B2B Remarketing with Google Ads: Top Benefits & Strategies

B2B marketing is competitive.

Capturing—and maintaining—the attention of prospects is crucial for success. It’s also challenging.

And unlike B2C transactions, B2B sales cycles are often longer and more complex, involving multiple decision-makers and higher stakes. Fortunately, there’s Google remarketing.

B2B remarketing with Google Ads enables businesses to re-engage leads who have previously interacted with their website. Read on as we explore how B2B companies can effectively use Google Ads remarketing to nurture prospects through the funnel and convert them into customers.

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What is remarketing?

Remarketing, also known as retargeting, involves showing ads to users who have previously visited your website but did not complete a desired action, such as filling out a contact form or making a purchase. By placing a cookie on the user’s browser, you can track their online behavior and serve targeted ads to them as they browse other websites within the Google Display Network or use Google Search.

Benefits of Google remarketing for B2B businesses

Remarketing with Google Ads offers B2B businesses several key benefits, including:

Increased brand recall: Remarketing helps keep your brand top of mind for potential customers who are still in the decision-making process. By consistently showing your ads, you reinforce your brand’s presence, making it more likely that prospects will consider you when they are ready to make a decision.
Personalized engagement: Remarketing allows you to tailor your ads based on the specific actions a lead took on your website. This level of personalization can significantly improve engagement rates, as leads see content that is relevant to their needs and interests.
Higher conversion rates: Because remarketing ads target leads who have already shown an interest in your products or services, your conversion rates tend to be higher. These users are already familiar with your brand and offerings, so they’re more likely to convert.

What’s different about remarketing for B2B vs. B2C businesses?

While the fundamental concept of remarketing is similar for both B2B and B2C businesses, there are a few major differences to keep in mind.

Longer sales cycles: B2B sales cycles are generally longer and more complex than B2C sales cycles. B2B remarketing strategies need to accommodate these longer cycles by providing ongoing, relevant content that nurtures leads over time, rather than focusing on quick conversions.
More granular audiences: B2B remarketing requires more detailed audience segmentation. B2C remarketing often targets broader consumer groups, while B2B must focus on specific industries, job titles, or company sizes. Effective segmentation helps ensure that the right decision-makers see your ads.
Value-driven ad content: The content and messaging in B2B remarketing campaigns are typically more informational and value-driven than B2C ads, emphasizing case studies, whitepapers, and product demos.
More decision makers: B2B remarketing strategies need to account for multiple touchpoints and decision-makers within the buying process. This means that tracking and attributing the impact of remarketing efforts across these various touchpoints is more complex with B2B remarketing campaigns.

Types of Google ad formats for B2B remarketing campaigns

For B2B remarketing with Google Ads, we recommend using the following ad formats.

Text ads: Simple but effective, text ads can be highly targeted and are ideal for search remarketing. They work well for reminding prospects about your value proposition and driving them back to your site to complete a form or download a resource.
Image ads: Visual ads can capture attention and reinforce your brand message. These are great for showcasing your services with compelling visuals, which can entice previous leads to return and engage further.
Video ads: Engaging and informative, video ads can be used on YouTube and the broader Google Display Network. They are perfect for showcasing product demos, client testimonials, or educational content, helping to build trust and interest over the longer B2B sales cycle.
Dynamic remarketing ads: These ads automatically populate with services a lead viewed on your site. They come in various formats, such as carousel ads that display multiple items or responsive display ads that adjust content dynamically based on user behavior. This format is particularly effective for keeping specific offerings in front of prospects and encouraging them to take the next step.

Strategies for effective B2B remarketing

Want to strengthen your B2B remarketing efforts? Lean on these proven strategies when creating your campaigns in Google Ads.

Create audience segments: Segment your audience based on their behavior on your site. For example, you can create different lists for leads who viewed your pricing page, downloaded a whitepaper, or abandoned a shopping cart. With Google Ads Customer Match, you can upload a list of email addresses from your CRM and target those users with remarketing ads. Tailor your ads to each segment to address their specific needs and push them further down the sales funnel.
Craft strong creative assets: Your remarketing ads should stand out and entice leads to return to your website. Use compelling headlines, clear calls-to-action, and high-quality visuals. Highlight special offers, case studies, or new content that might attract the attention of your audience.
Use frequency caps: While remarketing is effective, you don’t want to overdo it. Avoid overwhelming prospects with too many ads by setting frequency caps, which limit the number of times your ads are shown to the same person. This way, your brand stays on their radar without becoming intrusive.