Retargeting ads could boost Valentine's spending

Century Novelty, an online gifting, decoration and party favors company, has historically hit the ground running the week prior to Valentine's Day. In 2009 they employed retargeting techniques and saw tremendous results: 11% click through rate, 57% return conversion rate and 639% ROI. That isn't a typo, it really is 639%.

Ian MacDonald, Vice President and General Manager for Century Novelty said, "When we went into planning for the 2010 Holiday, we created Valentine Ads specifically to use for Retargeting. We definitely expect a lift in campaign performance this year."

What worked for Century Novelty? Keyword targeting and category targeting were the two big movers for their Valentine's campaign. Using specific keywords and retargeting ads in a specific order are proven techniques in retargeting. By offering ads in order - a free shipping offer, a dollar off coupon, a percentage off on the next visit, a buy 1 get 1 free offer - the stakes are upped for the consumer. The consumer sees this as getting something for nothing: they purchase a product they're already interested in and get something in return - and are more likely to click and convert.

A 2009 study from retargeting firm Fetchback found that 42% of retail category customers return to an ecommerce site after viewing a retargeted ad. The study also found that retargeted ads served within 10 minutes or after 24 hours performed the best for retailers.

Tags: ecommerce, Fetchback, online shopping, retargeted advertising, retargeting, sequenced advertising, Valentine's Day