Retargeted display ads boost brand awareness and increase website conversions

September 26, 2016 – By Aaron Hockel

How do retargeted display ads work?

The premise behind retargeted display ads is incredibly simple. After someone leaves your website and goes to ESPN or the Washington Post, they see a display ad for your services. This is no different than how Delta or Southwest Airlines always seem to show up after you search for a flight. To set up a retargeting campaign, a pixel gets installed on your website that tracks visitors via cookies and begins to build an audience. An ad exchange is then used to serve display ads to your traffic as they visit other websites.

This disgram visualizes the flow of a retargeted display ad campaign:
 

What do retargeted display ads cost?

Since most contractors are familiar with huge companies retargeting them with ads, the perception is that they are incredibly expensive. The reality is that retargeted display ads are actually very affordable. Typically it costs around $10.00 to show a retargeted display ad 1,000 times. If you get 50 unique visitors to your site each month it only costs $10.00 to show each of them your ad 20 different times. While $10.00 a month is not a realistic budget, campaigns can be executed for as little as a couple hundred dollars per month.

Why should my contracting business use retargeted display ads?

First, the affordability of retargeted ads make them a great choice for contractors, especially if you are already investing in a PPC or SEO campaign. Consider an industry like roofing, where one Google Adwords click can cost $15.00. If you invest $1,500 and buy 100 clicks (website visitors) for another $100.00 you can show your ad to those same visitors 10,000 times!

If you couple the affordability of retargeting, with these next three stats, it makes an even better argument for why every contractor needs to use retargeted display ads:

1. Retargeted ads get noticed. 60% of people notice retargeted ads from brands they have already visited
2. The average click thru rate on retargeted ads is 10X greater than traditional display ads (0.007% versus 0.7%)
3. Website visitors who return via retargeted ads are 70% more likely to convert into a lead on your website

Combining the brand uplift, increased click thru rates, and general affordability of retargeted display ads, the case is made for why every contractor should include them in their online marketing plan.

Ready to launch a retargeted ad campaign for your contracting business?

The marketing team at AltaVista offers a full range of custom retargeting display ad campaigns catering to residential and commercial contractors of all sizes. Schedule a free consultation by filling out the form on this page, emailing us at [email protected] or calling us at 1-800-313-2168.

Aaron Hockel

Aaron Hockel is a Partner and the VP of Digital Marketing at AltaVista Strategic Partners. A University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) alumnus, Aaron expertly crafts digital marketing strategies that drive success for clients, leveraging his deep industry knowledge and innovative approach.