How to Use Retargeting to Increase Affiliate Sales

Affiliate marketing is really competitive, and getting regular sales can be hard. One helpful tool that many marketers miss is retargeting. Retargeting, or remarketing, lets you reach out to people who have already visited your website or seen your content, giving you a better chance of turning them into customers.

In this article, we’ll cover how retargeting works, how to implement it, and how it can boost your affiliate sales.

What is Retargeting?

Retargeting uses cookies or pixel tracking to follow visitors after they leave your website, displaying ads to them across different platforms. These ads remind them about the products or services they showed interest in but didn’t purchase. This is crucial for affiliate marketers because most users don’t make a purchase on their first visit. Retargeting keeps your offers top of mind, giving you another opportunity to close the sale.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Retargeting for Affiliate Sales

Step 1: Choose a Retargeting Platform

First, select the right platform for your retargeting campaigns. Two popular options are:

Google Ads: Use the Google Display Network to show ads across millions of websites, YouTube, and apps.
Facebook Ads: Facebook offers retargeting options that allow you to reach users on Facebook, Instagram, and its partner sites.

Both platforms offer advanced targeting options, so choose based on where your audience is most active.

Step 2: Install Tracking Pixels

Before running a retargeting campaign, install a tracking pixel on your website. A tracking pixel is a small piece of code that collects data about your visitors.

Create your tracking pixel: Both Facebook and Google Ads provide a pixel that you can generate in their dashboards.
Add the pixel to your website: Copy and paste the pixel code into your site’s header. Platforms like WordPress have plugins to simplify this.
Test the pixel: Visit your website and check if the pixel is tracking properly in the analytics dashboard.

Step 3: Segment Your Audience

Retargeting allows you to show different ads to different segments of your audience based on their behaviour, creating more personalised and effective campaigns.

Visitors who clicked a product link: Show them an ad reminding them about the product.
Returning visitors who haven’t converted: Offer a discount in your retargeting ad.
Cart abandoners: Target users who added items to their cart but didn’t complete checkout.

Step 4: Create Engaging Ads

With your audience segments defined, create ads that resonate with each group:

Highlight urgency: Use phrases like “Limited Time Offer” to encourage action.
Use compelling visuals: Product images work best. For digital products, show screenshots.
Include a clear CTA: Tell people what to do next, like “Buy Now” or “Learn More.”

Step 5: Set Your Campaign Live

Once your ads are ready, launch the campaign. Set a budget and decide how long people will see your ads after visiting your site (typically 7-14 days). Monitor the campaign and make adjustments as needed, such as increasing the budget for high-performing ads.

Step 6: Analyse and Optimise

Review your campaign’s performance regularly. Look at metrics like click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost-per-conversion to identify what’s working and what needs improvement. Test different headlines, visuals, and landing pages if needed.

Why Retargeting Works for Affiliate Marketers

Retargeting works because it keeps your brand in front of people who are already familiar with your content. These users have shown interest but haven’t taken action yet, and your ads provide the reminder they need. For affiliate marketers, especially when promoting high-ticket items or products with longer sales cycles, retargeting can make the difference between a lost lead and a sale.

Accelerate Your Success with a Done-For-You Business

Retargeting is powerful, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. For a faster start, consider a done-for-you business opportunity – You can have this running in the background for you, allowing plenty of time to focus on perfecting your retargeting strategy. This system provides: