How to set up Remarketing in Google AdWords

Remarketing allows you to target visitors who have been to your website, and allows you to “follow” them across the web.  This occurs because many websites have Google ads – called Google Adsense installed.  Your adverts can appear in these advert slots, giving quite a spooky effect as your adverts will continually appear to the former visitor, as they continue to browse the normal web.

The reason you might want to follow them is to encourage them to come back and complete your purchase, but also because people often do not complete their purchase instantly, they may still be making a decision.  Seeing your ads continually will subconsciously persuade them to pick your company for their purchase.

To set up remarketing, do the following:

1.    You will need to set up an audience and create a remarketing list.  This will add a cookie to the website of your visitors, to allow you to show further ads to them.  To do this click in your AdWords account on the drop down arrow here next to the tab Ad Extensions, and choose the option Audiences:

Choose the drop down arrow then Audiences

2.    Click the new tab that has appeared, Audiences and then select Add Audiences.  Now select the option Create and Manage lists.

Now select Create and Manage lists

3.    Select New Audience, then Remarketing List.  Create a descriptive name for your group, and choose the number of days you wish the cookie to remain active for.  Save the code  that is generated, and place this onto each page of your website.

4.    Create a new campaign called Remarketing – it needs to be a Display Network only campaign, so make sure you select Let Me Choose and untick the boxes for the Google Search network.  Save the campaign once you’ve added a suitable budget, and now add a descriptive name for the ad group such as the name of your product or service.  No keywords are needed for this ad group!

5.    Craft your advert carefully, knowing they will be somewhat “spooked out” by your advert and its appearance.  Make the most of this by asking them to come back again and visit!  Set a suitable bid and save.

6.    Now make sure you go to the Audiences tab and select the audience you want to show the ads to!

7.    Please bear in mind that it does NOT start working instantly – you need to wait until at least 500 visitors have visited and have received the remarketing cookie

Now – you’re done.  Go and spook some visitors out by following them across the web with adverts today, and let us know how you get on!

Further reading – it’s possible to set up more complicated combinations than just “all visitors” – to read more see Google’s help centre

Categorised in: AdWords, Targeting

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