Retargeting is a type of online advertising where you put a little piece of code on your website that drops a cookie on your site visitors’ computers and tracks them as they browse the Web. When those visitors are on other websites, based on certain triggers provided by the cookie, they will be served up ads that drive them back to your website again. Advertisers who have used retargeting have sworn that it’s effective in increasing their ROI.
I recently visited the website of a local politician. Afterwards, I visited my Facebook page and was served up a sponsored story for that politician suggesting I follow him on Facebook.
I see two sides to this. First, it seems like a marketer’s dream. You can follow your site visitors and “catch up” to them later, getting them to connect with you offsite or revisit your website. It’s pure gold, right?
But what if your visitor is annoyed by all the ads they receive? What if they feel stalked? In our increasingly social, interconnected world, is the practice of retargeting necessary? Is this a practice that could backfire on marketers or is it something that we should fret about? Please answer in the comments below. Are you a fan of retargeting or do you detest it?