Retargeting Strategies to Recapturing Travelers Who Abandoned Bookings

In the world of travel bookings, sometimes plans change, and travelers abandon their bookings. It happens more often than you might think, and it's a major challenge for almost every travel industry. But there is a way available called “Retargeting Strategies” to recapture them. Yes, you heard right—we still have an option to recapture them.

But, we understand that finding the best retargeting strategies can be challenging. That's why we've created this guide for you. In this article, we'll talk about why travelers abandon bookings and, more importantly, how to win them back. 

Why Do Travelers Abandon Bookings?

Behind the drama of abandoned bookings, various reasons come into play. Here are some common factors that typically lead to booking abandonment:

• Price Uncertainty: You see, when people start booking a trip, they usually have a budget in mind. But as they progress through the booking process, they might stumble upon extra fees, taxes, or unexpected costs that weren't initially clear. This can make them uncertain about whether the trip still fits their budget — leading them to abandon the booking.

• Comparison Shopping: Nowadays, it's super easy to hop online and compare prices, accommodations, and deals across different websites. So, if a traveler comes across a better offer while they're in the middle of booking, they might decide to ditch their initial choice for a sweeter deal.

• Timing Issues: Life can be unpredictable, right? Sometimes, things like sudden work commitments, schedule changes, or personal emergencies can pop up, forcing travelers to hit pause or abandon their booking plans altogether.

• Complex Booking Process: Now, nobody likes a complicated and confusing booking process. If it takes too many steps, isn't very clear, or if the website is slow and frustrating to use, travelers might just give up and look elsewhere. 

• Lack of Trust: Trust is a big deal in the travel world. If someone starts feeling unsure about the reliability, security, or reputation of a booking platform or a particular accommodation, they might decide to bail out. Negative reviews or a lack of transparency can be deal-breakers. Visit here to learn how to secure your web server. 

• Distractions and Interruptions: We live in a world full of distractions. So, someone might start booking a trip and then get sidetracked by their phone buzzing with notifications, a phone call, or just random online stuff. This loss of focus can easily lead to them forgetting about their booking.

Now, let's learn everything about retargeting. 

What is Retargeting?

Retargeting, also known as remarketing, is a clever and effective online marketing strategy used by businesses to re-engage with potential customers who have shown interest in their products or services but didn't complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or booking in the context of travel, says Mark Valderrama, CEO & Founder of Aquarium Store Depot. 

Want to learn how it works? The following section covers just that.

How does it work? 

Retargeting relies on tracking technology and cookies to monitor the online behavior of website visitors. When someone interacts with your website but doesn't complete a booking, a small data “cookie” is stored in their web browser. This cookie tracks their actions, such as the pages they visited or items they added to their cart. Using this data, you can create audience segments based on user behavior. 

With these audience segments in place, personalized ads are crafted to align with each group's interests and previous interactions. These tailored ads are then displayed to users as they browse the internet, whether on news websites or social media platforms. The goal is to gently remind users of your brand and the travel options they considered — prompting them to return and complete their bookings.

Benefits of Retargeting:

Here are some benefits of retargeting:

• Enhanced Conversion Rates: One of the primary benefits of retargeting is its ability to significantly boost conversion rates. When travelers who've shown interest in your travel services encounter personalized ads as they browse the web, they're more likely to return to your site and complete their bookings. This increased engagement often leads to higher conversion rates compared to traditional advertising methods.

• Cost-Effective Advertising: Retargeting tends to be cost-effective because you're specifically targeting users who have already expressed interest in your offerings. Since you're not casting a wide net, your advertising budget is used more efficiently, ensuring that your marketing dollars are directed towards potential customers who are more likely to convert.

• Increased Brand Awareness: Even if travelers don't immediately convert, retargeting helps keep your brand top of mind. By displaying your ads across various websites and social media platforms, you're reinforcing your brand's presence and building brand awareness. This can be particularly beneficial in the competitive travel industry where brand recognition plays a vital role in decision-making. Discover how to establish your online business using the best online tools.

• Personalized User Experience: Retargeting allows you to provide a personalized user experience. You can tailor your ads to match the specific interests and behaviors of different audience segments. This personalization not only increases the chances of travelers returning but also enhances their overall experience — making them feel valued and understood.

• Precise Audience Segmentation: Retargeting allows you to segment your audience based on various criteria, such as their browsing behavior or where they abandoned the booking process. This precise segmentation enables you to create highly targeted ads that speak directly to each group's needs and preferences, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

• A Second Chance to Convert: Travel plans can be complex, and travelers often need time to make decisions. Retargeting provides them with a second chance to reconsider your offerings. They may have been distracted during their initial visit or needed more time to finalize their plans. By gently reminding them through retargeted ads, you offer the convenience of returning to your site when they're ready to book.

• Detailed Performance Insights: Retargeting campaigns come with robust analytics that provide valuable insights into campaign performance. You can track metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, and ROI (Return on Investment). This data allows you to refine your retargeting strategies continuously, optimizing your efforts for better results.

• Competitive Edge: In the highly competitive travel industry, staying ahead of the competition is crucial. Retargeting can give you a competitive edge by ensuring that you remain visible to potential customers who may be considering similar options. This increased visibility can make the difference between a lost booking and a converted traveler.

8 Best Retargeting Strategies for Abandoned Bookings

Here are some best practices you can follow to recapture travelers who abandoned bookings:

1. Paid Remarketing Campaigns: 

Paid remarketing campaigns are a highly effective strategy for recapturing travelers who abandoned bookings. These campaigns involve strategically placing targeted ads across various online platforms like Google Ads, Facebook, and Instagram. The key here is precision — your ads are shown to users who've already interacted with your website but didn't complete their booking.

By keeping your brand and offerings in front of these potential customers as they continue their online journey, you significantly increase the chances of them returning to finalize their booking. 

Eran Mizrahi, CEO of Ingredient Brothers, shares, “Paid remarketing campaigns are cost-efficient, allowing you to allocate your advertising budget wisely by focusing on users who have demonstrated genuine interest in your travel services. Plus, they provide measurable results, enabling you to track your return on investment and optimize your campaigns for better outcomes.”

2. Email Retargeting:

Email retargeting is a powerful method to re-engage travelers who have abandoned their bookings. This strategy involves sending personalized email messages to individuals who left your website without completing a reservation. These emails can gently remind them of the travel plans they were considering, provide additional information, or even offer exclusive incentives to encourage them to return and finalize their booking.

Tiffy Cu, Travel Blogger at Asiatravelbug, observed, “Email retargeting enables you to track open rates, click-through rates, and conversions, providing valuable data to refine your email campaigns and improve their effectiveness in recapturing abandoned bookings.”

3. Social Media Retargeting:

Social media retargeting is a strategic approach aimed at re-engaging travelers who abandoned their bookings through various social media platforms. This method leverages the vast user bases of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Cole Vineyard, CEO and Founder of Teach Simple, said, “By placing retargeted ads in the social media feeds of users who previously interacted with your travel website, you can gently remind them of their initial interest in your offerings.”

Social media platforms offer advanced targeting options, allowing you to pinpoint your audience based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. This precision ensures that your retargeted ads are seen by the right people — further enhancing the likelihood of successful conversions, said Benjamin Purewal, Director at E-Consulting LTD. 

4. Display Advertising:

Display advertising is a retargeting strategy that utilizes eye-catching visual ads to recapture the attention of travelers who abandoned their bookings. These ads can take various forms, such as banner ads, image ads, or interactive multimedia ads, and they are strategically placed on websites and platforms within the display network, shares Lara Acosta, Chief Marketing Officer at AED Training.  

5. Cross-Device Retargeting:

Cross-device retargeting is a valuable strategy for recapturing travelers who abandoned their bookings by ensuring that your retargeting efforts reach them on various devices and platforms. Today's travelers switch between smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops, so it's crucial to maintain a consistent presence across all these devices to keep your brand and offerings top of mind.

This strategy involves tracking users across their devices and delivering personalized retargeted ads to each one. For example, if a traveler started the booking process on their mobile device but didn't complete it, cross-device retargeting ensures that they see relevant ads when they later access your website from their desktop or tablet.

6.  A/B Testing:

A/B testing is a powerful technique that can significantly enhance your efforts to recapture travelers who have abandoned their bookings. This strategy involves creating two or more variations of your retargeting campaigns and testing them to determine which one performs better in terms of conversion rates and engagement.

David Owens, Digital Marketing Expert at CPR Training, adds, “By conducting A/B tests, you can fine-tune various elements of your retargeting efforts. This might include testing different ad creatives, ad copy, headlines, or even the timing of when retargeted ads are displayed to users. The goal is to identify what resonates most effectively with your audience and encourages them to return and complete their bookings.”

7. On-Screen Prompts:

On-screen prompts are a valuable strategy to recapture travelers who have abandoned their bookings by delivering targeted messages directly on your website or booking platform. These prompts serve as gentle reminders and guidance to encourage potential customers to complete their reservations.

When a traveler abandons their booking process, an on-screen prompt can appear, offering assistance or incentives to entice them back. For example, you can provide a special discount, offer additional information, or clarify any concerns they may have had during the booking process. 

Sumeer Kaur, Founder of Salwar Kameez, said that on-screen prompts can be particularly effective because they engage users while they are still on your website, maintaining their attention and addressing their concerns in real-time. This immediate interaction can help overcome obstacles and lead to a higher rate of completed bookings.”

8. Dynamic Remarketing:

Dynamic remarketing is a powerful strategy for recapturing travelers who have abandoned their bookings by delivering highly personalized and dynamically generated ads. 

Mark McShane, Founder of First Aid at Work Course adds, “Unlike standard retargeting, dynamic remarketing takes it a step further by displaying specific travel options or products that the individual traveler showed interest in during their previous visit to your website.”

This strategy utilizes the user's browsing history and behavior to showcase relevant offerings. For example, if a traveler was exploring beachfront resorts in a specific location, dynamic remarketing would display ads featuring those exact resorts, along with compelling visuals and details. This approach is highly effective because it aligns closely with the traveler's intent and preferences, making them more likely to return and complete their booking. 

Conclusion:

In the world of travel, abandoned bookings are a big challenge. This happens due to the complexities of the booking process, hidden fees, or slow website speeds. But, by implementing retargeting strategies, we have a way to bring those travelers back. From paid campaigns to personalized emails and on-screen prompts, all can help you recapture travelers who abandon bookings. So, don't let abandoned bookings slip away — use the best techniques to keep travelers on the path to their next adventure.