exactly what aspects of the ad resonate with your target demographic.
“It’s a welcome change for creatives, who find it empowering because they can think more broadly, experiment more, and learn faster,” says David Olesnevich, Head of Product at IBM Watson Advertising
“It’s a welcome change for creatives, who find it empowering because they can think more broadly, experiment more, and learn faster,” says David Olesnevich, Head of Product at IBM Watson Advertising
Let us take a look at what an AI-powered creative can do for your ad campaign:
Instant Optimization
AI-powered creative can be optimized instantly, not just for display ads but also for OTT video ads. You don’t need to spend extra time or resources to scale your optimization efforts.
Multiple Variations
Elements in AI creative can be varied and combined with music tracks, sound effects, voice-overs, scripts, video clips and sequences, hero shots, text overlays, end cards, and calls-to-action.
Easy Scaling
AI-powered creative ad campaigns are easy to scale across sectors for micro-targets defined by demographics, psychographics, life stage, customer journey stage, purchase behavior, and other KPIs like video completion, app installs, site visits, form-filling, purchases/conversions.
Enhanced Targeting
This technology can target your desired demographic based on message resonance. Consumer characteristics that respond to different message element combinations can help create persona profiles.
Brand advertisers like you need to prepare themselves for a cookie-less future with Google phasing out third-party cookies by 2023. Additionally, you need to also take into account Apple ending the IDFA (ID for Advertising). Figuring out micro-targets will get tougher because of these factors. You will have to harness solutions that respect consumer privacy without depending on the traditional advertising identifiers that will no longer remain.
Creative Professionals Can Better Maximize Client ROI
AI-powered creative is a modular and smarter way to develop ads. It takes the guesswork out of advertising with more actionable information to enhance brand campaigns and how they deliver a higher ROI.
Read More