Retargeting and Its Role In the Customer Journey

Search retargeting and site retargeting are digital marketing tools that help you reach customers at different points in their journeys.

Learn the differences and when you should use each one. 

WHAT IS SEARCH RETARGETING? 

Search retargeting is selecting an ad audience based on the potential customer’s online behavior and search history. 

If you’ve ever joked about how your phone or device must be listening to you because the ads it shows are so eerily accurate, that’s search retargeting at work. Because you searched for “new phone” and “smartphone cost,” search retargeting used those keywords to determine your interest in buying a new phone, and you get shown ads for the latest phones. 

WHAT IS SITE RETARGETING?

Site retargeting, sometimes just known as retargeting, is not the same as search retargeting. Site retargeting shows ads to people who visited your site but left without making a purchase.

Getting a customer to your website is only the start of their digital marketing journey. Just because a customer visits a website doesn’t mean they will convert and make a purchase. Site retargeting helps reduce the potential lost revenue of customers leaving your site early by gently nudging them to return.

Retargeting ads aren’t based on keywords or search history but on web activity. They target people who have visited your website, are familiar with your brand, and have shown at least a cursory interest in your product or service. The purpose of retargeting is to help redirect customers back to your website and help increase conversion rates. 

WHERE DOES SEARCH RETARGETING FIT IN THE CUSTOMER’S JOURNEY? 

Search retargeting plays a significant role at the top of the funnel. It reaches a broad audience with at least an introductory level of interest in a broad aspect of your industry or products. This makes search retargeting a powerful tool for introducing customers to your brand and improving brand recognition and awareness. 

WHERE DOES SITE RETARGETING FIT IN THE CUSTOMER’S JOURNEY? 

On the other hand, site retargeting is best used as a bottom-of-the-funnel marketing approach. Because site retargeting focuses on customers who have visited your site and shown interest in your product but have not yet converted, its role is not to improve brand awareness. Instead, site retargeting aims to help customers return to your site and make a purchase. 

DOES RETARGETING WORK FOR DIFFERENT SIZED COMPANIES? 

Yes, retargeting (both search retargeting and site retargeting) is a broad enough tool that all companies can use. Everyone from small startups to large enterprise companies can benefit from retargeting.

Search retargeting is an excellent fit for smaller businesses looking to increase brand awareness. It allows small startup companies to stand out and gain exposure in oversaturated or highly competitive markets.

Site retargeting allows enterprise companies to establish a stronger connection with their potential customers. It also helps drive traffic back to the website and improve conversion rates. 

CHOOSE AGILITY

Agility's platform makes it easy for any brand to manage search retargeting and site retargeting campaigns quickly. We help companies meet their advertising goals and reach their target demographics and markets. 

Schedule a meeting today to learn how to use the Agility Platform as part of your next ad campaign.