How to use Facebook retargeting to increase the ROI of your ads

Find out why Facebook provides a unique retargeting opportunity for your ads, and how to build an effective retargeting campaign. 

Retargeting has long been a staple in the world of digital marketing. The use of cookies to follow consumers and target them with ads as they browse the internet has provided a unique marketing opportunity.

Facebook offers what most would consider the most robust and effective retargeting tools. With a high return frequency – most consumers visit multiple times daily – and a plethora of features to assist with quality retargeting, using Facebook retargeting tools is of the utmost importance to a successful marketing campaign.

How can we use Facebook and its tools to create successful retargeting campaigns and Facebook video ad campaigns? Let’s look at how it works and highlight some ways to use the tools to get an increase in your Facebook ads ROI.

How does retargeting work?

Retargeting is a simple marketing concept. It allows you to evaluate and segment consumers who have visited your website, then show them your ads through other parties (in this case, Facebook).

Essentially, you evaluate what a customer was looking for on your site and then follow them to Facebook to place ads in front of them for the product they seemed interested in. (You can read more about retargeting here.)

How is retargeting on Facebook better?

There are several reasons Facebook provides a unique retargeting opportunity that will benefit you and provide a better return on investment:

  • Higher conversion rates – many first-time visitors to your site click away to explore options elsewhere, especially if you offer an item or service that many others do as well. Following consumers from your site to Facebook with a specific ad boosts your brand recognition and increases the odds of a complete sale.
  • Social influence – there is no better way to build trust in your brand than to encourage positive feedback from other consumers who have experienced your product. Targeted ads to both purchasers and non-purchasers can allow those who have purchased to influence those who have not to do so. Allow your former customers to sell for you!
  • Expand your audience – Facebook allows you to create Lookalike Audiences that will get your ads out to those who have visited your site andthose who have similar profiles to them. This way, you are still targeting the appropriate audience, but you are utilizing the vast network of people Facebook has access to – not just those who already know about you.

As you can see, Facebook retargeting campaigns offer a significant advantage over search engines. Not to mention the most basic of ROI principles, Facebook is often cheaper due to the false perception that it is a less focused tool as ads are targeted to passive consumers versus the active consumers search engine ads target.

However, it’s possible to target specific active consumers by using the tools Facebook provides.

How to build an effective Facebook retargeting campaign

There are a couple of key steps you should take to ensure your retargeting campaign on Facebook provides a great return on investment.

1) Create a Facebook pixel

First, create a Facebook Pixel through Google Ads. Obviously, this allows you to track users who click through your site.

Facebook also provides many powerful tools through this pixel that will improve your ability to retarget effectively and complete sales. Facebook enables you to track who searched for what keywords, what they put in their cart and many other beneficial behaviours. This insight will allow you to retarget appropriately and create meaningful ad content.

2) Use Custom Audiences

Second, use the Custom Audiences feature. You can create a list to ensure those that have visited your site are targeted and you can be ultra-specific, targeting those that visited a specific page or product on your site.

Custom Audiences also allows you to retarget former customers for ‘new product’ type campaigns or only retarget those who did not purchase, focusing your efforts on new clientele.

Are you ready to use retargeting to increase the ROI of your Facebook ads?

Facebook takes retargeting to the next level by providing tools allowing for your marketing campaign to cover the spectrum of retargeting, from beyond your known customer base to a very specific set of potential purchasers.

Taking advantage of these tools will allow your marketing campaigns to be appropriately focused. And, as a result, deliver a higher return on your marketing investments.

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