Search retargeting and site retargeting are digital marketing tools that help you reach customers at different points in the customer journey. 

Learn the differences and when you should use each one. 

WHAT IS SEARCH RETARGETING? 

Search retargeting is when an ad audience is selected 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 “smart phone cost,” search retargeting used those keywords to determine your interest in buying a new phone, and you get shown ads for the newest 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 the customer’s journey in digital marketing. 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 giving them gentle nudges to return.

Retargeting ads isn’t based on keywords or search history but on web activity. It targets 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 that has shown 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, the goal of site retargeting is 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 it. Everyone from small startups to large enterprise companies can benefit from retargeting.

Search retargeting is a great fit for smaller businesses looking to increase brand awareness. It makes it possible for any small startup companies to stand out and gain exposure in oversaturated or highly competitive markets. 

For enterprise companies, site retargeting allows 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 quickly manage search retargeting and site retargeting campaigns. We help companies meet their advertising goals and help them reach their target demographics and markets. 

Schedule your demo today to find out how you can use the Agility Platform as part of your next ad campaign.