DMI digital marketing expert, technology editor Jamie Riddell, discusses ‘re-marketing’.

The recent announcement of Google’s Re-marketing solution will immediately boost the visibility of banner re-marketing solutions that have been successfully running elsewhere for years. The re-targeting (or ‘re-marketing’) works to track visitors to your site who leave without purchasing. Re-marketing then works to deliver your ads to those visitors when they surf elsewhere. The resultant benefit is better returns for the marketing spend and greater brand visibility to the consumer at an effective cost.

What makes the Google solution potentially so much stronger than the other players is the sheer scale of the opportunity. When starting a campaign with most other networks, there is a time period required for the traffic to grow. That is, people visiting your site so they can receive the re-marketing cookie for future targeting.

With Google, there is a very strong chance they have a Google cookie on your site so we can skip straight to the re-marketing. The next part is also important; unlike most other re-marketing solutions, the follow-up ads can be the standard Google ads, not just banner ads. So, the potential for growth, targeting and returns just went up a gear. And let’s not forget scale, did we mention the rollout potential on Google?

But this wasn’t supposed to be just about Google. OK, not entirely about Google. ‘Banner advertising’ (or graphical display advertising, if you prefer) has been treated like a fashion accessory for many campaigns over the years. Not a year goes by without someone calling, ‘The Banner is Dead!’ – it never has been dead and has always been available to deliver good returns when planned and bought correctly.

The models for measuring and paying for banner advertising have changed over the years, from fixed cost placements to cost per thousand impressions, cost per click and trials based on user/brand engagement. These advertising methods have always had a role to play but sometimes get sidelined when something shinier comes along (social media anyone…..)

The market for banner advertising is changing, premium media space and high rates being replaced with inventory management and yield optimisation done by computers. With huge investments being made in the adserving market (think Google & Doubleclick, Microsoft & Atlas) there is clearly a future in banner advertising.

When Google starts doing something, we all pay attention. So, as ad budgets are now pushed towards trying banner re-marketing, spare a wider thought for other forms of banner advertising and other networks.

You never know, banner advertising may be the new black.

Since 1996, Jamie Riddell has been at the forefront of UK digital direct marketing. He made his name as the far-sighted, entrepreneurial co-founder of Cheeze Ltd, now part of DMG PLC, the UK’s largest Digital Marketing Group. Now independent, Riddell comments on emerging trends of the digital market with a perspective on the business end of technology. Find him on Twitter: (http://twitter.com/jamieriddell) and on his own blog: (http://www.jamieriddell.net).