In a perfect world, consumers would purchase after just one interaction with a brand.
The reality is, we don’t live in a perfect world.
Unfortunately, many brands believe that building the perfect campaign structure, having the neatest set of keywords, and writing the most brilliant ad copy is all it takes to bring in sales.
Let’s face it: When was the last time you bought something after being introduced to a product for the first time?
With everyone having multiple devices, it’s no wonder our attention spans are shorter than ever.
We go from work on a big screen to going home and watching another big screen – all while scrolling that little screen in our hands!
This is where cross-channel remarketing comes into play.
Cross-channel remarketing helps you reconnect with users across different platforms, giving you more chances to engage them and boost your results.
Whether you’re an experienced PPC marketer or just starting out, this guide will break down everything you need to know to create effective cross-channel remarketing campaigns.
We’ll cover key strategies and tips to help you build and refine campaigns that work.
What Is Cross-Channel Remarketing?
Cross-channel remarketing is the practice of re-engaging users across multiple digital platforms after their initial interaction with your brand.
Instead of limiting follow-up ads to a single channel, cross-channel remarketing spreads your message across various platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even programmatic display networks.
This strategy ensures that your brand remains top-of-mind for potential customers wherever they spend time online.
Why Does Cross-Channel Remarketing Matter?
Customers don’t stick to one channel when browsing the web – and neither should your remarketing strategy.
Here are some compelling reasons why cross-channel remarketing is a must:
- Extended Reach and Engagement: By using multiple platforms, you can reach a broader audience and reinforce your brand message more effectively.
- Higher Conversion Rates: Remarketing users across different channels increases the likelihood of converting them, as they encounter your ads in various online environments.
- Improved Personalization: Each platform has unique targeting options that enable you to tailor your message to specific audience segments.
- Better Data Utilization: You can combine data from different channels to gain a comprehensive understanding of user behavior and campaign performance.
- Enhanced Brand Recall: The repetitive yet varied exposure across multiple platforms strengthens brand recall, making it more likely for users to choose your brand when they’re ready to convert.
Are Multi-Channel And Cross-Channel Remarketing The Same Thing?
While the two may be similar, it’s important to distinguish the difference between the two.
Multi-channel remarketing means you’re targeting audiences across different channels. For example, a campaign that targets both Google Display and YouTube channels.
While they’re targeting multiple channels, they work independently from each other, with no communication between them.
Cross-channel remarketing, on the other hand, is on a whole different level where the channels are connected. It allows you to track and record interactions and better facilitate the customer’s purchase journey.
How To Set Up Your Own Cross-Channel Remarketing Strategy
Creating a successful, holistic cross-channel remarketing strategy involves a carefully thought-out approach.
Consider the following steps when creating your brand’s remarketing strategy:
1. Define Your Goals
Start by clearly defining what you want to achieve. Are you looking to drive conversions, build brand awareness, or encourage user engagement?
Establishing your primary and secondary goals will help inform your creative and targeting strategy across each channel.
Pro tip: Align your goals with the marketing funnel. For instance, use upper-funnel channels like display networks for brand awareness, and mid-to-low funnel channels like search and social for conversions.
2. Choose Your Platforms Wisely
Not all channels are created equal. The platforms you select should align with your audience’s online habits and the nature of your offering. For instance:
- Google Ads: Great for search intent and display advertising.
- Facebook and Instagram: Perfect for visually engaging campaigns.
- LinkedIn: Ideal for B2B audiences.
- Programmatic Networks: Excellent for scale and dynamic creative capabilities.
Choosing your platforms by industry is just as important. Make sure to select platforms where you know your audience is and meet them where they’re at. A few examples include:
- Ecommerce: Google Display Network, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and programmatic platforms can showcase product images and shopping ads.
- B2B Services: LinkedIn, Google Search, and remarketing through industry-specific platforms (e.g., Capterra) can yield high engagement.
- Hospitality and Travel: Instagram Stories, Facebook video ads, and Pinterest can inspire users, while Google Search catches high-intent travelers.
3. Segment Your Audiences Accordingly
Audience segmentation is crucial for effective remarketing.
Create custom audience lists based on user behavior, such as site visitors, product viewers, or past customers.
Leveraging data from your CRM, website analytics, and ad platforms can help you segment audiences to tailor your messaging appropriately.
If you’re looking to advance your audience segmentation strategy, try these ideas:
- Time-based Segments: Target users who have visited your site within the last 7, 30, or 90 days.
- Interaction-based Segments: Retarget users who engaged with a specific feature, downloaded a resource, or viewed a video.
- Customer Value Segments: Differentiate between high-value and lower-value customers to allocate budget efficiently.
How To Integrate Your Creative Strategy
A successful cross-channel remarketing campaign requires a cohesive, creative strategy, which is why creative deserves its own section here.
If you’re not sure how to get started with your creative strategy, use these steps below as a guide.
1. Maintain Consistent Branding
Ensure your ads across channels align with your brand’s voice and aesthetic. This consistency helps build trust and recognition among users.
It will be easier for users to recognize your brand after repeated exposure throughout different channels.
Here are a few visual consistency tips for your creative:
- Use the same color palette, logo placement, and typography across channels.
- Maintain a similar tone of voice in ad copy, even if the wording varies based on platform character limits.
2. Adapt Creative For Each Platform
While consistency is key, each platform has unique ad formats and best practices.
For example:
- Google Display Ads: Use simple visuals and a clear call-to-action.
- Facebook and Instagram Ads: Leverage video and carousel formats for higher engagement.
- LinkedIn Sponsored Content: Focus on professional, insight-driven content.
This doesn’t mean you need to completely recreate the wheel (no pun intended) for each creative asset by platform!
By following the same set of branding and principles, you can easily adapt your creative to each individual channel with these simple tips:
- Static Images vs. Video: Use eye-catching images for static ads and short, engaging videos for platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
- Interactive Elements: Use carousels or polls on platforms like Instagram to increase user interaction.
3. Use Dynamic Ads
Dynamic ads automatically personalize ad content based on users’ past interactions.
This tactic can significantly improve performance, especially in ecommerce campaigns where product recommendations are key.
The two biggest benefits of dynamic ads are personalization and scalability.
With a personalized experience, users are more likely to engage with ads that display items they previously viewed or added to their cart.
Additionally, with dynamic ads, it’s easier to scale personalization without needing to create hundreds of unique ad creatives.
How To Track And Measure Success
Tracking cross-channel performance is essential to refine your strategies over time.
In order to monitor and measure your campaigns effectively, follow the steps below.
1. Implement Unified Tracking
Ensure you have comprehensive tracking mechanisms in place across all channels.
Using tools like Google Analytics, Tag Manager, and platform-specific pixels allows you to gather insights into user behavior and conversion paths.
A great unified tracking tool to implement is Google Tag Manager (GTM). If you’re running ads on multiple channels, it really simplifies the process of managing tags into one cohesive solution.
Additionally, there are cross-channel attribution software tools that help you gain better visibility on how each channel contributes to overall performance.
2. Leverage Multi-Touch Attribution Models
Single-touch attribution (e.g., last-click) often fails to capture the full picture of user engagement across channels.
Multi-touch attribution models, such as linear or time-decay, give credit to all touchpoints within the buyer journey.
By default, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) uses the data-driven attribution model. This model uses machine learning and historical data to give credit to each marketing touchpoint that leads to a conversion.
Other attribution models available include:
- Linear Model: Distributes equal credit to all touchpoints.
- Time-Decay Model: Gives more credit to touchpoints closer to conversion.
- Position-Based Model: Assigns 40% credit to the first and last interaction, with the remaining 20% distributed among the middle touchpoints.
Best Practices For Cross-Channel Remarketing
Optimizing your cross-channel campaigns is an ongoing process. It should not be seen as a “set and forget” strategy because there are so many underlying factors that contribute to stellar or poor performance.
Here are some best practices to get you started.
1. Set Appropriate Frequency Capping
Avoid overwhelming users by setting frequency caps to limit the number of times they see your ad within a specific timeframe.
In most platforms, impression capping is found in the campaign or ad group settings.
Additionally, some platforms offer more advanced frequency capping options by hour, day, or lifetime.
2. Align Your Messaging With The User Journey
Ensure your remarketing messages correspond to the user’s stage in the buyer journey.
A first-time site visitor might see an ad highlighting product benefits, while a cart abandoner could receive an ad with a discount code.
A very basic user journey messaging alignment example could be:
- Top-of-Funnel (TOFU): Showcase educational content or brand stories.
- Middle-of-Funnel (MOFU): Focus on product features, customer reviews, and case studies.
- Bottom-of-Funnel (BOFU): Include promotions, limited-time offers, or free trials.
- After Purchasing (Retention): Provide rewards for product reviews, refer-a-friend promotions, or affiliate messaging.
3. Monitor And Optimize Performance
Track key metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and return on ad spend (ROAS).
Use A/B testing to find the best-performing creatives and make data-driven adjustments.
Some optimization tips include:
- Rotate Creatives Regularly: Swap out ad creatives every few weeks to avoid ad fatigue.
- Review Audience Overlap: Ensure that your audiences across platforms don’t overlap excessively, leading to inefficiencies.
- Analyze Competitor Strategies: Use third-party tools to review competitors’ cross-channel strategies and adjust yours accordingly.
Cross-Channel Challenges And How To Overcome Them
Cross-channel remarketing success doesn’t come without its hurdles.
A few common challenges (and solutions) to consider when embarking on your cross-channel strategy:
- Attribution Complexity: Determining which channel deserves credit for a conversion can be tricky. Use multi-touch attribution models to better understand how each channel contributes to user actions.
- Budget Management: Distributing budget effectively across channels can be challenging. Regularly review your budget allocation and adjust based on performance.
- Creative Fatigue: Users may grow tired of seeing the same ads repeatedly. Rotate creatives regularly to keep content fresh and engaging.
Cross-Channel Marketing Requires A Balance
Cross-channel remarketing is a powerful tool for engaging users and boosting your conversion rates.
By understanding your audience, diversifying your platforms, and optimizing your creative strategy, you can create a cohesive experience that guides potential customers from awareness to action.
Implement these practices to ensure your campaigns resonate with your audience and maximize ROI.
The reality is, cross-channel marketing requires a balance of strategy, testing, and monitoring.
Stay adaptable, keep an eye on what resonates with users, and be ready to refine your approach.
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Featured Image: Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Shuttestock