{"id":2708,"date":"2018-02-02T16:15:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T16:15:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=2708"},"modified":"2023-10-18T17:35:45","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T17:35:45","slug":"ad-retargeting-marketing-tactic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/ca\/blog\/ad-retargeting-marketing-tactic\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Master Ad Retargeting As A Marketing Tactic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When ad retargeting is done poorly, it becomes the digital equivalent of a retail associate who follows you around your favourite store, refusing to let you shop in peace.<\/p>\n

A well-executed ad retargeting strategy, on the other hand, provides a unique form of value to online customers by recognizing what they\u2019re interested in and surfacing it alongside the content they enjoy. Given the level of digital distractions which have shrunk attention spans to a matter of seconds in some cases, getting this kind of tactic right should be a huge priority for marketers in 2018.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve never heard of ad retargeting, you\u2019ve probably experienced it — and maybe not on a positive way. You search online for mattresses, for instance, but put off making a purchase for the moment. In the days, weeks or even months that follow, however, you might see the same mattress manufacturer popping up in ads everywhere you turn.<\/p>\n

This can be even more disconcerting when you\u2019re looking for something in a professional context, then find yourself being constantly retargeted ads for business tools during your off-hours time online.<\/p>\n

The idea behind ad retargeting remains a good one. After all, life online moves pretty fast, and so bringing up ads that have some basic relevance should be welcomed by potential customers, right? It\u2019s just that marketers also need to make the best possible use of solutions, like Marketing Cloud<\/a>, that are available to them.<\/p>\n

Use Ad Retargeting To Invite, Rather Than Pursue<\/h3>\n

The old adage, \u201cIf at first you don\u2019t succeed, try, try again\u201d needs to be applied carefully in this context. From a technical perspective, ad retargeting can let you have the same ad show up across a variety of ad networks and publishers. If you want to be \u201ceverywhere,\u201d this may seem like the way to do it.<\/p>\n

In reality, though, customers may get sick of seeing the same ad every time they go online. It may seem like they\u2019re being stalked, which obviously isn\u2019t the impression any brand wants to make.<\/p>\n

You may get far better results by thinking through a longer journey that recognizes how customers and prospects want to consider all their options before making a big decision. Much like other journeys marketing departments set up and run through Marketing Cloud, this is about putting yourself in the customer\u2019s shoes and considering the steps they need to take — from research to price comparisons to possibly getting someone else\u2019s go-ahead — before they make a purchase.<\/p>\n

A more thoughtful ad retargeting journey might look like this:<\/p>\n