Retargeter

The Pros and Cons of Twitter Retargeting

The process of turning site visits into conversions is the ultimate goal of any online marketer. Websites are created for a specific purpose, whether it’s to allow customers to communicate with your company, to make a purchase or to fulfill another objective, there’s a reason each site is created.

However, once a website visit is initiated, getting that visitor to follow the site’s funnel and convert is a hands off process. There’s no way to ensure each visitor follows a specific series of steps and meets the specific objective of the site. In fact, for the majority of websites, only 2% of web traffic converts on the first visit… what about the other 98%? What happens after they leave?

While in some cases, they may disappear into the Internet’s millions of options, as a marketer, you should be aware of the fact that there is a way to try to get them back. The age of retargeting, or remarketing – depending on the service – has begun.

When a customer leaves a website, it doesn’t mean they’re gone forever. With retargeting, brands can still reach out to “lost” customers by reaching out to them on the sites they visit afterwards. This differs from demographic-based advertising in that the targeted market is specific, they have visited a specific brand’s website and have moved on without completing the conversion process.

Because of the specific nature of the retargeting process, retargeting allows brands to specify the audience they’re reaching like never before. The bottom line? If you’re not retargeting, you could be missing an important segment of your target demographic.

While Google and Facebook have been offering the service for a while, Twitter’s retargeting options are newer and, therefore, somewhat shrouded in mystery.

Pros of Twitter Retargeting

Easy to Use: For the most part, Twitter’s retargeting feature is straightforward and easy to use. A line of code is provided that is placed inside a website’s backend which drops an anonymous browser cookie which stores site visit information, but no other information – nothing personal, nothing questionable. From there, when a bounced visitor logs into their Twitter account, the information is released, and ads from that company can run while the user is logged into Twitter. It’s a simple process that requires little to no extra work up front.

Broad Reach: Unlike other retargeting or remarketing opportunities, Twitter’s feature allows ads to run across mobile devices, tablets and so on. Because the user’s information is saved within Twitter, it’s not an abstract advertising system that reaches one customer a hundred times and not another customer. The potential reach is large and systematic, because the cookie storing your visit to an advertiser’s site can be matched up to your account.

Consumer Appeal and Engagement Options: More than ever, customers are looking to engage with companies and brands in which they’re interested. They want to know that the brands they do business with understand what is important to them. Going to where they are is an excellent way to start the conversation and to show that their behaviors matter.

Cons of Twitter Retargeting

Controversy: Regardless of the amount of security behind any targeted marketing practice, certain consumers and certain demographics will be concerned about privacy. They’ll wonder what information has been shared that has led to certain companies “following” them online. Because of a lack of knowledge, fears about online privacy are real and prevalent. There is a plus side to this; Twitter makes it simple for users to stop tracking, which makes it stand out from its competitors.

Limited Offerings: Compared to other retargeting services, Twitter’s feature offering is considerably less. Advertisers are not given real-time control over when ads are shown in relation to when a visitor has left their website. In many cases, the time that has elapsed since the original site visit matters. Additionally, advertisers must upload their customer lists – either e-mail addresses or cookie IDs – to ensure proper targeting.

Relevancy Matters: Because of the very nature of Twitter, information and trends change on a regular basis. An ad that may be on target and relevant one hour may be dated and stale in another. Customers access Twitter to follow what’s trending, what’s happening locally and globally, whether retargeting or not, brands that advertise on Twitter must take this into account when creating an advertising strategy. Ideally, someone within the company should be solely responsible for following what’s trending on Twitter and what their customers are tweeting; ads should reflect these trends and should be updated regularly.

The Bottom Line

Retargeting is a practice that is growing and expanding; it won’t go away anytime soon. Based on this, looking into the practice is a marketing must. Twitter and the features it does offer make it an ideal starting point for advertisers looking to retarget to Twitter’s young demographic bracket.

Adrienne Erin is a blogger and internet marketer who helps all kinds of businesses succeed, from local businesses to software developers. She spends most of her time writing, but when she’s not you might find her brushing up on her French or cooking.