Retargeting Strategies for B2B: Converting Website Visitors into Leads

# Retargeting Strategies for B2B: Converting Website Visitors into Leads

For B2B companies, the majority of website visitors are not ready to convert on their first visit. In fact, research shows that only 2-5% of website visitors convert on their first visit. This is where retargeting becomes essential—a powerful strategy that allows you to reach the 95-98% of visitors who did not convert the first time.

This comprehensive guide will show you how to build effective retargeting strategies that convert website visitors into qualified leads.

## Understanding Retargeting

### What is Retargeting?

Retargeting (also known as remarketing) is a form of online advertising that can help you keep your brand in front of bounced traffic after they leave your website. When someone visits your site but does not convert, retargeting allows you to show ads to them as they browse other websites.

### Why Retargeting Matters for B2B

**The B2B Challenge:**
– Longer sales cycles
– Multiple decision-makers
– Complex evaluation processes
– Higher value conversions

Retargeting addresses these challenges by:
– Maintaining brand awareness
– Nurturing prospects through the funnel
– Increasing conversion rates
– Maximizing ad spend efficiency

## Types of Retargeting

### Site-Based Retargeting

Targets people who visited specific pages on your website.

**Segmentation Options:**
– All visitors
– Specific product/service pages
– Pricing page visitors
– Demo request page visitors
– Blog readers
– Contact page visitors

### Search Retargeting

Targets people who searched for relevant keywords but did not visit your site.

**Use Cases:**
– Competitor keyword targeting
– Category keyword targeting
– Solution keyword targeting

### Email Retargeting

Targets people who opened or engaged with your emails but did not convert.

**Integration:**
– Connect email platform with ad platform
– Target email list members with ads
– Segment by engagement level

## Building Your B2B Retargeting Strategy

### Step 1: Define Your Audiences

**High-Intent Audiences:**
– Demo request visitors
– Pricing page visitors
– Contact form completers
– Free trial sign-ups

**Medium-Intent Audiences:**
– Product/service page visitors
– Case study readers
– Webinar registrants
– Blog engagers

**Low-Intent Audiences:**
– General website visitors
– Homepage visitors
– About page visitors

### Step 2: Set Up Conversion Tracking

**Essential Conversions to Track:**
– Demo requests
– Quote requests
– Form completions
– Content downloads
– Email sign-ups
– Phone calls

### Step 3: Create Custom Audiences

**Audience Definition:**
– Time-based segments (7-day, 30-day, 90-day)
– Page-specific segments
– Action-based segments
– Engagement-based segments

## Retargeting Ad Strategies

### Awareness Stage

**Goal:** Increase brand familiarity

**Ad Types:**
– Display ads
– Video ads
– Native ads

**Messaging:**
– Brand storytelling
– Industry thought leadership
– Educational content

**Frequency:**
– Lower frequency (2-3x per week)
– Broader audience

### Consideration Stage

**Goal:** Educate and nurture

**Ad Types:**
– Case study ads
– Comparison guides
– Product information

**Messaging:**
– Problem-solution content
– Social proof
– Feature highlights

**Frequency:**
– Medium frequency (3-4x per week)
– Targeted audience segments

### Decision Stage

**Goal:** Drive conversion

**Ad Types:**
– Conversion-focused ads
– Limited-time offers
– Retargeting with special incentives

**Messaging:**
– Clear calls to action
– Urgency and scarcity
– Risk reversal (guarantees, trials)

**Frequency:**
– Higher frequency (daily)
– High-intent audiences only

## Platform-Specific Strategies

### Google Ads Retargeting

**Audience Options:**
– Standard remarketing
– Dynamic remarketing
– In-market audiences
– Customer match lists

**Best Practices:**
– Use responsive display ads
– Create custom combinations
– Exclude converted customers
– Set frequency caps

### LinkedIn Retargeting

**Audience Options:**
– Website visitors
– Contact list uploads
– Company engagement

**Best Practices:**
– Use sponsored content
– Target by company size
– Focus on decision-makers

### Facebook/Instagram Retargeting

**Audience Options:**
– Website traffic
– Engagement audiences
– Customer lists
– Lookalike audiences

**Best Practices:**
– Use carousel ads for content
– Test video retargeting
– Leverage lead gen forms

## B2B-Specific Retargeting Tactics

### Content Nurturing

**Strategy:**
– Retarget blog readers with related content
– Show relevant case studies
– Promote webinars based on interest

**Example:**
Visitor who read “Manufacturing ERP Guide” → Retargeted with “ERP Case Study: 40% Efficiency Gains”

### Product Education

**Strategy:**
– Target product page visitors with feature education
– Show comparison content
– Highlight use cases

**Example:**
Visitor who viewed “Industrial Equipment” → Retargeted with “Equipment Selection Guide”

### Demo Follow-Up

**Strategy:**
– Retarget demo requesters who did not convert
– Show success stories
– Offer consultation alternatives

**Example:**
Demo request visitor → Retargeted with “Customer Success Story: Similar Company Results”

## Measuring Retargeting Success

### Key Metrics

**Reach Metrics:**
– Audience size
– Frequency
– Reach percentage

**Engagement Metrics:**
– Click-through rate
– View-through conversions
– Cost per engagement

**Conversion Metrics:**
– Conversion rate
– Cost per lead
– Return on ad spend

### Attribution Considerations

**View-Through Attribution:**
– Credit for conversions from ad exposure
– Important for brand awareness campaigns
– Set appropriate attribution windows

## Common Retargeting Mistakes

### Mistake #1: Broad Audiences
Create specific audience segments for better targeting.

### Mistake #2: No Frequency Cap
Too many ad exposures lead to fatigue and negative brand perception.

### Mistake #3: Generic Messaging
Create specific ads for each audience segment.

### Mistake #4: Ignoring View-Through
View-through conversions often represent significant value.

### Mistake #5: No Exclusion Rules
Exclude customers and converted leads from retargeting.

## Conclusion: Retargeting as a Revenue Driver

Retargeting is not just an add-on to your marketing strategy—it is an essential component that can dramatically improve your conversion rates and ROI. By reaching the visitors who did not convert on their first visit, you can turn lost opportunities into qualified leads.

Start with clear audience segmentation, create relevant messaging for each stage, and continuously optimize based on performance data.

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**Ready to build your retargeting strategy?** At Story Agency, we help manufacturing and industrial companies in the Southeast develop retargeting strategies that convert. [Schedule a consultation](/contact) to learn how we can help you maximize your advertising ROI.