The Ultimate Guide to Reminder Advertising: Strategies & Examples for 2024

When‘s the last time a brand popped into your head out of nowhere, compelling you to make a purchase? Chances are, it wasn‘t random at all, but the result of a calculated reminder advertising strategy.

In today‘s oversaturated market, it‘s not enough to just grab a consumer‘s attention once. You have to continuously nurture that relationship and stay top-of-mind until they‘re ready to convert. That‘s where reminder advertising comes in.

Reminder ads serve the crucial purpose of keeping your brand front-and-center for consumers who are in the consideration stage of the buying process. At this point, they‘re aware of their problem and potential solutions, including your offering—now it‘s up to you to gently reinforce your message and unique value until the time is right for them to take action.

This comprehensive guide will dive into the what, when, why and how of reminder advertising, complete with real-world examples and actionable tips you can apply to your own campaigns. Let‘s get started!

What is Reminder Advertising?

Reminder advertising is a targeted marketing strategy aimed at encouraging repeat purchases and keeping a brand top-of-mind for consumers. Unlike ads that aim to inform or persuade, reminder ads serve primarily to reinforce brand awareness and inspire action from prospects who are already familiar with the company.

Most commonly, reminder ads target those in the consideration stage of the buying journey. At this point, consumers are aware they have a problem that needs to be solved, and are actively researching and comparing their options. Brands can leverage reminder advertising to make sure they stay in the running while the consumer deliberates.

Reminder ads can also be used in an ecommerce context to re-engage past customers and encourage them to return for another purchase. You‘ll often see this in the form of retargeted ads based on browse or purchase behavior.

Finally, reminder advertising is a useful strategy towards the end of a product‘s life cycle. When sales begin to decline, running reminder ads can help squeeze some extra revenue out of the product before it‘s phased out completely.

When to Use Reminder Advertising

So when should you deploy reminder ads versus other types of advertising? There are a few primary use cases:

Consideration Stage

As mentioned, reminder ads are perfect for targeting consumers who are aware of your brand and considering making a purchase (as opposed to those who are completely unaware of who you are and what you offer). Serving them relevant reminder ads can help keep your brand in the running as they weigh their options.

Retail & Ecommerce

If you‘re an ecommerce brand, strategic reminder advertising can help drive repeat purchases from past customers. For example, serving a retargeted ad featuring a product they viewed but didn‘t buy, or a complementary product to one they did purchase.

End of Product Lifecycle

When a product has reached maturity and profits have begun to taper off, running reminder ads to past customers can help boost sales before the product is discontinued. The key is to focus on the segment of your audience that has already shown interest in the product before.

Ultimately, the goal with reminder advertising is to re-engage consumers who already know about you. The messaging should be simple and straightforward, as the objective is not to educate, but to inspire action.

Top Tactics for Reminder Advertising

Now that we‘ve covered the basics of reminder advertising, let‘s look at some of the most effective tactics you can leverage in your own strategy:

1. Retargeting

Retargeting, also known as remarketing, involves serving targeted ads to consumers based on their past interaction with your website or content. By tracking user behavior and segmenting your audience, you can deliver hyper-relevant reminder ads that align with the products or pages they engaged with.

These ads then "follow" the user around the web, appearing on other sites they visit in order to keep your brand top-of-mind and entice them to return. Retargeting is one of the most effective forms of reminder advertising, as it allows you to focus on consumers who have already demonstrated clear interest in what you offer.

2. Abandoned Cart Emails

Cart abandonment is a huge challenge for ecommerce brands, with nearly 70% of online shopping carts being ditched before checkout. Thankfully, reminder advertising can help. Automatically triggered cart abandonment emails are an incredibly effective way to nudge shoppers to return and complete their purchase.

The most successful abandoned cart emails include:

• A clear, direct subject line
• A photo of the abandoned product(s)
• A link back to the shopper‘s cart
• A small discount or free shipping threshold to sweeten the deal

Sending the first message within an hour of abandonment, then following up 24 and 48 hours later, has been shown to maximize conversions.

3. Email Newsletters

Email marketing is a powerful channel for keeping your brand top-of-mind long-term. By sending subscribers regular newsletters featuring valuable, relevant content, you remind them of your expertise and authority in the space.

Then, by occasionally sprinkling in promotional content and offers, you can capitalize on that trust and drive conversions. Just be sure to follow email marketing best practices and segment your list for optimal relevance and engagement.

4. Display Ads

Display advertising is another highly effective format for reminder advertising. Platforms like Google Display Network and Facebook Ads allow you to target consumers who have interacted with your brand before.

You can create simple, eye-catching display ads that feature your core brand elements and messaging to build awareness and trust over time. Retargeting also comes into play on these platforms, allowing you to serve hyper-relevant creative to users based on their on-site behavior.

5. Content Marketing

Finally, a robust content marketing strategy is key for reminder advertising. Creating valuable, relevant blog posts, social media content, videos, and other resources gives you the perfect opportunity to organically re-engage your audience.

Think through the different stages of the marketing funnel and develop targeted content for each. An awareness-stage blog post, for instance, may link to a consideration-stage ebook or product page. You can then promote this content across channels, amplifying your brand‘s voice and building trust.

3 Reminder Advertising Examples to Learn From

The best way to understand reminder advertising in action is to learn from the brands doing it best. Here are three examples to inspire you:

1. Coca-Cola‘s "Open Happiness" Campaign

Coca-Cola is the undisputed leader in reminder advertising. With unparalleled brand recognition, most of their ads serve purely to reinforce their brand and keep them top-of-mind.

Their iconic "Open Happiness" campaign is a perfect example. The messaging is simple and straightforward, conjuring the familiar emotions and nostalgia associated with the brand while reminding consumers of the joys of grabbing a Coke.

2. Zillow‘s Retargeted Listing Ads

Zillow takes a smart approach to reminder advertising with their retargeted listing ads. After a user views a particular property on their site, Zillow will serve them display ads featuring that same listing as they browse the web.

This keeps Zillow top-of-mind and encourages users to return to the site and continue their search. The company also runs general branded search and display campaigns to capture consumers in the consideration phase.

3. Old Navy‘s "We Dress America" Campaign

To stay relevant in the highly competitive world of fast fashion, Old Navy leverages reminder advertising across multiple channels. Their long-running "We Dress America" campaign spans TV, digital, social, and more, featuring a diverse cast of customers and simple, benefit-focused messaging.

The goal is to remind consumers of the brand‘s affordability, inclusivity, and patriotic values. By consistently reinforcing these key brand pillars, Old Navy is able to stay top-of-mind and drive both new and repeat purchases.

Reminder Advertising Best Practices

As you develop your own reminder advertising strategy, keep these tips and best practices in mind:

1. Keep messaging simple and straightforward. Remember, you‘re targeting consumers who are already familiar with your brand, so there‘s no need for excessive explanation or persuasion. Just reinforce your key benefits and brand identity.

2. Focus on brand. Reminder ads are fantastic for reinforcing your visual brand identity. Use your distinct color palette, logo, and other brand elements to capture attention and build recognition.

3. Set frequency caps. It‘s important not to overwhelm or annoy consumers with excessive reminder advertising. Set frequency caps on your retargeting campaigns to limit the number of times a user is shown your ads.

4. Align frequency with buying cycle. The ideal ad frequency will vary based on the length of your typical buying cycle. A more considered purchase like a mattress will require more touch points than an impulse buy like a candy bar.

5. Coordinate across channels. An effective reminder advertising strategy spans multiple channels, delivering a cohesive and integrated experience. Reference your display ads in your email campaigns, feature your blog content in your social ads, and so on.

6. Don‘t forget post-purchase. While reminder advertising typically targets those still in the consideration phase, it‘s also highly effective for driving repeat purchases. Segment out your past customer list and tailor your messaging and offers accordingly.

7. Test and optimize regularly. As with all marketing efforts, continuous testing is key to identifying what resonates best with your particular audience. A/B test your ad creative, targeting, placements, and other elements to fine-tune your approach.

By following these guidelines and infusing your own brand voice and identity, you‘ll be well on your way to crafting highly effective reminder advertising campaigns.

Key Takeaways

Reminder advertising may seem simple, but don‘t underestimate its importance in your overall marketing strategy. In a crowded marketplace, you have to fight to keep your brand top-of-mind long enough to convert. That means identifying key touchpoints throughout the buying journey to re-engage and delight.

Whether through retargeting, email, content, or all of the above, continuously nurturing your audience is critical for driving conversions. So rather than just focusing on net new customer acquisition, make sure you‘re doubling down on the leads you‘ve already captured. A little strategic reminder can go a long way.

When in doubt, follow the lead of some of the world‘s most recognizable brands. From Coca-Cola to Old Navy, the best marketers know that reinforcing a brand‘s identity and unique value is a never-ending job. Adopt that always-on mindset, get creative with your messaging and tactics, and watch how quickly it pays off.