Google Analytics also allows the creation of custom segments tailored to your business goals, including segments based on age, location, interests, device type, browser type, specific pages visited, or new vs returning users.
Introduction To Remarketing
Remarketing is a powerful strategy digital marketers use to re-engage potential customers who have previously interacted with their website or brand.
By utilizing Google Analytics, marketers can define specific remarketing audiences based on various criteria such as demographics, behavior, interests, and technology.
In this article, we’ll explore the different types of remarketing audiences that can be defined in Google Analytics and how to use them effectively.
Demographics-based Audiences
Overview of Demographics-based Targeting
When defining remarketing audiences in Google Analytics, one of the most common approaches is to target users based on their demographic information. This type of targeting enables marketers to reach potential customers who fall within specific age, gender, location, and language categories. By focusing on these criteria, marketers can create more relevant and personalized ads that resonate better with their target audience.
Age, Gender, and Location Targeting
Using Google Analytics, you can create remarketing audiences based on the following demographic criteria:
- Age: Target users within specific age ranges, such as 18-24, 25-34, or 45-54.
- Gender: Target users based on their gender (male, female, or other).
- Location: Target users based on their geographic location, such as country, region, or city.
For instance, a clothing retailer may create separate remarketing audiences for men and women aged 18-34 in the United States to promote their latest collections more effectively.
Language and Affinity Categories
In addition to age, gender, and location, Google Analytics also allows marketers to define remarketing audiences based on language preferences and affinity categories. Language targeting enables you to reach users who speak a specific language, while affinity categories help you identify users with particular interests, such as sports enthusiasts or travel buffs.
By combining demographics-based targeting with language and affinity categories, you can create even more tailored remarketing audiences that increase the likelihood of re-engaging potential customers and driving conversions.
Behavior-based Audiences
Overview of Behavior-based Targeting
Another powerful way to define remarketing audiences in Google Analytics is by focusing on user behavior. This approach enables you to target users based on their interactions with your website, such as the pages they visit, how often they return, or their engagement levels. By creating behavior-based remarketing audiences, you can deliver more targeted ads that resonate with users based on their demonstrated interests and actions.
New vs. Returning Visitors
With Google Analytics, you can create remarketing audiences that differentiate between new and returning visitors:
- New visitors: Users who have visited your website for the first time.
- Returning visitors: Users who have visited your website more than once.
For instance, you might target returning visitors with personalized offers or recommendations based on their browsing history.
In contrast, new visitors may receive a more generic promotion to introduce them to your brand.
Specific Pages Visited
You can also create remarketing audiences based on the specific pages users have visited on your website. This helps you deliver highly targeted ads aligning with users’ interests.
For example, an online electronics store could create separate remarketing audiences for users who visited the pages for smartphones, laptops, and gaming consoles, then tailor ads accordingly.
Bounce Rate and Session Duration
Google Analytics allows you to define remarketing audiences based on engagement metrics, such as bounce rate and session duration:
- Bounce rate: The percentage of single-page sessions where users leave your website without further interaction.
- Session duration: The amount of time users spend on your website during a single visit.
By targeting users with low bounce rates and longer session durations, you can focus your remarketing efforts on highly engaged users who are more likely to convert.
Goal Completions and Conversion Rate
Another powerful way to create behavior-based remarketing audiences is by focusing on users who have completed specific goals or have a higher conversion rate. This enables you to re-engage users who have demonstrated a strong interest in your products or services and encourage them to take further action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
Interests-based Audiences
Overview of Interests-based Targeting
Interests-based targeting is another effective way to define remarketing audiences in Google Analytics. By focusing on users’ interests, you can deliver more relevant and engaging ads that resonate with their preferences and needs.
In-market Segments
Google Analytics allows you to create remarketing audiences based on in-market segments, which are users actively researching or planning to purchase products or services similar to yours. By targeting these users, you can reach potential customers already in the buying process and increase the likelihood of conversions.
Custom Affinity Audiences
Custom affinity audiences enable you to create remarketing audiences based on users’ specific interests and browsing behavior. For example, you can target users who frequently visit websites related to outdoor activities, fashion, or technology. By leveraging custom affinity audiences, you can deliver highly relevant ads to users who are more likely to be interested in your products or services.
Technology-based Audiences
Overview of Technology-based Targeting
Technology-based targeting is another approach to define remarketing audiences in Google Analytics. By focusing on users’ devices, operating systems, browsers, screen resolutions, and network domains, you can create targeted ads that take advantage of the unique features and capabilities of specific technologies. This can help improve ad performance and user experience, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates.
Device Type, Operating System, and Browser
With Google Analytics, you can create remarketing audiences based on the following technology criteria:
- Device type: Target users based on the device they use to access your website, such as desktop, mobile, or tablet.
- Operating system: Target users based on their device’s operating system, such as Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS.
- Browser: Target users based on the web browser they use, such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.
For example, a mobile app developer might create separate remarketing audiences for Android and iOS users to promote their app more effectively on each platform.
Screen Resolution and Network Domain
In addition to device type, operating system, and browser, Google Analytics allows you to define remarketing audiences based on screen resolution and network domain:
- Screen resolution: Target users based on the resolution of their device’s screen, which can be useful for optimizing ad creatives and ensuring a better user experience.
- Network domain: Target users based on the internet service provider (ISP) they use to access your website, which can help you identify and target specific user segments or industries.
By leveraging technology-based targeting, you can create more tailored remarketing audiences that align with users’ unique preferences and needs.
Custom Segments
Overview of Custom Segments
For more advanced targeting, Google Analytics allows you to create custom segments that combine multiple criteria from demographics, behavior, interests, and technology. This enables you to build highly specific remarketing audiences that precisely target users based on their unique characteristics and interactions with your website.
Combining Multiple Criteria for Advanced Targeting
Using custom segments, you can define remarketing audiences by combining multiple targeting criteria. For example, you could create an audience of users who:
- Are aged 25-34.
- Have visited your website more than once.
- Have viewed a specific product page.
- Use a mobile device with an Android operating system.
By combining multiple criteria, you can create highly targeted remarketing audiences that cater to the unique needs and preferences of specific user segments.
Examples of Custom Segments for Remarketing
Here are some examples of custom segments you can create for remarketing purposes:
- High-value customers: Users who have completed multiple purchases or have a high average order value.
- Abandoned cart users: Users who have added items to their cart but did not complete the checkout process.
- Newsletter subscribers: Users who have subscribed to your newsletter but have not made a purchase yet.
By creating custom segments, you can develop more personalized and effective remarketing campaigns that target users based on their unique characteristics and interactions with your brand.
Google Analytics Remarketing Audiences FAQs
Can placing multiple audiences on a remarketing campaign decrease impressions?
Yes, adding multiple remarketing audiences to a single campaign may decrease the number of impressions your ads receive. This happens because your ads are being shown to a more specific and narrow audience segment.
However, this can also result in a more targeted and relevant ad experience for users, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates. It’s essential to test and optimize your remarketing campaigns to find the right balance between audience size and targeting specificity.
How do remarketing audiences work?
Remarketing audiences are groups of users who have previously interacted with your website or brand. By defining remarketing audiences in Google Analytics, you can create targeted ads that reach users based on their demographics, behavior, interests, and technology.
Remarketing campaigns work by showing these targeted ads to users in your defined audiences as they browse the web or use apps, encouraging them to return to your website and complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
Why is the size of my Google Ads remarketing audiences zero?
If the size of your Google Ads remarketing audience is zero, it could be due to several reasons:
- The audience is newly created, and it takes some time for Google to populate the list with users.
- Your remarketing audience criteria are too narrow, and no users match the defined parameters.
- Your Google Analytics tracking code is not correctly implemented on your website, resulting in no data being collected for your remarketing audience.
To resolve this issue, double-check your audience criteria, ensure your tracking code is correctly implemented, and give Google some time to populate the list.
What remarketing audiences cannot be defined by default in Google Analytics?
By default, Google Analytics does not allow remarketing audiences to be defined based on sensitive information or user characteristics that might infringe on users’ privacy. These include, but are not limited to:
- Personal information, such as names, email addresses, or phone numbers.
- Health or medical information.
- Financial information or account numbers.
- Political affiliations or beliefs.
It’s essential to comply with Google’s policies and user privacy guidelines when defining remarketing audiences.
How can we share remarketing audiences across multiple Google Ads accounts?
To share remarketing audiences across multiple Google Ads accounts, you need to link all relevant Google Ads accounts to the same Google Analytics account.
Once the accounts are linked, you can create and import remarketing audiences from Google Analytics to each of the linked Google Ads accounts.
This allows you to leverage your remarketing audiences across multiple accounts and campaigns for more efficient and effective advertising.
How do I measure the performance of my remarketing campaigns in Google Analytics?
To measure the performance of your remarketing campaigns in Google Analytics, make sure to link your Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts.
Once linked, you can view campaign performance data such as clicks, impressions, cost, conversions, and revenue in the Acquisition > Google Ads section of Google Analytics.
By monitoring and analyzing this data, you can optimize your remarketing campaigns to improve performance and maximize your return on investment.