Right, so, I was chatting with Joel the other day – he’s a bit of a whizz when it comes to Facebook ads – and we got deep into the weeds of retargeting. Specifically, how to squeeze every last drop of value out of the Facebook Pixel, especially for those all-important abandoned carts. He really opened my eyes, and I thought I’d share the gold with you.
It all started with time decay, a concept I’d heard of but hadn’t fully internalised. Joel explained it like this: “Think of it like fresh bread, mate. It’s amazing on day one, but by day three, you’re thinking toast, and by day five, it’s croutons, if you’re lucky! Your ads are the same. The closer someone is to that initial moment of interest (visiting your site, adding to cart), the more receptive they’ll be to your message.”
So, the first thing we talked about was segmentation based on website behaviour. This goes beyond simply retargeting everyone who’s visited your site. We’re talking granular precision. Joel’s approach goes like this:
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Product Page Viewers (but no cart activity): These folks were browsing. They’re interested but not fully convinced. Joel suggests showing them ads with more detailed product information, maybe some customer testimonials, or even a short video showcasing the product in action. He also mentioned A/B testing different ad copy highlighting different features. The key is to pique their interest further. A good example would be “Still thinking about [Product Name]? See what others are saying!” with a carousel ad featuring positive reviews.
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Added to Cart (but no purchase): This is the sweet spot! They were this close. Joel calls them “low-hanging fruit”. Here, we need to address potential objections: shipping costs, payment options, or maybe they simply got distracted. Joel’s go-to strategy is to offer a small discount or free shipping to incentivise completion. “A little nudge can make all the difference!” he said. For example use an ad such as, “Complete your order and get 10% off! [Product Name] is waiting.”
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Abandoned Cart Specifics: This is where things get really clever. The Facebook Pixel can track which items were abandoned. So, instead of showing a generic “You left something in your cart!” ad, you can display the specific product they were interested in. Joel reckons this massively increases click-through rates. The ad copy could be, “Don’t forget your [Product Name]! Back in stock and ready to ship!” or similar.
Now, about frequency and timing: Joel hammered home the importance of not being annoying. Over-bombarding people with ads is a surefire way to get your ads ignored (or worse, reported!). He recommends the following:
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Initial Urgency (Days 1-3): Hit them hard but strategically. Show those abandoned cart ads with the discount offer. Keep the frequency moderate, maybe 2-3 times per day. Make sure each ad feels personal and directly references their abandoned items.
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Gentle Reminder (Days 4-7): Reduce frequency to once a day. Change the ad copy to be less urgent and more informative. Maybe highlight the product’s key benefits or address common FAQs. This is also a good time to introduce social proof, like user reviews or ratings.
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Re-engagement (Days 8+): If they still haven’t converted, you can either stop retargeting them (they might not be interested) or try a different approach. Joel suggests showing them related products or offering a broader discount on your entire site. This can reignite their interest and potentially lead to a purchase.
Bid Adjustments are Crucial. Joel was super clear on this. “Don’t just set a budget and forget about it!” he exclaimed. “Actively manage your bids based on performance and time decay.” The basic concept is: You should be willing to bid higher for people who recently abandoned their cart (higher likelihood of conversion) and lower for people who haven’t engaged in a while. Facebook’s algorithm can help automate some of this, but regular manual adjustments are still necessary.
Furthermore, understanding your target audience is paramount. It is important to really understand your audience and their online behaviour beyond just your website. What are their interests? What kind of content do they engage with? Use this data to tailor your ad creative and copy so it resonates with them and to make sure your ad is being shown to the right people. This will make it much more likely that someone will respond to your ad and follow through with a purchase. Engagement is everything.
So, there you have it – a brain dump from my chat with Joel. Retargeting isn’t just about showing ads to everyone who’s visited your site. It’s about understanding their behaviour, tailoring your message, and optimising your strategy over time. By segmenting your audience, adjusting your frequency, managing your bids, and never losing sight of your customer’s needs, you’ll be well on your way to recovering those abandoned carts and driving more sales.
