Your app users have already shown interest but may naturally drift away. Now’s your chance to bring them back—but how do you do it without turning them off?
Retargeting is a balancing act, a chance to remind users why they downloaded your app in the first place, without coming across as repetitive or intrusive. Done right, it’s like sending a well-timed invitation that they can’t resist. If done wrong, you’ll push them further away.
To help you ace the balancing act of retargeting, we’ve put together an end-to-end guide on mobile retargeting. Whether you’re looking to reactivate dormant users or reignite the interest of past purchasers, this resource dives deep into the mechanics of retargeting success.
Still unsure whether retargeting is worth the effort compared to user acquisition? It’s a question that’s crossed the minds of many app marketers. Take a look at our comparison of retargeting vs. user acquisition to help you weigh the benefits of both approaches. Spoiler: Retargeting often delivers a better return, but only if you master the art.
With that in mind, let’s dive into the dos and don’ts of mobile retargeting. Each best practice outlined here is designed to help you optimize your campaigns and ensure you’re not just reaching users but truly resonating with them.
1. Set Clear, Measurable Goals for Retargeting
Don’t: Start a retargeting campaign without defined goals. Launching without clarity on what success looks like will waste your budget and skew your results. Targeting all users the same way won’t get you the insights or ROI you need.
Do: Define specific, measurable goals before launching. Focus on whether you want to reactivate dormant users, boost purchases, or increase app engagement. Align each goal with relevant metrics like CPI, ROAS, or retention rate.
Before launching any retargeting campaign, you need a clear vision of what success looks like. What exactly are you trying to achieve? Are you trying to win back users who never made a purchase, or are you targeting past customers who’ve gone quiet? The answer will shape your entire approach.
For example, if you’re aiming to bring dormant users back into the fold, focus on metrics like Cost Per Install (CPI) and Retention Rate. On the other hand, if your goal is to re-engage inactive purchasers, you should zero in on Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).
Each target requires different creative strategies and KPIs, so defining these goals upfront is critical to measuring your success and optimizing your spend.
2. Granularity and Audience Segmentation
Don’t: Treat your entire audience as one homogenous group. Blanket campaigns that target all users with the same message will result in poor engagement and wasted ad spend.
Do: Segment your audience with precision. Break down users by behavior—such as idle days, lifetime value, or in-app activity—and craft personalized messages for each group. The more targeted your messaging is, the better your results.
Not all users are the same—and neither should your retargeting campaigns be. The more granular you get with audience segmentation, the better your results. Think of it as creating a personalized ad for each user based on their unique journey with your app.
Segment your audience by behavior: group them by how many days they’ve been inactive, their lifetime purchase value, or their progress in a game. Each of these segments represents an opportunity to craft a message that speaks directly to where that user is in their relationship with your app.
For instance, users who’ve made a purchase but haven’t opened the app in weeks may need a reminder of what they’re missing out on, while first-time installers may need an extra nudge to complete that initial transaction.
3. Utilize Deep Linking to Enhance User Experience
Don’t: Redirect users to a generic homepage. Forcing them to navigate your app themselves increases the chance they’ll drop off before converting.
Do: Leverage deep linking to guide users directly to the content they showed interest in. Take them to the exact product, offer, or page they last engaged with to minimize friction and boost conversion.
If your goal is to re-engage users, don’t make them work for it. Deep linking allows you to take users directly to the specific content or product that piqued their interest. Instead of dropping them onto your app’s generic homepage, send them to the exact page where they left off or to a special offer waiting for them.
For example, if a user clicks on an ad showcasing a pair of shoes, deep linking should take them directly to that product page within the app. The easier you make it for users to pick up where they left off, the more likely they are to convert.
4. Find the Right Ad Frequency Balance
Don’t: Overwhelm users with excessive ad frequency. Constant exposure to the same ad can cause ad fatigue, leading to negative brand sentiment, lower engagement, and, worst of all, uninstalls.
Do: Use frequency capping to limit how often users see your ads. Set thresholds to ensure users are reminded of your app just enough to spark interest without becoming intrusive.
Ad frequency is critical in retargeting. Show too few ads, and users may forget about your app entirely; show too many, and they could get irritated, leading to app uninstalls or ad fatigue. Finding the sweet spot in ad frequency is vital to keeping users engaged without overwhelming them.
To maintain user interest, it’s essential to understand how often users should see your ads. Pay attention to how different segments of your audience respond—some may need frequent reminders, while others may react negatively to too many ads. This balance will vary based on user behavior and your app category.
5. Leverage Data-Driven Creative Selection
Don’t: Rely on generic or irrelevant creatives that don’t reflect the user’s journey or interest. Avoid repeating the same ad format or design that may have worked in the past for user acquisition.
Do: Personalize your creatives. Use data to show users what they’re missing—whether it’s a product left in a cart, an app feature they haven’t explored, or a new game level they haven’t reached yet.
Did you know that 70% of your campaign’s success depends on your creatives? In mobile retargeting, compelling visuals and messaging are crucial to capturing users’ attention and driving them back to your app. By analyzing user behavior and past interactions, you can craft personalized creatives that resonate with your audience.
For example, e-commerce users who’ve abandoned their carts might respond to visuals highlighting the items they left behind, while gaming users might need a sneak peek at a new level to rekindle their interest. Check out our playbook on data-driven creative best practices for more insights and real-life examples of winning ad designs.
6. Incorporate Incrementality Testing
Don’t: Assume all retargeting efforts are driving incremental value just because the metrics look positive. Ignoring incrementality testing can lead to misleading data and overspending.
Do: Use incrementality testing to accurately measure the true impact of your retargeting campaigns. This will help you determine whether your ads are actually driving conversions or simply re-engaging users who would have converted anyway.
Incrementality testing is one of the most effective ways to truly understand the impact of your retargeting efforts. It helps determine whether your ads are actually driving additional conversions or simply engaging users who would have returned to your app anyway.
This technique provides valuable clarity, allowing you to allocate your budget more efficiently and maximize your campaign’s ROI. By running controlled tests that compare retargeted groups with non-retargeted groups, you can measure the incremental lift—the added value your campaigns generate. This ensures that your retargeting strategy is not only engaging the right users but also driving actual, measurable results.
You’ll find incrementality testing to be an amazing tool that takes your optimization to the next level, and we’ve explored it further in one of our detailed blog posts.
Pave the Way to Mastering Retargeting
Mastering the art of retargeting can set you apart from the rest. By following these best practices, you can create more effective campaigns that both re-engage users and drive significant value for your app. Remember, the key lies in knowing your audience, delivering the right message at the right time, and leveraging data-driven insights to refine your strategies.
At Aarki, we understand the intricacies of retargeting and are committed to helping you optimize your strategies for maximum impact. As a global leader in retargeting, we offer more than just advanced targeting techniques.
With our in-house creative studio and segment-based creative targeting powered by deep linking, we ensure your ads resonate with the right audience at the right time. We’re here to help you turn your app’s users into loyal advocates through personalized and impactful campaigns.
Contact us today to learn how we can elevate your retargeting and app growth campaigns to the next level.
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