I’m sure you’ve heard by now; Google and Facebook know everything about you.
Not really. Sort of. Let us explain.
Misconceptions swirl around the topic of targeted advertising, but it isn’t all ghoulish. The truth is, marketers have been using what they know about people’s lives for decades…centuries, even.
Think about canvassing and home shows – how do you find that perfect homeowner to pitch to? You make observations, ask questions and gauge their interest. Ad targeting is simply the online version of that – only it requires less time and less money.
These days, there is an entire suite of ad targeting options available to home improvement companies. Choosing your strategy comes down to the data that represents your ideal customer.
Visit the Usual Haunts
The ringleaders in ad targeting are who you expect: Google, Facebook and Instagram. Here’s what you need to know about how they use data, and which ad targeting options will generate high-quality leads.
This is destination #1 for homeowners. Google’s data is more than just keywords – they target ads based on websites a homeowner visits and frequency of related searches.
Best bets for home improvement contractors:
- Life events; target your ads to homeowners who have recently married, purchased a home or are at retirement age. All are good indicators home improvements are on the table.
- Remarketing; this is for homeowners who were interested but left your web page. Your ad will display while they browse third party websites, so you stay top-of-mind when they’re ready to buy.
- Custom affinity audiences; Google uses the substantial data they’ve gathered on homeowners to target your ads most effectively, based on your product and location.
People share their lives (and their homes) on Facebook, which is why it is a powerful advertising tool. Facebook’s data is based on a homeowner’s likes, posts, engagement and profile information.
Best bets for contractors:
- Hobbies and interests; target your ads to homeowners who engage with HGTV shows or DIY content.
- Retargeting; Find out if a cold lead is on Facebook by entering their email address. If they are, you can serve them ads!
- Lookalike audiences; Show ads to homeowners who fit your ideal customer profile but have not searched or liked home improvement content.
Instagram is inspiration central for many homeowners. Because it’s owned by Facebook, Instagram uses many of the same strategies.
The difference is the data is based on the images a homeowner likes, the photos they upload and how often they do both.
Best targeting options to use:
- Interests; target your ads to display for those who ‘like’ interior and exterior remodeling images or follow home improvement hashtags.
- Purchase behavior; target your ads to reach homeowners who buy higher-end products in specific categories.
- Remarketing; target homeowners who didn’t convert by showing them your best before and after’s.
Spine Chillingly Satisfying Ads
If you’re targeting your ideal customer correctly, they’re going to be thrilled to see your ad. A targeted lead is confident in what they want and they’re willing to pay. That can make thousands of dollars of difference in revenue.
While it may seem creepy, you need to use this wealth of data to get the most out of your marketing dollars. When you do, you’ll have leads that are so good, it’s scary.
