How To Use CRM Retargeting For Digital Advertising & Lookalike Campaigns For Beginners

Welcome to the exciting world of digital advertising! As a beginner, the concept of using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) retargeting and Lookalike campaigns might sound intimidating but fear not! This guide demystifies these powerful tools and shows how to harness their potential to skyrocket your marketing efforts.

Part 1: Understanding CRM Retargeting

What is CRM Retargeting?

CRM retargeting is a digital advertising strategy that allows you to target your existing customers or prospects who have interacted with your brand in the past. By leveraging first-party data stored in your CRM, you can serve personalized ads to these individuals across various online platforms.

How does CRM Retargeting work?

Now that you’ve got the scoop on CRM retargeting, let’s delve into how this strategy uses customer data from a company’s CRM system to create personalized ads for specific target audiences. The process involves collecting and segmenting customer data, integrating the CRM system with ad platforms, and creating custom audiences based on various criteria. With personalized ads, businesses can re-engage existing customers and prospects, enhancing engagement and conversion rates. Moreover, CRM retargeting enables the creation of lookalike audiences, allowing businesses to target potential customers who share similar attributes with their existing customer base, maximizing the effectiveness of digital advertising efforts.

CRM retargeting utilizes customer data to deliver targeted and personalized ads to specific audiences, improving customer engagement and conversion rates. By integrating CRM data with advertising platforms, businesses can create custom audiences and design tailored campaigns to re-engage existing customers and reach new prospects through lookalike targeting. This strategic approach empowers businesses to make the most of their digital advertising efforts and strengthen customer relationships.

Crafting Effective CRM Retargeting Campaigns

Step 1: Set Clear Goals

Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for your CRM campaign. Whether it’s increasing sales, generating leads, driving website traffic, or promoting a new product, having clear objectives will guide your entire campaign strategy. Understanding your goals will help you design the right messages and select the appropriate channels to reach your goals.

Step 2: Know Your Audience

Segment your audience based on data from your CRM system. Analyze customer information such as demographics, behavior, purchase history, and interactions with your brand. By delving into your audience’s preferences and interests, you gain the superpower to craft messaging that genuinely speaks to each group. Visualize your customers through the lens of buyer personas, which personify your diverse customer segments. By understanding their needs and pain points, you’ll connect with them on a deeper level, making your messaging all the more impactful.

Step 3: Create Engaging Content

Craft compelling content that aligns with your campaign goals and resonates with your audience segments. Utilize a mix of content formats such as emails, social media posts, videos, blog articles, and infographics. Make sure your content is relevant, valuable, and visually appealing. Use storytelling to connect emotionally with your audience and illustrate the benefits of your products or services.

Step 4: Choose the Right Channels

Select the most appropriate channels to reach your target audience. Use insights from your CRM data to determine which platforms your audience frequents. Consider email marketing, social media, paid advertising, and other relevant channels. Tailor your content and messaging to suit each platform and its unique audience characteristics.

Step 5: Personalization is Key

Leverage the customer data in your CRM system to personalize your communications. Address recipients by name and use dynamic content to tailor messages based on their interests and past interactions with your brand. Personalization enhances engagement and makes your audience feel valued, fostering a stronger connection with your brand.

Step 6: Monitor and Measure

Track the performance of your CRM campaigns using analytics tools. Monitor key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and ROI (Return on Investment). Analyze the data to understand which campaigns are successful and which need improvement. Use A/B testing to experiment with different elements and identify what works best for your audience.

Part 2: Unraveling Lookalike Campaigns

What are Lookalike Campaigns?

Lookalike campaigns expand your reach beyond your existing customer base by finding new audiences similar to your CRM data. These individuals haven’t interacted with your brand before but will likely be interested in your products or services based on their similarities to your existing customers.

How do Lookalike Campaigns Work?

Lookalike campaigns work like digital matchmaking, connecting you with potential customers who share striking similarities with your existing audience. Here’s the magic: you provide a source audience – a group of your current customers or website visitors – to platforms like Facebook or Google Ads. These platforms then analyze the traits, behaviors, and interests of this source audience. With their tech wizardry, they conjure up a new audience, the “lookalike audience,” composed of individuals who mirror the characteristics of your source group.

Imagine it as finding friends for your friends – but in the digital realm! Your source audience becomes the blueprint, and the platform seeks out people who are likely to be equally interested in your offerings. This smart targeting lets you extend your reach beyond your current circle, tapping into a new pool of potential fans, followers, and customers who might just fall head over heels for your products or services.

How to Set Up Lookalike Campaigns

Step 1: Define Your Source Audience

Identify a high-quality source audience from your existing customer base, website visitors, or leads. This group should represent your most valuable and engaged customers. The source audience should be large enough to provide sufficient data for the platform to create a meaningful lookalike audience. Use your CRM system or data analytics tools to segment and isolate this group.

Step 2: Choose the Right Advertising Platform

Select the advertising platform that aligns best with your campaign goals and where you have the most significant presence of your target audience. Popular platforms for lookalike campaigns include Facebook, Google Ads, and other social media or display ad networks. Each platform has unique features and audience insights, so consider your target audience’s behavior and characteristics when choosing.

Step 3: Upload and Create Lookalike Audience Once you’ve chosen the advertising platform, upload the data of your source audience. The platform will then analyze the data using algorithms to find patterns and similarities among your source audience members. Based on these patterns, the platform will create a new audience, often called the “lookalike audience,” composed of users who share similar attributes to your source audience.

Step 4: Set Targeting and Parameters

Specify your lookalike campaign‘s geographic location, audience size, and other targeting parameters. You can choose the similarity percentage, determining how closely the lookalike audience matches your source audience. Higher similarity percentages create narrower and more closely matched audiences, while lower percentages result in broader but potentially less relevant audiences.

Step 5: Create Compelling Ad Content

Craft engaging and persuasive ad content tailored to your newly created lookalike audience. Use personalized messaging that addresses their interests, pain points, or desires. High-quality images or videos that resonate with the audience will enhance the effectiveness of your campaign. Ensure your ads have a clear call-to-action (CTA) that encourages users to take the desired action, such as visiting your website, signing up for a newsletter, or making a purchase.

Step 6: Monitor and Optimize

Regularly monitor the performance of your lookalike campaigns. Track key metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, return on ad spend (ROAS), and overall campaign performance. Analyze the data to identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments to optimize your campaigns continually. This may include refining your targeting parameters, adjusting your ad content, or reallocating your budget to the most successful ad sets.

Part 3: Best Practices for Success

Best Practices for Lookalike Campaigns:

Choose a High-Quality Source Audience: Select a source audience that represents your most engaged and valuable customers. The better the source audience, the more accurate and effective your lookalike audience will be.
Use High-Percentage Similarity: For more precise targeting, opt for a higher percentage similarity when creating your lookalike audience. This ensures a closer match to your source audience, increasing the likelihood of reaching interested prospects.
Test Different Ad Creatives: Experiment with various ad creatives, including images, videos, and ad copy, to see what resonates best with your lookalike audience. A/B tests different versions to identify the most effective combinations.
Optimize for Mobile: Since many users browse the internet on mobile devices, ensure your ads are mobile-friendly and visually appealing on smaller screens.
Monitor and Adjust Frequency: Monitor how often your lookalike audience sees your ads. Overexposure can lead to ad fatigue, so adjust the frequency to maintain interest and engagement.

Best Practices for CRM Campaigns:

Segment Your CRM Data: Divide your CRM data into different groups based on demographics, behavior, or purchase history. Target each segment with personalized messaging and offers.
Personalize Content: Use the data in your CRM to personalize your communications. Address customers by their names and tailor your content to their preferences and interests.
Automate Campaigns: Use marketing automation tools to schedule and send targeted emails or messages to your CRM segments. Automation saves time and ensures timely delivery of messages.
Use Dynamic Content: Implement dynamic content in emails or ads to show different messages based on customer data. This feature allows you to tailor content dynamically to each individual’s preferences.
Include Clear CTAs: Clearly state the call-to-action in your CRM campaigns. Make it easy for customers to take the desired action, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a webinar, or contacting your sales team.
Analyze Results and Adjust: Regularly analyze the performance of your CRM campaigns. Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to identify areas for improvement and optimize your campaigns accordingly.

Final Takeaways: Just Get Started

Congratulations, you’ve now unlocked the secrets to mastering CRM retargeting and lookalike campaigns! Embrace the power of personalized marketing, and you’ll soon be dazzling your audience with witty ads that hit the bullseye. Remember, it’s not just about clicks and conversions; it’s about building lasting connections with your customers. So, let your creativity soar, and watch your business soar along with it!

But hey, we get it—navigating the world of digital advertising can be overwhelming, especially if you’re starting. Fear not, fellow adventurers, for Propellant Media is here to guide you on your marketing quest! Our team of digital wizards knows all the tricks of the trade and is ready to lend a helping hand to beginners like you. We’ll craft personalized strategies, create creative ads, and work our magic to maximize your results and take your campaigns to the next level. Say goodbye to confusion and hello to success!

So, what are you waiting for? Don’t let those clicks and ticks slip away; dive into the world of CRM retargeting and lookalike campaigns today! With Propellant Media as your trusty companion, you’ll be wowing your audience, enchanting your customers, and leaving your competition spellbound in no time. Let’s conjure up some marketing magic together and make your business the talk of the digital realm!

Propellant Media is a one-stop shop for clients seeking geofencing marketing, programmatic video, and over-the-top (OTT) marketing services. We offer comprehensive digital analysis, campaign building, creative ad design, analytics and reporting, and optimization, for various industries, from health care, real estate, retail, and other industries. To learn more about our agency partnership services, email us at hello@propellant.media or book a free demo session.