Cross-channel retargeting campaigns are a way to deliver ads to users across multiple platforms based on their online behavior. Unlike single-channel retargeting, this strategy connects data from various sources like websites, social media, and streaming services to create a consistent and personalized advertising experience.

Why it matters:

• Broader reach: Engage users wherever they are online.

• Better insights: Understand customer behavior across platforms.

• Improved ROI: Tailored ads guide users through the buying process.

For example, a user might see your ad on Netflix, then encounter a follow-up offer on Facebook, and later receive an email - all designed to move them toward a purchase. This approach ensures your brand stays relevant and avoids ad fatigue by showing fresh, coordinated messages.

While cross-channel retargeting offers benefits like higher conversion rates and increased revenue, it requires careful management of data, privacy compliance, and creative consistency. Tools like OTHERSIDE simplify this process by integrating data, managing campaigns, and optimizing performance across platforms.

Cross Channel Remarketing Strategies

Core Components of Cross-Channel Retargeting

Creating effective cross-channel retargeting campaigns starts with having a solid system in place to manage data across all platforms. A centralized data system is key to tracking user behavior and delivering tailored ads seamlessly.

Centralized Data Management

At the heart of cross-channel retargeting is centralized data management. This process brings together information from various sources - like website visits, email engagement, social media activity, CRM records, sales data, and even in-store interactions - into one cohesive customer profile[1][2].

How Cross-Channel Retargeting Campaigns Work

Cross-channel retargeting campaigns use a structured process to connect user interactions across various online platforms. By integrating data from multiple touchpoints, brands can craft marketing strategies that follow their audience wherever they spend time online.

How the Campaign Process Works

The process kicks off with data collection. Every time a user interacts with your brand online - whether it’s visiting your website, clicking an ad, or engaging on social media - those interactions are captured and added to a unified profile.

Next comes audience identification and segmentation. The system analyzes this data to identify users who meet your retargeting criteria. Based on their behavior and where they are in the customer journey, users are grouped into relevant audience segments.

Once segmented, the campaign moves to message coordination. This step ensures that users see ads tailored to their specific stage in the journey. For instance, someone who’s just learning about your brand will see introductory messaging, while a returning customer might get ads focused on completing a purchase.

Finally, there’s cross-channel delivery and tracking. Ads are delivered across platforms where your audience spends time - whether that’s social media, websites, or streaming services. Performance is then monitored to ensure the campaign stays on track.

As the campaign runs, real-time adjustments refine its effectiveness.

Real-Time Adjustments with Unified Data

Unified data makes it possible for campaigns to adapt on the fly. For example, if certain ads perform better on specific platforms, the system shifts resources to those placements to maximize impact.

Frequency capping is another key feature. Instead of bombarding users with the same ad repeatedly on one channel, the system tracks exposure across platforms. This ensures users see a balanced mix of ads without feeling overwhelmed. At the same time, budget optimization redirects spending toward channels delivering the best results - all without manual adjustments.

This unified approach also supports sequential messaging. For example, a user might first see a brand-awareness ad on one platform, then a product-focused ad on another, and finally a conversion-oriented ad on a third. Each message builds on the last, gently guiding the user through the sales funnel.

Example: A Retail Campaign for Athletic Shoes

Here’s how this might look in action. Imagine a retail brand running a cross-channel campaign for athletic shoes. It starts when users visit the website, browse running shoes, but leave without making a purchase.

To re-engage these users, the campaign begins with Connected TV ads. While streaming on platforms like Hulu or Netflix, users see ads showcasing the running shoes to build awareness.

Next, users encounter mobile app retargeting ads. These might appear while they’re scrolling social media or playing games like Candy Crush, showing the exact shoes they viewed earlier along with reviews or a discount offer.

The campaign then expands to display ads on websites they visit, social media ads in their feeds, and even email messages for subscribers. Each touchpoint reinforces the brand’s message, offering new incentives and calls-to-action.

Throughout the campaign, the system tracks user behavior and conversions, attributing sales to specific touchpoints. This data not only helps refine the current campaign but also informs future strategies - like which platform combinations yield the best results.

Advantages and Challenges of Cross-Channel Retargeting

Cross-channel retargeting builds on the unified campaign process, offering the potential for impressive performance improvements. However, it also comes with its share of technical hurdles. By understanding both the upsides and the obstacles, marketers can make smarter decisions about implementing this strategy.

Benefits of Cross-Channel Retargeting

One of the standout advantages of cross-channel retargeting is its ability to significantly boost conversion rates. For example, it can increase conversion potential by 250%, improve ROI by 120%, and raise average order value by 38%, all while cutting the cost per acquisition by 30% [3][1].

This approach also enhances customer journey tracking. With 67% of users starting a purchase on one device and completing it on another [1], cross-channel retargeting enables marketers to map these behaviors more effectively. It aligns with the growing demand for personalization, as 72% of consumers engage only with personalized messaging [4]. Furthermore, presenting a consistent brand message across platforms fosters trust and recognition, which can increase revenue by up to 23% [4].

These benefits, however, come with challenges that require thoughtful planning and resources to address.

Challenges and Considerations

While the potential rewards are clear, cross-channel retargeting isn't without its challenges. Success depends on overcoming several key obstacles:

• Data integration: Pulling together information from platforms like streaming services, social media, mobile apps, and websites can be a logistical headache. It requires a robust infrastructure capable of handling diverse data formats.

• Privacy compliance: Laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) add layers of complexity. Brands must ensure they respect user privacy preferences and provide clear options for opting out of tracking.

• Attribution modeling: With so many touchpoints involved, figuring out which channels drive the most conversions becomes a challenge. Advanced analytics are essential to make sense of the data.

• Budget allocation: Unlike single-channel campaigns, cross-channel efforts require algorithms to dynamically distribute spending across platforms. This requires constant optimization to ensure cost-effectiveness.

• Creative consistency: Crafting messages that are both consistent and tailored to individual platforms demands significant creative resources. From Connected TV to social media and mobile apps, each channel requires unique yet aligned assets.

Benefits vs. Challenges: A Quick Comparison

Final Thoughts

Cross-channel retargeting offers a powerful way to boost campaign performance, but it’s not without its demands. From data integration to creative coordination, success requires a thoughtful approach and the right tools. For brands willing to invest the time and resources, the potential rewards can make the effort worthwhile.

Setting Up Cross-Channel Retargeting Campaigns with OTHERSIDE

Launching a cross-channel retargeting campaign can seem daunting, but with OTHERSIDE's programmatic advertising platform, the process becomes much more straightforward. Their approach simplifies the technical setup while offering advanced targeting tools that make these campaigns effective.

Prerequisites for Campaign Setup

Before diving into cross-channel retargeting, there are a few key requirements to keep in mind. First, a minimum monthly budget of $50,000 is necessary to ensure campaigns can effectively reach audiences across channels like Connected TV, mobile apps, and digital out-of-home. This budget allows for robust data collection and optimization across platforms.

Additionally, there’s a flat-rate monthly fee of $3,750 USD for campaign management, optimization, and reporting. This pricing structure eliminates surprise costs, making it easier to plan for consistent expenses regardless of how complex or high-performing the campaign becomes.

Campaigns can be up and running in just 7 days. This quick turnaround is possible because OTHERSIDE handles all the technical integrations and data connections, cutting through the usual delays of multi-platform campaigns.

Key Features of OTHERSIDE's Platform

OTHERSIDE’s platform is built to simplify and enhance cross-channel retargeting, and it includes several standout features:

• Nexus Engine™: At the core of the platform is this optimization algorithm, which adjusts bids and targeting in real time. It ensures that budgets are allocated to the placements delivering the best performance across all connected channels.

• In-house creative services: One of the biggest challenges in cross-channel campaigns is maintaining consistent messaging across platforms. OTHERSIDE’s creative team develops assets tailored for each channel, from short Connected TV ads to mobile app banners, ensuring your brand stays consistent while adapting to the unique requirements of each platform.

• Transparent reporting: Instead of juggling multiple dashboards, OTHERSIDE provides unified reports that consolidate performance metrics across all channels. This allows marketers to see the full picture of cross-channel attribution and customer journeys.

• Extensive data partnerships: The platform connects to over 400 data providers, enabling precise audience segmentation. For example, you can target users based on their Netflix viewing habits and then retarget them through mobile games or other apps.

These features make the platform a powerful tool for managing cross-channel campaigns, and they set the stage for a smooth setup process.

Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Campaigns

Using OTHERSIDE’s platform, launching a cross-channel retargeting campaign involves a few straightforward steps:

1. Define your audience and create tailored assets. Start by identifying your target audience and developing creative materials for each channel. For instance, you might create 15-second Connected TV ads, mobile app banners, and digital out-of-home visuals that align with your brand while optimizing for each platform’s format.

2. Set up precise targeting. With access to over 400 data partners, you can build detailed audience segments. For example, you might target viewers of cooking shows on streaming platforms and retarget them through recipe apps or food delivery services. The platform handles the technical syncing of audience data across channels.

3. Allocate your budget with the Nexus Engine™. This algorithm ensures your budget is distributed based on real-time performance. If mobile app ads are converting better than Connected TV for a specific audience, the system automatically shifts more spending to where it’s most effective.

4. Communicate and monitor progress. Dedicated account managers and private Slack channels provide direct access to campaign specialists. This ensures quick responses to questions and fast adjustments to strategies when needed.

5. Scale campaigns as needed. As performance data identifies the best combinations of audience targeting and messaging, the platform makes it easy to expand your campaign to additional channels and platforms.

Throughout the process, machine learning algorithms continuously improve campaign performance. By analyzing which sequences of touchpoints drive the most conversions, the system refines targeting and messaging to replicate successful strategies. With these tools, scaling and optimizing campaigns becomes seamless.

Conclusion: Cross-Channel Retargeting for Modern Marketing

In today’s marketing world, cross-channel retargeting isn’t just a nice-to-have - it’s a necessity. With consumers engaging with brands across various platforms before making a purchase, being able to track and re-engage them effectively can transform how businesses drive growth.

The key to success lies in unified data management. By eliminating the issues of fragmented and inconsistent strategies, brands can create a seamless experience for their audience. This is where OTHERSIDE steps in, offering a connected system that simplifies the entire process. Their approach integrates data, creative assets, and optimization across all channels, ensuring every campaign performs at its best.

What makes OTHERSIDE stand out is their fully managed service. From strategy development to real-time campaign adjustments, they handle it all. Add to that their in-house creative services - provided at no extra cost - and transparent, full-funnel reporting, and businesses can focus on what they do best while leaving the complexities of cross-channel campaigns to the experts.

For companies looking to adopt cross-channel retargeting, partnering with a solution like OTHERSIDE offers an accessible way to achieve measurable results without the hassle of building these capabilities internally. In a world where customer journeys span multiple platforms, a unified retargeting strategy is no longer optional - it’s essential for driving conversions and fostering long-term customer loyalty.