In today's highly competitive digital landscape, customer loyalty and engagement are essential to the success of any business. With over 65% of consumers saying they want personalized experiences, targeted advertising has become a powerful tool for retailers and CPG brands to better connect with their target audiences. Unlike traditional advertising methods, which often broadcast a generic message to a broad segment of customers, targeted advertising allows companies to produce and deliver hyper-personalized messages that are tailored to each individual’s demographics, behaviors, interests, and more.
There’s no denying that customer demands have grown exponentially. With 73% of consumers who expect companies to understand their expectations and cater to their unique needs, it is absolutely crucial for businesses to effectively and efficiently deliver content relevant to each individual customer. That’s where targeted digital media and advertising campaigns come in.
Reach, Retention, & ROI
Tailored advertising can lead to a significant increase in click-through rates (CTR), and thus, conversions. Over a decade ago, Microsoft demonstrated that predicting consumer purchasing patterns and behaviors through targeted ads led to an increase in CTR by 670%. And today, more than 80% of internet users are more likely to click on an ad that resonates with their individual interests and needs. Instead of advertising a universal message to a generalized audience, bringing targeted advertising and digital media into the equation means retailers and CPG brands can more effectively meet their shoppers exactly where they are–at home, in the grocery aisle, or at checkout.
One of the key benefits of targeted digital media is the ability for marketers to reach customers at different stages of the buyer's journey. By using different types of content, such as educational videos or in-store promotions, businesses can tailor their messaging to specific customer needs and preferences. Targeted digital media campaigns are also much more optimized and cost-effective than traditional advertising methods, as businesses can reach a specific audience with relevant content rather than directing valuable ad spend toward content that does not resonate with the majority of customers. This ultimately leads to better ROI and higher engagement rates, as customers are more likely to engage with content that is tailored to their interests and needs. By embracing targeted digital media, businesses can deliver more effective marketing campaigns that drive results and help them stay ahead of the competition.
Targeting Ads with Customer Trust at the Core
As much as customers demand unique shopping experiences, there’s a fine line that marketers also need to be aware of: taking personalization a step too far. Of course, customer trust is essential to building successful customer-to-brand relationships, and this sentiment is especially true when it comes to digital media and advertising. Like with all things digital, data privacy and transparency are key factors businesses must prioritize to gain and maintain customer trust. One way to do this is by clearly communicating how customer data is collected and used to create one’s targeted campaigns. By offering easy opt-in and opt-out options, as well as the ability to access and delete collected data, customers are much more likely to trust your brand when they’re given a sense of control over how their information is shared, stored, and used.
It might sound obvious, but retailers and CPG brands that are turning to targeted ads must also always use highly-relevant messaging based on the customer’s interests, browsing history, and purchasing behavior; all without being intrusive or insensitive. In fact, a 2023 report found that 63% of customers expressed a desire to receive fewer irrelevant ads. Ultimately, by prioritizing transparency, privacy, and relevance, businesses can build trust with their customers and create long-lasting relationships that drive long-term success.
Choosing the Right Type of Targeted Advertising for Your Business
Targeted digital media allows businesses to reach specific audiences through various channels, such as social media, search engines, and display advertising. By using data tracking and detailed segmentation, retailers can better identify their target audience and tailor their content to each specific need.
- Location-Based Data. The original “geo-targeting” started with physical flyers that promoted the products and services of local businesses. But today, a majority of advertisements are simply pushed to your mobile device based on your location. Creating and delivering media relevant to customers in certain locations or areas can increase customer engagement by 83% and improve ROI by 74%.
- Retargeting. Retargeting is the process of pushing ads to customers who have recently interacted with a brand and may be likely to quickly forget about such interaction. Using retargeting to encourage customers to return to their website or complete a purchase can increase their likelihood of converting by 70%, as well as boost brand search by 1,046%.
- Demographic Segmentation. By dividing customers into various demographic groups, such as by age, gender, income, and more, businesses can gain a better understanding of each unique segment and subsequently deliver highly-targeted marketing strategies that are more likely to resonate with each group.
Personalizing the In-Store Experience
In-store mobile advertising is one targeting method that has become an increasingly popular strategy for businesses to reach customers in-store, in real-time. Through their mobile devices, businesses can deliver targeted, real-time notifications and promotions to customers based on time, location, behavior, and more. For example, retailers can send personalized content, offers, and rewards to customers as soon as they walk into the store, increasing the likelihood of conversions, the volume of purchases, and customer loyalty in general. With 73% of customers reporting in-store shopping as their preferred purchase location, this personalized approach is highly effective as it gives customers a unique and engaging experience that drives engagement and boosts sales.
Qples by Fobi recently announced 350% client growth through its digital media and advertising program, signing multiple top retailers and CPG brand clients across North America. Through the Qples media solution, Qples provides in-store mobile advertising solutions built specifically to drive new product awareness while enhancing the use of in-store promotions and coupons. The platform enables CPG brands and retailers to measure the uplift of in-store sales from their media advertising campaigns—on a product or store-level basis—providing increased granularity to track in-store attribution and ROI from their media campaigns. For example, brands can now target advertisements to customers near select store locations using geotargeting and then compare the impact on sales metrics against audiences who were not sent such ads.
Why Targeted Advertising Matters: Driving Engagement, Loyalty, & Revenue
Businesses today face the challenge of standing out in an increasingly competitive market and delivering personalized experiences that closely connect with their customers. Targeted digital media and advertising campaigns, in particular, offer retailers an effective approach to reach customers at different stages of the buying process and cash in on highly-personalized content and promotions. By leveraging advanced media solutions like Qples’, retailers and CPG brands can unlock the power of targeted advertising and drive increased customer engagement, loyalty, and, ultimately, ROI.
Looking to take your retail advertising campaigns to the next level? Contact us today to learn how you can drive lasting engagement for your customers at home and in-store.
