Email Retargeting: What It Is and How It Works

The solution lies in email retargeting - a powerful tool to recover these lost sales. Regular e-commerce conversion rates typically range between 2% and 4%, yet email retargeting campaigns can achieve an impressive 41% conversion rate.

Our proven email retargeting strategies can boost your conversion rates by up to 150%. This piece will guide you to transform abandoned carts into completed sales, whether you're starting fresh with email remarketing or aiming to enhance your current campaigns.

What is email retargeting?

Email retargeting helps marketers create personalized email campaigns based on customer behavior. This strategy targets users who show interest in products or services but haven't completed the desired actions.

The process is straightforward. Browser cookies and remarketing pixels in email HTML code track visitor actions on our website. We use this data to understand their interests and create targeted messages that resonate with their needs.

Retargeting vs remarketing

People often confuse retargeting with remarketing, but these terms mean different things. Here's what makes them unique:

• Retargeting targets users through paid ads across the open web before they make a purchase
• Remarketing re-engages existing customers through email campaigns and owned channels

Remarketing uses explicit data like email addresses or usernames. Retargeting depends on website tags and cookies for data collection. The results speak for themselves - standard ecommerce conversion rates hover between 2% and 4%, but email retargeting can push these numbers up to 41%.

The best results come from combining both approaches. Marketing teams that use both retargeting methods see twice the conversion rate and faster results. This integrated strategy helps reach potential customers through multiple touchpoints effectively.

How does email retargeting work?

Let me explain how email retargeting works. We use two main ways to track and reconnect with people who visit our website:

• Pixel Retargeting: This method uses an invisible code on our website or email templates that places cookies in users' browsers to track their behavior. So we can monitor page views, email clicks, and other interactions to send targeted messages.
• Email List Retargeting: Our Email Service Provider (ESP) helps us segment our subscriber list based on where customers are in their buying trip. This lets us create individual-specific retargeting campaigns.

Two key technologies power the tracking process. Website cookies store information about user activities, including clicking patterns and site navigation. The remarketing pixels embedded in email HTML code also give us a deeper look into how subscribers behave after opening emails.

Remarketing pixels have proven to be reliable. Users can block or delete cookies, but these tracking pixels cannot be disabled. This gives us more consistent data to work with.

The results prove these methods work well. Statistics show that 26% of users return to a website because of remarketing efforts. The numbers look even better when marketers use both retargeting methods together - they see twice the conversion rates.

Email retargeting best practices

Email retargeting campaigns need proven strategies that streamline processes. Let's examine the most effective practices we discovered through extensive testing.

Smart Segmentation and Personalization Collecting and organizing user data should be our top priority. Research shows that personalized emails can improve transactional rates by up to six times. Our audience segmentation should focus on:

• Purchase history and browsing behavior
• Demographics and purchasing power
• Engagement levels and previous interactions

Timing and Frequency Management Timing is a vital part of campaign success. Sending retargeting emails within an hour of cart abandonment helps maintain customer interest. This quick response keeps us at the forefront of customer's minds.

Value-Driven Content Our retargeting emails must offer genuine value. We should go beyond simple reminders about abandoned items and give compelling reasons to return. Free shipping offers or special discounts for cart abandonment work well here.

Careful frequency management prevents customer fatigue. Setting frequency caps stops overexposure and keeps campaigns working effectively. On top of that, automated drip campaigns are a great way to nurture prospects and build customer relationships.

Open rates and conversion rates are the foundations of continuous campaign optimization. Making use of information helps our retargeting efforts deliver meaningful results consistently.

3 real-world examples of email retargeting at work

Email retargeting has created some amazing success stories that show how it works in real life. These examples prove businesses are getting great results by using it the right way.

Fridja's Pre-Sale Success Fridja, an appliance e-commerce store, has reshaped their product launches through email retargeting. Their strategic pre-order campaign helped them pre-sell 25% of their original stock. The company's approach included:

• Opening pre-orders one month before release
• Promoting offers consistently in newsletters
• Offering exclusive pre-order discounts

KC Tool's Automated Excellence KC Tool's "Tool of the Day" newsletter proves how automated retargeting can deliver results. Their campaigns reach a 72% open rate and 7% click rate. Their success comes from dedicated customers who keep participating in their daily deals.

Pathpages' Behavior-Based Strategy Pathpages shows how behavior-based automation works well in email retargeting. The company watches customer interactions and sends targeted follow-up emails based on specific interests. This customized approach has improved their conversion rates by delivering content that matches their customer's priorities.

These examples show that email retargeting goes beyond simple reminders. It creates customized, timely, and valuable interactions that appeal to customer's interests and behaviors.

How you can implement email retargeting into your email marketing strategy

Want to add email retargeting to your marketing? Let me show you how to blend this strategy into your current email marketing setup.

You need a strong email subscriber list to begin. Add email sign-up forms to your website footer and create engaging social media posts that pull followers to subscribe. Small incentives like discounts or free gifts can boost sign-up rates by a lot.

Your next big step is smart audience segmentation. Our data shows successful campaigns split subscribers into these groups:

• Cart status and product interests
• Purchase history patterns
• Geographic location
• Demographic information

We used top-quality Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology to track customer behavior. This helps us see who's active, inactive, or left our website.

The right timing makes a huge difference in campaign success. Research shows emails sent within three hours of cart abandonment achieve a 40% open rate and 20% click-through rate. The secret is finding the right balance - you don't want to flood your subscribers with messages.

Your campaigns need A/B testing for these elements:

• Subject lines and visual designs
• Offer types and messaging
• Email delivery timing

Note that your retargeting campaigns should stay separate from other marketing efforts to measure their performance accurately. This split helps us track user actions and delivers messages to the right audience at perfect times.

How to create a retargeting email?

Let's build your first retargeting email campaign that works. Here's how to head over to the practical steps.

1. Set Up Your Automation Workflow
   • Choose "E-commerce" or "Retarget site visitors" options
   • Select your target store
   • Review delay settings and product types
2. Configure Campaign Settings
   • Set email delivery timing (24, 48, or 72 hours after browsing)
   • Choose product display options (newest or best sellers)
   • Customize sender name and subject line

The right timing makes a big difference in your campaign's success. Research shows emails sent within three hours of cart abandonment get a 40% open rate and 20% click-through rate.

We focused on creating content that grabs attention. Your retargeting emails should have:

• A prominent retargeting content block
• Product recommendation sections
• Tailored offers based on browsing history

Your campaigns will work better with proper audience segments. You can create segments based on:

• Cart status
• Product interests
• Purchase history
• Geographic location

Testing helps you make improvements. A/B testing lets you assess:

• Subject line effectiveness
• Visual design effect
• Offer appeal
• Email delivery timing

The system runs on its own once you set up the workflows right. It sends tailored messages to the right audience at the perfect time.

Wrap up

Email retargeting helps businesses recover lost sales and boost conversion rates. Pixel and list retargeting methods work together to deliver results that are nowhere near standard e-commerce conversion rates.

Companies like Fridja and KC Tool showcase the power of customized, timely retargeting campaigns. Their results prove that smart segmentation and proper timing create marketing campaigns that work.

Abandoned carts are not lost opportunities but valuable touchpoints to involve customers. Quick responses, customized content, and automated workflows can turn lost sales into successful conversions.

Want to change your email marketing strategy? CampaignHQ has the tools and expertise you need to launch retargeting campaigns that turn browsers into buyers.

Note that email retargeting success depends on testing, optimization, and adapting to customer behavior. Your strategy should start small, track results, and build on what works. The improved conversion rates will make it worth your time.

FAQ

People often ask us about making email retargeting work and getting results. Here are the answers to help you start your journey.

How to do retargeting on email?

These steps will help you implement a successful strategy:

• Install tracking pixels in your website and email HTML templates
• Set up automated triggers based on specific customer behaviors
• Create tailored email sequences
• Monitor customer engagement through your CRM system

The first retargeting email should go out within an hour of trigger events to get optimal engagement.

How effective is email retargeting?

The numbers tell a compelling story about email retargeting:

• Achieves up to 41% conversion rate compared to standard 2-4% e-commerce rates
• Gets more and thus encourages more 6x higher revenue through tailored campaigns
• Produces 45% open rates for abandoned cart emails
• Results in 21% click-through rates for targeted campaigns

What's the difference between email retargeting and regular email marketing?

Regular email marketing covers all email activities, while email retargeting targets behavior-triggered communications. We send messages based on specific user actions that make our communications relevant and timely.

Testing and optimization lead to better results consistently. Our data reveals that emails sent within three hours of cart abandonment get the highest engagement rates.