How to Create Powerful Dynamic Remarketing Ads on Google in 2023

I’m sure this happened to you more than once: You went on a website, browsed a few products, and left. For the next week or so, you were bombarded by ads featuring the exact products you looked at. These ads were part of a dynamic remarketing campaign.

The objective of remarketing is to convince recent visitors to come back to our online store and complete their purchase. The dynamic element is to show each user exactly the content that’s relevant to him. Dynamic remarketing ads are automatically personalized to every single user.

Dynamic remarketing Google ads are a powerful tool for businesses looking to increase conversions and drive ROI. By creating display ads for dynamic remarketing that resonate with your audience, you can deliver targeted messages that drive action.

These ads can then show on different Google assets – display banners on websites and apps, YouTube channels, and even in your Gmail inbox. The ads will adjust for every placement they show.

In this article, I’ll cover everything you need to know about creating dynamic remarketing ads on Google, from setting up your campaign to measuring and analyzing performance. I’ll also provide best practices for creating effective ad campaigns and tips for optimizing your ads for mobile devices.

What is Dynamic Remarketing?

Dynamic remarketing, also known as dynamic retargeting, is a powerful advertising technique that allows businesses to show personalized ads to users who have previously engaged with their website or products. This is accomplished by creating a remarketing list, which is a collection of website visitors who have taken specific actions, such as adding items to a shopping cart or viewing specific product pages.

Using this list, dynamic remarketing creates highly targeted ad campaigns that showcase the exact products or services that the user has previously shown interest in. This level of personalization can lead to higher engagement rates, lower bounce rates, and ultimately, increased conversions.

In order to access the benefits of dynamic remarketing, businesses need to add a small piece of code, called a remarketing tag, to their website (directly or via Google Tag Manager). This tag helps to link each user and what actions they performed on the website.

How to Set Up Dynamic Remarketing Google Ads

Setting up dynamic remarketing Google Ads can seem daunting at first, but it doesn’t have to be. By following these steps, you can have your campaign up and running in no time.

Step 1: Install the Google Ads Remarketing Tag

The first step in setting up dynamic remarketing Google Ads is to install the Google Ads Remarketing tag on your website. 

To install the tag, log in to your Google Ads account, select “Shared Library” from the left-hand menu, and click on “Audience Manager.” From there, click on “Tag Details” and follow the instructions to install the code on your website. Once the code is installed, you can start building your remarketing list.

Make sure that the product IDs collected by the tag match the ones in your product feed.

It should go without saying that the Google Conversion Tags should already be implemented on your website and work properly.

Step 2: Create a Product Feed

To create dynamic remarketing ads, you’ll need to have a product feed that contains all the information about your products. This is the same feed that you might be using for Google shopping ads. The product feed includes details like product name, image, price, and description.

If you still don’t have a feed, creating one isn’t as scary as it may sound. There are many tools and plug-ins that create the feed for you, keep it up to date, and allow you to manage it.

If you have different variants of certain products (different colors or sizes), make sure that your feed includes all variants. This is especially important for dynamic remarketing.

Once you have your feed set up, you’ll need to upload it to Google Merchant Center. By linking Google Merchant Center with your Google Ads account, you’ll be able to run product ads. 

Step 3: Create Your Remarketing Audiences

In your dynamic remarketing campaigns, you’d want to retarget recent visitors to your online store that were close to making a purchase but didn’t.

Google Ads already creates some remarketing lists for you, e.g. all visitors, product viewers, added to cart and converters (purchased).

However, you can have more control by creating remarketing audiences on Google Analytics, by the action a user has made or a page they have visited, plus the relevant timeframe to consider them for your remarketing campaign.

I’d usually recommend targeting users who viewed a product page or who added a product to their cart. 

The timeframe is more flexible. Remarketing audiences can only be used for campaigns when they include more than 1000 users. If you have few visitors, you’ll need to allow a longer time for including users in your audience. If you have a lot of traffic, you can be more restrictive. 

In my campaigns, ideally, I target users who viewed a product in the last 7 days, plus those who added to cart in the last 30 days. The period is longer for the period, as fewer users add to cart.

After you’ve created your audiences in Google Ads and linked them to your Google Ads account, they should become available for your campaigns.

Note: You’ll only be able to serve ads to your audiences once they are filled up with at least 1000 users.

Step 4: Create A New Display Campaign

With your remarketing tag installed, your product feed uploaded, and your dynamic ad templates set up, it’s time to set your bids and launch your campaign. 

In Google Ads, create a new display campaign and make sure you connect it to your product feed.

Create a new ad group and add your remarketing audiences in ‘targeting’ mode to it. You should also exclude recent converters from this campaign. If they’ve just made a purchase, it’s unnecessary to show them our ads again. Might even be annoying.

Create a responsive dynamic ad with multiple headlines and images. Make sure to review how your ad will look on different devices (desktop, mobile) and platforms (Gmail, Display, YouTube). Your ads might also show either with your creatives or based on your feed, depending on the format that the algorithm estimates will perform better for each user. 

Click here to learn about automation magic in responsive display ads.

A pro tip: Add a placement exclusion list to the campaign. Exclude all apps except for communications (Gmail) and video (YouTube). This will prevent your ads from showing on low-quality apps. 

Step 5: Define Campaign Budget and Bidding Strategy

Now all that’s left is to choose your budget and bidding strategy. These will depend on your budget, available data, and business goals, similar to how it works with other campaign types.

Creating Effective Product Feeds for Dynamic Remarketing

One of the most critical components of a successful dynamic remarketing campaign is a well-structured product feed. Product feeds provide the data that powers dynamic ads, making it crucial to optimize them for better performance. Here are some best practices to follow when creating effective product feeds for dynamic remarketing on Google Ads:

1. Ensure Accurate Data

The first step to creating an effective product feed is ensuring that your data is accurate and up-to-date. This includes information such as product IDs, titles, descriptions, images, prices, and availability. 

Make sure that you’re using the correct product identifiers, such as EANs or GTINs (product IDs), to ensure that your products are correctly categorized and displayed in ads.

2. Optimize for Performance

Optimizing your product feed for better performance involves using high-quality images, clear and concise descriptions, and accurate pricing information. 

Make sure that your product images are high resolution and showcase your products in the best possible light. 

Use descriptive and compelling language to describe your products and highlight their unique features and benefits. 

Finally, make sure that your prices are competitive and accurately reflect the value of your products.

3. Use Custom Labels

Custom labels are a powerful tool for categorizing and targeting products in your feed. You can create up to five custom labels and use them to filter your products based on attributes such as brand, category, or margin. 

This makes it easier to create targeted ads and optimize your bidding strategies for maximum ROI.

Creating Effective Google Responsive Display Ads

Google’s responsive display ads automatically adjust their size, appearance, and format to fit available ad space. To create effective responsive ads, follow these tips:

• Use high-quality images: Use high-quality product images that are clear and show the product’s features. Avoid blurry images that can lower the ad’s quality.
• Use clear branding: Add your brand’s logo and tagline to increase brand awareness and recall.
• Write clear headlines and descriptions: Use clear and concise language to describe the product or service. Use persuasive language to encourage clicks.
• Include a clear call-to-action (CTA): Add a clear call-to-action button that prompts users to take action, such as “Shop Now” or “Learn More”.
• Test different combinations: Test different ad combinations to see what works best for your campaign. Google’s responsive display ads offer various options for testing, such as ad headlines, descriptions, and images.

Click here to learn how to craft a powerful value proposition in Google Display ads.

Personalizing Dynamic Remarketing Ads

In order to create effective dynamic remarketing ads, personalization is key. By tailoring your ads to the specific interests and behaviors of your audience, you can increase engagement and drive conversions.

One way to personalize your dynamic remarketing ads is by incorporating user-generated content. This can include customer reviews, social media posts, and other forms of user feedback. By showcasing real-life experiences and testimonials, you can build trust with your audience and encourage them to take action.

Another way to personalize your dynamic remarketing ads is by using location targeting. By showing ads that are specific to the viewer’s geographic location, you can increase relevance and drive engagement. This is particularly effective for businesses with a local presence or those that offer region-specific products or services.

Overall, personalization is a crucial component of any successful dynamic remarketing campaign. By understanding your audience and tailoring your ads accordingly, you can drive engagement, boost conversions, and achieve a better return on investment.

Best Practices for Dynamic Remarketing Campaigns

Dynamic remarketing is a powerful tool for boosting conversions and driving ROI. However, to create successful campaigns, it’s important to follow best practices. Below are some tips to consider:

1. Targeting

Targeting is essential to the success of a dynamic remarketing campaign. Make sure to segment your audience and create specific ad groups for each segment. This allows you to create personalized ads that resonate with your audience.

Use Google Analytics to gain insights into your remarketing audience and create a list of users who have previously interacted with your website or products.

2. Bidding Strategies

Choosing the right bidding strategy can help you achieve your campaign goals. If you’re looking to drive conversions, consider using a cost-per-action (CPA) bidding strategy. If you’re looking to maximize your ad spend, consider using a cost-per-click (CPC) bidding strategy.

Experiment with different bidding strategies to see what works best for your campaign.

3. Ad Frequency

Ad frequency is another important factor to consider. Make sure to set a frequency cap to avoid showing the same ad to your audience too many times. This can lead to ad fatigue and decreased performance.

Make sure to monitor your ad frequency and adjust it as necessary.

4. Disable audience expansion

Sometimes Google enables an audience expansion feature. This means your remarketing campaign will also target people who haven’t visited your website. This might be ok for a standard display campaign, but for remarketing this feature should be disabled.

5. Testing

Testing different ad formats and messaging can help you identify what resonates best with your audience. Try testing different ad sizes, colors, and calls to action.

Use A/B testing to compare the performance of different ads and make data-driven decisions.

Creating effective dynamic remarketing campaigns takes time and effort, but following these best practices can help you achieve your goals and drive ROI.

Measuring and Analyzing Dynamic Remarketing Performance

To ensure the success of your dynamic remarketing campaign, it’s crucial to measure and analyze its performance. Google Ads is a powerful tool that can provide you with valuable insights into your campaign’s effectiveness.

Here are some best practices for measuring and analyzing your dynamic remarketing campaign’s performance:

1. Analyze ad performance: Use Google Ads to track which ads are performing well and which ones need improvement. Look at metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost per conversion to assess the effectiveness of your ads.
2. Optimize bidding: Adjust your bidding strategy based on your campaign’s performance data. For example, if certain ads are performing well, consider increasing your bids to ensure they receive more visibility.
3. Test and refine: Experiment with different ad formats, messaging, and targeting options to see what works best for your campaign. Use A/B testing to compare different versions of your ads and make data-driven decisions about which ones to use moving forward.

By regularly measuring and analyzing your dynamic remarketing campaign’s performance, you can make data-driven decisions that will increase your campaign’s effectiveness and drive a higher ROI.

Optimizing Dynamic Remarketing Ads for Mobile Devices

With more users accessing the internet through their mobile devices, it is essential for businesses to optimize their dynamic remarketing ads for mobile screens. Here are some tips for creating mobile-friendly dynamic remarketing ads:

• Keep it simple: Focus on the essential elements of your ad and use clear and concise language.
• Use high-quality images: Make sure your images are optimized for mobile devices and are high-quality to ensure they stand out.
• Consider video ads: Video ads can be highly engaging and are becoming increasingly popular for mobile users.
• Use a clear call-to-action: Your call-to-action should be prominent and easy to find, encouraging users to take action.
• Optimize your landing page: The landing page that your ad leads to should also be optimized for mobile devices, with a clear and easy-to-use layout.

By following these tips, you can create dynamic remarketing ads that are optimized for mobile devices and will help you reach a wider audience.

Scaling Dynamic Remarketing Campaigns

Dynamic remarketing campaigns can be incredibly effective in boosting conversions and driving ROI. However, to get the most out of your campaigns, it’s important to scale them effectively. Here are some strategies for scaling your dynamic remarketing campaigns:

Expand Your Remarketing List

One way to scale your dynamic remarketing campaigns is to expand your remarketing list. You can do this by targeting new audiences or by engaging with your existing audience in new ways. For example, you might consider targeting users who have engaged with your brand on social media or who have interacted with your mobile app.

To expand your remarketing list, you can use a variety of tools and techniques. For example, you can expand the inclusion period of users who viewed a product from 7 to 14 days.

Another way is to run acquisition display campaigns in order to grow the top funnel. Any users who clicked on these ads will automatically be added to the remarketing audiences.

Maximize Your Budget

Finally, to scale your dynamic remarketing campaigns effectively, it’s important to make the most of your budget. This means optimizing your bids to ensure that you’re getting the most out of each click or impression.

You might also consider using automated bidding tools, such as Google’s Target CPA or Target ROAS bidding, to help you optimize your bids and maximize your ROI.

By following these strategies, you can scale your dynamic remarketing campaigns effectively and drive even more conversions and ROI for your business.

Further Reading:

• How to Create a Google Ads Search Campaign for Ecommerce: A Step-by-step Guide
• 13 Ways To Optimize Google Shopping Ads (In A Profitable Way)
• Google Dynamic Search Ads: A Great Way to Boost Your Online Sales
• How to Craft a Powerful Value Proposition on Google Display Ads
• Google Ads Bidding Strategies: The Ultimate Guide (And Which One To Use)

FAQs About Dynamic Remarketing Google Ads

As you explore the possibility of creating dynamic remarketing Google Ads, you may have some questions and concerns. This section aims to provide answers to some frequently asked questions.

1. How much does it cost to run dynamic remarketing Google Ads?

The cost of a dynamic remarketing campaign varies depending on factors like your industry, target audience, and bidding strategy. However, keep in mind that dynamic remarketing can be a cost-effective way to boost conversions and drive ROI.

2. How do I set up dynamic remarketing Google Ads?

To set up dynamic remarketing Google Ads, you will need to install a remarketing tag, create a product feed, and set up dynamic ad templates. For more detailed instructions, please refer to Section 3 of this article.

3. How do I measure the performance of my dynamic remarketing ads?

To measure the performance of your dynamic remarketing ads, you can use Google Analytics. This tool allows you to track metrics like conversion rates, click-through rates, and audience insights. For more information on how to measure and analyze dynamic remarketing performance, please refer to Section 8 of this article.

4. How can I personalize my dynamic remarketing ads?

To personalize your dynamic remarketing ads, you can use techniques like dynamic ad content, personalized recommendations, and targeted promotions. For more tips on how to create personalized ad campaigns, please refer to Section 6 of this article.

5. Can I run dynamic remarketing ads on mobile devices?

Yes, you can optimize your dynamic remarketing ads for mobile devices. You can create mobile-friendly ad formats and optimize landing pages for mobile users. For more information on how to optimize dynamic remarketing ads for mobile devices, please refer to Section 9 of this article.

6. How can I scale my dynamic remarketing campaigns?

To scale your dynamic remarketing campaigns, you can expand your remarketing list, test new ad formats, and maximize your budget. For more strategies on how to scale dynamic remarketing campaigns, please refer to Section 10 of this article.