Ally Malick and I recently co-hosted a webinar on paid search tactics & measurement for ecommerce clients with RJ Metrics. Part of that discussion involved three remarketing features in Google AdWords which they have been promoting as Remarketing 3.0. While our focus was on ecomm advertisers, not all of the features are specific to just them. In fact, all are great ways to reengage with your audience regardless of your focus: lead generation, ecommerce, B2B, B2C.
Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSA)
- Who can test? Anyone, if your audience size is large enough.
- What is it? Allows advertisers to serve unique text ads, landing pages, or bids to users who previously visited your site or haven’t.
- Where can I test? Google.com.
- Why should I test? Here are two reasons SEER is leveraging this feature:
- First, you can test competitive, high-CPC terms. For example, are high-volume broad keywords out of your budget? Maybe not converting as well? Or the user’s intent was unclear so you decided against including? Well once you layer on your remarketing list, you’re almost guaranteeing that you’re hitting your target audience. Remember all those session-based queries in search terms reports that made you think, “Why would Google show my ad for this?!?!” Well, now is the time to test those keywords, but with control.
- Second, it offers an opportunity to follow tactics similar to those you would with remarketing through the Google Display Network. In other words, test different messages and offers than your regular search ads. While you didn’t hook them the first time, they’re obviously still in need. Give them an offer they can’t refuse.
- How do I test? You can find more info in the Google Help Center.
Dynamic Remarketing
- Who can test? Advertisers with a Google Merchant Center, so typically ecommerce clients.
- What is it? Allows advertisers to display image ads that are dynamically created based on the items or content a user viewed, or abandoned shopping carts.
- Where can I test? Google Display Network.
- Why should I test? It’s fast, easy and cheap (read: free display ad creation!). And you display very relevant ads to your audience. ‘Nuff said.
- Note: Rather than spewing a bunch of details from other blogs, we plan to follow up with our own results in a follow-up post since we’re just launched this feature for a couple clients.
- How do I test? More information can be found in Google’s setup guide.
Similar Users
- Who can test? Advertisers with large remarketing audience sizes.
- What is it? Allows advertisers to display text and image ads to users who have similar “characteristics” to those who have visited your site.
- Where can I test? Google Display Network.
- Why should I test? Reach a new audience that is unfamiliar with your product, service, or brand. These users may be more inclined to engage than others who do not display similar behaviors to your visitors. Since these users may be totally unfamiliar with your brand/offering (having neither searched a relevant keyword nor visited your site,) you may want to run ads that are a more descriptive.
- SEER has seen some success with targeting users similar to those who have converted. One client saw their revenue generated from the Google Display Network grow by 33%!
- How do I test? Here’s a Google Help Center section to get started with this feature.
For those of you who caught on to the structure of this post, you may be asking yourself, “Where the hell is the ‘when’?” Well, don’t worry, I didn’t forget about it. It’s just that it’s a simple answer that suits them all, and that answer is now.
