The foundations of successful B2B advertising start with targeting your first party data – data that you own – and the best way to deliver success is with retargeting ads.
Retargeting ads are 76% more likely to be clicked on than a regular ad.
Definition of Retargeting
Retargeting is the industry term for re-engaging users who have previously interacted with your website, app, or content.
It involves serving personalised ads to these users across different platforms and channels, such as social media, display networks, or email, to encourage them to return and convert.
It relies on technologies like cookies, pixels, or device IDs to track user behaviour.
Sidenote: While cookies are increasingly being deprecated, newer technologies like Google’s Privacy Sandbox are likely to replace the functionality. Talk to us to find out more.
Uses of Retargeting
B2B Sales cycles are typically long and retargeting can help to maintain brand visibility over extended timeframes.
But it also acts as a nudge to the user to take an action and accelerate the buying cycle.
Overall, it nurtures leads, and improves conversion rates by reaching users who have already shown interest in your company.
It can take up to 50 touches to convert a cold prospect into a customer.
Retargeting allows you to directly reach the customer and place content that nudges them closer towards closing.
Creative Examples that work
There are many ways to design retargeting ads but they should incorporate all or some of the following:
- Add or offer value (e.g. exclusive content or an offer)
- Add urgency
- Address objections
- Timely content (e.g. an event invite)
- Increase authority (e.g. use the power of the crowd such as quotes, examples of customers, case studies)
More Types
I’ve already mentioned site retargeting, where you target users who visited your website or landing page.
There are more though – for example:
- Targeting contacts inside your CRM by uploading lists into platforms such as Meta Ads, Google Ads or LinkedIn Ads.
- Dynamic Retargeting customises the ads one level further than website retargeting. The ads served depend on the products or services browsed.
- Account-Based Retargeting (ABM) targets not just the user who visited but the entire decision making unit. So all the people who are involved in the buying phase.
This not only accelerates the creation of an opportunity but also the entire buying cycle acting to increase trust among other decision makers and/or users and act as a nudge effect to take faster action. - Ad Retargeting puts ads in front of users who have engaged or seen previous ads. This allows you to increase frequency and also to tell a story through advertising by showing a set of ads in a predefined order.
Measuring Successful Retargeting Ads
The total number of impressions served through retargeting ad campaigns may be low but the other metrics should outperform your other ad campaigns. These metrics include:
- Click-through rate (CTR)
- Conversion rate (e.g., demo requests, lead form submissions)
- Cost per lead (CPL) or cost per acquisition (CPA)
- Engagement metrics (e.g., time on site after click)
- Return on ad spend (ROAS)
Conclusion
Retargeting ads play a pivotal role in the B2B marketing landscape, where sales cycles are long, decision-making is complex, and many stakeholders influence purchasing decisions.
By keeping potential customers engaged across their journey, retargeting helps build trust, nurture leads, and ultimately drive conversions. Whether you’re targeting decision-makers at key accounts, re-engaging prospects who visited your website, or reminding warm leads about the value your solution offers, retargeting enables your brand to remain top-of-mind.
To succeed with retargeting in the B2B space, it’s essential to combine strategy with execution. Set clear goals, segment your audience effectively, and craft personalised ad experiences that align with each stage of the buyer’s journey.
Finally, don’t forget to regularly analyse your metrics to refine your approach and ensure your campaigns deliver measurable results.