Retargeting Ads for Online Courses: The Complete Guide

So, you're not seeing the returns you hoped for from your online course ads? This is a very common problem. What I usually find is that people aren't retargeting properly. It's not just about showing the same ad to everyone who visited your website. Effective retargeting is about showing the right ad, to the right person, at the right time.

Think of it like this: someone who watched 90% of your free webinar has a completely different level of interest than someone who just landed on your homepage. You need to treat them differently. You’re not going to sell someone by just running a single generic ad.

Who are you trying to target?

Before diving into specific tactics, lets talk about who you’re trying to reach. Are they already familiar with your course? Have they engaged with your free content? Or are they completely new to your brand? Understanding these factors will heavily influence your retargeting strategy.

If you're targeting users who've already seen your content, think about what their previous behavior tells you. Did they watch a webinar? Did they download a free guide? Did they abandon their cart during checkout? Tailor your ads to address these specific actions.

It's also vital to define your ideal student profile. What are their interests, pain points, and motivations? Creating detailed buyer personas can help you craft more relevant and persuasive ad copy.

Understanding your target audience is the foundation of a successful retargeting campaign, and should allow you to create more targeted adverts and see a huge return on ad spend.

How should you segment your audience?

This is where most people go wrong. Retargeting isn't about blasting everyone with the same ad. It’s about laser-focused messaging that speaks to each user's specific journey. Here are a few segments I’d recommend:

• Website Visitors: Anyone who landed on your site but didn't convert. Show them a compelling overview of the course and its benefits.
• Landing Page Viewers: Target users who visited specific landing pages, particularly those with higher intent like pricing pages or course outlines. Emphasise value and remove any confusion in this phase.
• Video Viewers: Segment based on how much of your video they watched (25%, 50%, 75%, 95%). The more they watched, the warmer the lead. You'll see this on a lot of platforms.
• Email List: Upload your email list and target subscribers who haven't yet purchased. Give them an exclusive offer or highlight case studies.
• Cart Abandoners: These folks were this close. Remind them of what they're missing out on, offer a discount, or address any common objections.

I remember working with e-learning companies who increased their course sales by over 200% simply by implementing a more granular segmentation strategy. It's all about showing the right message to the right person.

What kind of ad creatives should you use?

Generic ads just won’t cut it for retargeting. Your ad creatives need to be laser-focused, visually appealing, and directly relevant to each audience segment. Here are some ideas:

• Dynamic Product Ads: Automatically show users the exact courses they viewed on your website. Include pricing, benefits, and a clear call to action.
• Testimonial Ads: Feature success stories from past students, especially those who overcame similar challenges as your target audience.
• Webinar Recap Ads: For those who attended a webinar, offer a recap with key takeaways and a limited-time discount.
• Behind-the-Scenes Ads: Give potential students a sneak peek of the course content, teaching style, and community.
• Countdown Timer Ads: Create a sense of urgency with a limited-time offer, like a discount or bonus module.

I recall one course seller I worked with who saw a 3x increase in conversions by switching from generic ads to dynamic product ads that showcased specific course modules. It's all about making the offer as relevant and compelling as possible.

Remember, the visual aspect of your ads is just as important as the copy. Use high-quality images and videos that capture attention and communicate your message effectively. A/B test different creatives to see what resonates best with your audience.

Should you tailor your ad copy?

Absolutely. Generic ad copy is a conversion killer. Each retargeting segment requires a unique message that speaks to their specific needs, pain points, and level of awareness. I can’t stress this enough. One size fits all doesn't work here.

Here's a demonstration of how you can tailor your ad copy depending on the segment of your audience.

I recall a client who was seeing high website traffic but low conversions. After overhauling their ad copy to match each audience segment, they saw a 40% increase in course enrollments. It’s amazing what a little personalisation can do.

What about custom audiences?

Custom audiences are gold for retargeting. They allow you to target users based on your own data, like email lists, website activity, and app usage. I find the most important ones are:

• Customer List: Upload your list of past customers to create a "lookalike audience" of potential new students who share similar characteristics.
• High-Value Customer List: If you have data on which customers are most valuable (e.g., those who purchase multiple courses), create a separate lookalike audience based on this segment.
• Engaged Users: Target users who have interacted with your content on social media, like liking your posts, watching your videos, or visiting your website from your ads.
• Website Custom Audiences: Create audiences based on specific pages visited, time spent on site, and actions taken (e.g., added to cart, downloaded a lead magnet).

When building custom audiences, make sure your data is clean and up-to-date. Segment your lists as much as possible to create highly targeted campaigns. For example, you could create a custom audience of users who downloaded a specific lead magnet and then show them ads related to that topic.

I remember a client who used custom audiences to target past webinar attendees with a special offer. They saw a 5x increase in conversions compared to their generic retargeting campaigns. It's all about leveraging your data to reach the right people with the right message.

How can you find lookalike audiences?

Lookalike audiences are one of the best ways to expand your reach and find new potential students who share similar characteristics to your existing customers. Here's how to find them:

• Start with Your Best Customers: Upload a list of your high-value customers to create a lookalike audience. These are the people who are most likely to purchase your courses.
• Segment by Interests and Behaviors: Use the targeting options in your ad platform to narrow down your lookalike audience based on interests, behaviors, and demographics related to your course topic.
• Experiment with Different Seed Audiences: Try creating lookalike audiences based on different segments of your customer base, like webinar attendees, lead magnet downloaders, and engaged social media users.
• Test Different Audience Sizes: Most ad platforms allow you to choose the size of your lookalike audience. Start with a smaller audience (e.g., 1-2% similarity) and gradually increase the size as you scale your campaigns.

Remember to continuously monitor the performance of your lookalike audiences and refine your targeting as needed. As you gather more data, you can create even more precise and effective lookalike audiences.

For example, I worked with a client who used lookalike audiences to find new students for their online coding bootcamp. They saw a 60% increase in enrollment by targeting lookalike audiences based on their existing customer list.

Any myths you would like to debunk?

There are a lot of common misconceptions about retargeting that can hinder your success. Let's debunk some of the most prevalent myths:

• Myth: Retargeting is annoying: When done right, retargeting is not annoying. It's a helpful reminder of something they were already interested in. The key is to show relevant ads and not bombard users with the same message over and over again.
• Myth: Retargeting is expensive: Retargeting can actually be very cost-effective because you're targeting users who are already familiar with your brand. The conversion rates are typically higher than with cold traffic.
• Myth: Retargeting only works for e-commerce: Retargeting can be effective for any type of business, including online courses. The key is to tailor your ads to the specific goals of your campaign, whether it's generating leads, driving sales, or building brand awareness.
• Myth: Retargeting is a set-it-and-forget-it strategy: Retargeting requires ongoing monitoring and optimization. You need to continuously test different ad creatives, audience segments, and bidding strategies to improve your results.

Should you be using multi-channel?

While you might be focused on a single ad platform, it's worth exploring a multi-channel approach to retargeting. This means reaching your audience across different platforms and touchpoints to create a more cohesive and impactful experience.

• Google Ads: Use retargeting ads on the Google Display Network to reach users who visited your website or landing pages.
• Facebook/Instagram Ads: Retarget users who engaged with your content on social media or visited your website from your ads.
• Email Marketing: Send targeted emails to users who abandoned their cart or downloaded a lead magnet.
• SMS Marketing: Send text messages to users who opted in to receive updates about your course.

I remember a client who saw a 30% increase in course sales by implementing a multi-channel retargeting strategy that combined Facebook ads, Google ads, and email marketing. It's all about reaching your audience where they are and delivering a consistent message across all channels.

What kind of metrics should you be monitoring?

You need to be monitoring a wide range of metrics, not just clicks and impressions. Here are some metrics I recommend you monitor:

• Click-Through Rate (CTR): This measures the percentage of users who click on your ads. A low CTR could indicate that your ad creative or targeting needs improvement.
• Conversion Rate: This measures the percentage of users who take the desired action, such as enrolling in your course. A low conversion rate could indicate that your landing page or offer needs improvement.
• Cost Per Acquisition (CPA): This measures the cost of acquiring a new customer. You want to keep your CPA as low as possible while still maintaining a high conversion rate.
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): This measures the revenue generated for every dollar spent on advertising. You want to aim for a high ROAS to ensure that your retargeting campaigns are profitable.
• Website Engagement: Track metrics like time spent on site, pages per session, and bounce rate to see how users are interacting with your website after clicking on your ads.

Continuously monitor your retargeting metrics and make adjustments to your campaigns as needed. Don't be afraid to experiment with different strategies to see what works best for your audience. Keep in mind, that the numbers on your dashboard are more than just a bunch of numbers; they're a roadmap that shows you how to achieve success.

Should you hire someone to help?

Look, I get it. Paid advertising can be a real headache, and that’s before you even consider retargeting. There’s so much to learn, so many platforms to manage, and so many things that can go wrong. If you're feeling overwhelmed or just don't have the time to dedicate to paid advertising, you might want to consider working with a paid advertising expert. Here are some benefits of working with an expert:

• Expertise and Experience: An expert has a deep understanding of the paid advertising landscape and can help you navigate the complexities of different platforms and strategies.
• Time Savings: An expert can save you a lot of time by managing your campaigns for you, freeing you up to focus on other aspects of your business.
• Cost Savings: An expert can help you optimize your campaigns and reduce your ad spend, ensuring that you're getting the most out of your budget.
• Improved Results: An expert can help you achieve better results by leveraging their knowledge and experience to create effective retargeting campaigns that drive sales and leads.

Hiring a paid advertising expert can be a significant investment, but it can pay off in the long run if you find someone who is a good fit for your business. As I mentioned earlier, I've helped multiple clients increase their course sales, and one of the main ways I do it is with these tactics. If you feel stuck, why not get in touch and we can run through a free consultation to see if we’re a good match?

So yeah, those are my main tips. Hope they help!