Remarketing and Retargeting: Bringing Back Lost Opportunities with Paid Media

Retargeting: Capturing Attention After the First Click

The journey to a conversion often starts with curiosity. Maybe a potential customer clicks on your ad, visits your website, and spends time browsing a product page. But then they leave without making a purchase. They’re not lost - they’re just not ready yet. It’s a bit like window shopping - interested, but not quite ready to step inside.

This is where retargeting shines. By tracking user behaviour with cookies and pixels, you can deliver tailored ads to these visitors as they continue their online journey. At Reflect Digital, we use a range of behavioural nudges to deploy content, for example, personalisation, whereby we align content/copy with individual identities and preferences (we can assume these based on data collected or the user's journey). These ads, appearing on platforms like Google, Facebook, and Instagram, remind users of what caught their eye and encourage them to return.

The data that fuels retargeting comes from multiple sources, including CRM platforms like HubSpot. By tracking user activity across emails, form submissions, and website interactions, you can segment audiences to serve personalised ads. For instance, a visitor who browses your winter shoe collection could later see ads showing those exact products, making the message feel relevant and timely.

Remarketing: The Power of Personal Follow-Up

Where retargeting focuses on ad placements across the web, remarketing uses email to re-engage users. It’s like picking up the conversation with someone who’s already shown interest - whether they’ve abandoned a shopping cart or subscribed to your newsletter.

Remarketing emails are triggered by specific actions users take on your site. With tools like HubSpot, you can automate these follow-ups, sending personalised emails based on behaviour. For example, if a customer adds items to their cart but doesn’t complete the purchase, an automated email reminder can nudge them back with a discount or product recommendations.

Beyond cart abandonment, remarketing emails can nurture long-term relationships. By segmenting your email list based on user behaviour, you can send targeted offers to high-intent users or create drip campaigns that keep leads engaged over time. For example, we may be able to identify specific behavioural considerations, e.g. specific friction costs (barriers that prevent a user from performing behaviours of making decisions), and deploy specific  creative/copy to ‘tackle’ this.

Retargeting Across Multiple Channels

One of retargeting’s biggest strengths is its ability to reach users across multiple platforms, ensuring your brand remains visible as they browse the web.

• Google Display Network: Retarget ads across Google’s network of sites, keeping your brand in front of users as they explore other content.
• Social Media: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer rich visual environments perfect for re-engaging users through ads that feature eye-catching imagery or video.
• Paid Search Ads: When users return to a search engine looking for more information on a product, retargeting ensures your brand appears in their results, prompting them to revisit your site.

The integration of CRM platforms like HubSpot with ad platforms allows you to use customer data to retarget more effectively. Instead of generic ads, these platforms allow you to create more nuanced campaigns based on each user’s journey with your brand.

Creating Synergy Between Channels

So, how do all these channels work together? By layering your retargeting efforts, you can build a funnel that smoothly guides users from awareness to conversion.

For example, a user might first encounter your brand through a social media post or display ad. They click, browse, and leave without converting. Once they’ve left, a retargeting ad could follow them across the web, showcasing the product they viewed or offering a promotion to re-engage them.

Centralising customer data through platforms like HubSpot allows you to get a complete view of how users interact with your brand, from blog visits to purchases. This holistic view helps you adjust your retargeting strategy to different stages of the user journey. For instance, users who frequently engage with blog content may be retargeted with ads encouraging newsletter sign-ups, while those adding items to their cart receive more direct sales-oriented messages.

Retargeting and the Marketing Funnel

Every user is at a different stage in the marketing funnel, and successful retargeting adapts to where they are in the buying process.

Here’s how retargeting works at different stages:

• Awareness: At the top of the funnel, retargeting builds brand recognition. This is where you showcase your most engaging content, such as product launches or brand stories, to encourage users to return and learn more.
• Consideration: Once users have shown interest, retargeting should become more action-oriented. You can highlight product features, customer testimonials, or offer promotions to nudge them closer to purchasing.
• Conversion: At the bottom of the funnel, retargeting helps remove any final barriers. For example, serving a discount or free shipping on items they’ve viewed can push them to make that final purchase.
• Nurturing: Retargeting isn’t just about sales. It’s also about building long-term relationships with existing customers, encouraging them to explore other products or sign up for your newsletter. With personalised campaigns, you can keep your audience engaged over time.

The Goal: Pushing Users Further Down the Funnel

Ultimately, the goal of retargeting and remarketing is to guide users through the marketing funnel, converting initial interest into long-term engagement. It’s not just about driving sales - it’s about creating a customer journey that builds trust and keeps users coming back.

By integrating CRM platforms like HubSpot with your paid media strategy, you can collect richer data and create more personalised campaigns that reflect where each user is in their journey. The more relevant your retargeting efforts, the more effective they become in bringing users back when they’re ready to engage.

Key Takeaways

• Understand the Difference: Retarget with ads; remarket via email.
• Leverage Personalisation: Use CRM data to craft tailored messages.
• Go Multi-Channel: Retarget via Google, social media, and search ads.
• Align with Funnel Stages: Match messaging to user intent.
• Integrate Data: Centralise with tools like HubSpot for cohesive campaigns.