Search retargeting is a relatively new advertising concept in online marketing. As a dynamic form of retargeting, you use this retargeting to target a target group after a user from this target group has performed a certain action. This means that you display a so-called display ad, i.e. a form of banner ad, to the user after a certain action, which is explained in more detail below.
What is new about search retargeting, in contrast to other forms of retargeting, is that it combines the previously used display advertising with search engine advertising. This is because with search retargeting, customers are targeted based on search queries and the keywords used in them, similar to search engine advertising or performance marketing. This means that advertising is not only displayed to customers who have visited a company’s website and have therefore already come into contact with the brand at least once, but also to those who have not specifically searched for the brand or website, which means they do not need any specific brand knowledge. Basically, everyone who searches for keywords that you bid on yourself is targeted.
Search retargeting works like a bidding system. Advertisers can bid on certain keywords and the highest bidder on this keyword is shown the ad when the keyword is searched for.
In this way, campaigns can be placed that are based on your own keywords and are relevant to the company, the brand and its products. For example, as a furniture manufacturer, you can run display ads for users who have previously searched for “dining table” or “kitchen table”. The target groups are therefore targeted according to their searches on other websites.
The aim of search retargeting is to increase brand reach and thus place more targeted advertising more cost-effectively. After all, only users who have already searched for this exact product are targeted.
Difference to site targeting
Site retargeting is a form of advertising in which customers who have visited a company’s website are shown a display ad from that site. This means that when a user visits another website, an ad from the previously visited page is displayed. Site targeting is not based on keywords and often targets people who have already decided against the product the moment they leave the company website.
The main difference between search retargeting and site targeting is the objective. This is because while site retargeting targets already known customers again in order to persuade them to buy, search retargeting aims to attract new customers who have not necessarily been in contact with the company or brand before.
With search advertising, the display ads are usually shown directly next to the results of the search queries, whereas with search retargeting, the ads are only displayed when the searchers have left the website or switched from the search results to another website, for example.
How does search retargeting work?
As already mentioned, search retargeting is based on keywords. Ideally, advertisers should first carry out a comprehensive analysis of keywords to find out when which keyword is searched for and how often which keyword is searched for. The whole thing is based on a bidding system in which you can bid on certain keywords and are then displayed if you are the highest bidder on this keyword. It is best to adjust the bids to the strength (frequency of search queries or search volume) of the keywords and to ask yourself which keywords can actually convert and which cannot.
Due to the high level of competition when bidding on keywords, care must be taken to ensure that the budget is used in a targeted and sensible manner. By linking with display ads, you can implement your own logos and visual aspects in banner advertising. This is not the case with PPC campaigns, for example, as the design and structure are often specified by the provider.
In Amazon Advertising, for example, the ad is often generated from existing product data such as images, titles, ratings and Prime availability.
Advantages of search retargeting
By linking advertising campaigns to specific search queries, very precise targeting is made possible that hits exactly those people who are already searching for the right product and who are always interested in buying. This precise search retargeting can also provide insight into the minds of customers, their way of thinking and their search intentions.
By regularly monitoring this data, the advertiser can understand how customers are searching – and how they are not searching. These keywords provide the advertiser with data in context, providing valuable information about consumers. This allows the campaign to be optimized and sharpened in a targeted manner in order to improve the return on investment (ROI).
Search retargeting is particularly interesting when it comes to making targeted use of existing buying interest.
Strategies for search retargeting
A tip for search retargeting is to start with as large a keyword set as possible and use regular reports to check which keywords really convert. The keyword set can then be gradually minimized and focused on the keywords that convert in order to make the best use of the budget. This option is much easier than evaluating which keywords could also convert and adding them to the current advertising campaigns afterwards.
In addition, the target group should be deployed gradually. The data and information collected about consumers can be used to find out exactly how specific customers search, what consumers have in common and what they have previously searched for. This information helps to optimize both the product and the advertising campaigns and to better understand the customer journey.
Search retargeting example
For example, a user has searched for “cheap gym Hamburg trial training” on the web, but has not arranged a trial training session. Thanks to the programmatically purchased display advertising, this person can now be reached again afterwards with a banner tailored to them – in this case with an ad that shows gyms in the right category in Hamburg.
In this way, the buying interest documented by the specific search query can be converted into a sale. Or to put it simply: the search interest is advertised directly and specifically, thus generating a sale.
How is search retargeting related to the Amazon DSP?
Like other demand-side platforms, the Amazon DSP is a programmatic advertising platform on which users can be specifically targeted and shown ads. Search retargeting has been possible on Google for some time, but the Amazon DSP does not yet offer this form of targeting. However, other highly targeted ads can be realized in the area of programmatic advertising on Amazon.
Product retargeting ads, for example, are very sales-oriented and can therefore usually be controlled with a good ROAS. If a user has previously clicked on a specific product or ASIN, targeted retargeting ads can be used to track the person on external websites until they actually complete the purchase.