Search Retargeting Simplified: What is it?

If you’ve never done it, ask a family member or friend if you can borrow their phone or computer to search for a few things online quickly, or ask if you can scroll through their social media. 

Likely, the internet will feel a bit off compared to what you’re used to seeing on your own device. The websites are the same, and so is the content, but it will feel different the more you scroll. 

The difference is the advertisements. You may not notice it at first, but if you keep an eye out, the ads you’re used to seeing for your favorite brands aren’t on their internet devices. Instead, they get ads for things you didn’t even know they had any interest in. 

So what’s going on? Why does each person get slightly different ads as they go online? It has everything to do with search retargeting.

Here’s your chance to learn more about what search retargeting is, how it works, and how you can start using it today to drive traffic to your brand. 

WHAT IS SEARCH RETARGETING? 

Search retargeting is a way to find a better target audience for a product. It uses a consumer’s search behavior to identify interests and serve ads relevant to that individual based on their browsing history.

HOW DOES SEARCH RETARGETING WORK? 

Search retargeting starts with the consumer. When they search and are active online, they establish a history of their interests and hobbies.

Once consumers have established their online presence, search retargeting turns to automation. Search retargeting software, applications, and algorithms classify each consumer as part of a custom audience. Ads are served to each audience based on their search history and internet usage.

Search retargeting does not always have to be directly associated with a person’s initial search. For example, someone searching for Ford trucks could also be served ads for a competing truck like Chevrolet, RAM, or Nissan. 

Additionally, those primary interests can be related to tangential topics. For the same consumer looking up Ford trucks, search retargeting could serve them ads that are only partially related to trucks like off-roading, construction, car audio, or auto shops.

Finally, search retargeting is a cross-platform tool. What a consumer does while using a search engine or social media platform can affect which ads they see. For example, our truck-loving consumer could perform a Google search on their phone for trucks and then see an ad on their social media feed similar to or related to that search.

Since search retargeting is tied directly to each consumer, anywhere they go online, no matter which device or platform they are on, ads can reach that consumer. 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING SEARCH RETARGETING? 

Advertising online is different from traditional advertising. In traditional advertising, we’re used to the idea that if you buy an advertising spot on a giant billboard, everyone who drives by that billboard will see the same advertisement. 

Digital ads are entirely different. Thanks to search retargeting, the same website and ad location can vary for each person visiting that page.

The biggest benefit of using search retargeting is improving your market reach. Search retargeting helps ensure your ad is shown to potential customers interested in your product or something related to it. This helps improve conversion rates and plays a significant role in seeing a higher return from your marketing budget. 

HOW DO YOU DO SEARCH RETARGETING? 

You don’t have to hire a search retargeting company to run an effective advertising campaign. Search retargeting isn’t difficult to perform and is accessible to medium and small companies as part of their marketing strategy. It starts with using a digital marketing platform like Agility.

The Agility platform empowers you to control your digital advertising campaigns. It provides direct access to advanced tools like geofencing, search retargeting, site retargeting, and programmatic ads. We make it easy for you to create unique online ads and serve them to the right customer at the right time.

CHOOSE AGILITY

Agility's precision brand advertising platform empowers all companies to create, manage, and analyze digital ad campaigns and connect directly with Google paid search retargeting. Contact Agility today to schedule a meeting and learn how easy it is to get started on the Agility platform.