Important update with Google Analytics: say hello to cross-device retargeting

Starting May 15, 2017, Remarketing Audiences created in Google Analytics will be enhanced to automatically take advantage  of new cross-device remarketing functionality now available in AdWords and DoubleClick. This will allow to reach the customers across devices when using Google Analytics Audiences. Now that cross-device transactions account for over 30% of online purchases, shifting from device-centric to user-centric analytics has become a critical step for e-commerce retailers.

Brad Bender, VP of display and video advertising at Google, announced the shift in a blog post :“We’re introducing cross-device remarketing for Google Display Network and DoubleClick Bid Manager to help you reach the same user across devices, apps, and sites. You can now tell a single story to your audience and decide how frequently they see your ad across devices” .

This is a significant development, as Google has not previously supported cross-device retargeting. For example, currently, if a user comes to an advertiser’s site on a mobile phone, the advertiser is not able to retarget that user later on a desktop, unless they also visit the site on desktop. If that happens, the user is effectively listed twice, and the frequency capping and negative list exclusion is set at the browser or mobile ID level on each device.

The introduction of cross-device remarketing comes three years after Google first debuted its estimated cross-device conversion metric. Bender says the new capability will be rolling out globally over the next few months.

The change means that advertisers will be able to show ads to users who visited their sites on one device on another device when signed in, just as Facebook and other platforms have long been doing. That has been true even for users signed into a Google account on multiple devices as  Google has relied on cookies and mobile IDs to identify users for remarketing lists.

The shift also means advertisers should review their privacy policies regarding data collection and consider how this change might impact bidding, device targeting and messaging in their Google display campaigns.

Google AdWords has released a new feature for mobile which is designed to “close the loop” for advertisers across multiple devices. Cross-device remarketing for Google Display Network and DoubleClick Bid Manager can help you target the same ads to the same users as they move between their devices. In addition, ads will also be remarketed toward users across websites, apps, and anywhere ads on the Google Display Network are eligible to be shown. In order not to overwhelm your audience with too much advertising, you have full control over the frequency in which people see your ads. It’s a privilege to build products that help brands close the loop for measurement, reach and engagement.

Sample image above is just one of the many examples of how AdWords cross-device remarketing can be used:“let’s say you’re a retailer and want to build a customized Halloween campaign. With cross-device remarketing, you can reach your customers with an “It’s almost Halloween” ad on their phone during the morning commute. Later in the day, you can follow up with a limited time offer on decorations and recipes when they’re browsing a tablet at home.”

admitad is excited to share more details about these innovations with you throughout the implementation process of this Google functionality.  The feature will be available in a few weeks. Stay updated with us  and expect more details to follow.