In the digital age, surfing the web without seeing an ad is about as likely as surfing a wave without getting wet. Ads are part of the experience, and they're designed to distract. For advertisers, grabbing people's attention isn't getting any easier—but that's exactly what advertisers want (and need) to do on behalf of their brand.

The solution? Reminder advertising.

Whether you want to encourage people who've already bought from you to explore more of your offerings or reach those who've expressed interest in making a first-time purchase from your brand, reminder advertising lets you give people a friendly nudge toward the next step in their customer journey.

What is reminder advertising?

Think of reminder advertising as a tap on the shoulder from a brand. This kind of marketing relates closely to brand recall, which measures how easily a person recalls your company or product name. In addition to serving a practical purpose—more on that below—reminder advertising is a great way to keep your brand top of mind.

With reminder ads, the idea is to enhance brand awareness and encourage existing customers to make another purchase. Research suggests that there's a correlation between brand-building metrics and conversions, including sales.¹ But unlike other digital ad campaigns—which are often designed to reach a new audience—reminder advertising speaks directly to listeners who have already interacted with your brand in some way, shape, or form.

More than that, though, reminder advertising is about targeting shoppers already in the consideration stage of the path to purchase. They've done some research and are aware of your product or service. They might be reviewing their options before making a final decision... and they might even be leaning toward one of your competitors.

For all these reasons, it's important to make your reminder ads as engaging and inspiring as possible.

Reminder advertising tactics

Reminder ads fall into a few different categories, and your strategy will depend on your ultimate goal. Here's a look at the best marketing tactics for each objective.

You can use reminder ads to:

Retarget customers and encourage them to buy additional products. If a customer spent time on your site or social media accounts but left before engaging further, it may signal that they're considering your services or products—but aren't quite ready to buy. Reaching out to these same customers with an ad might re-engage them with your brand and refresh their memory about that initial interest.

Upsell or cross-sell customers by introducing add-ons. Let's say you sell outdoor equipment, and someone purchased a tent from your site. They might also be in the market for a rain tarp, a sleeping bag, or hiking thermos. A carefully crafted reminder ad can coax that customer back to your online store to make an additional purchase.

Remind customers to complete a purchase. If a shopper abandoned their cart online, a reminder ad sent via email is one way to prompt them to revisit your site. A good shopping cart abandonment strategy is key because the customers you'll be engaging with may already have been well on their way to making a purchase.

How to craft top-notch reminder ads

Strategy is one thing, but let's not forget the importance of a strong ad creative. Without a powerful ad message and memorable delivery, your reminder ad may fall flat.

Beyond methods like email follow-ups and social media retargeting, audio and video ads on Spotify can be an effective option for a reminder ad campaign. In fact, one in three listeners surveyed in our Sonic Science Volume 2 research said they focus all their attention on audio when they're tuning in on Spotify.² In earlier research, Spotify ads were also found to drive higher engagement levels than other forms of media, including TV, digital, video, and social media³—precisely what you want when encouraging a repeat or completed purchase.

Because audio ads are served between songs, when listeners are already paying attention, they're able to zero in on what you have to say. With video ads, your message is delivered during a listening session when the Spotify app is in focus. In other words, both formats can provide an opportunity to connect with listeners—when they're paying attention.

If you aren't sure which ad format is right for your brand, you can always combine multiple types to achieve—and even surpass—your marketing goals. Through Spotify's audience-targeting features, contextual targeting, clickable call-to-action cards, and powerful storytelling medium, experimentation and optimization are made simple.

Reminder advertising examples

Salesforce's reminder advertising strategy on Spotify

Salesforce recently ran a reminder advertising campaign on Spotify to further educate Millennial Business Decision-Makers about the brand's Customer 360 suite. By strategically placing audio, display and video ads across popular playlists and podcasts, Salesforce captured audiences' attention during their daily routines—when listeners were commuting or relaxing at home, for example.

This continuous exposure, amplified by a custom playlist generator microsite, reinforced Salesforce's presence in listeners' minds. Seamless integration of pre- and mid-roll podcast ads further solidified the brand's message, prompting increased engagement and traffic to the Salesforce website. Read the full case study here.

Ashley engages listeners with a brand recall campaign

As another example, home furnishing brand Ashley leveraged the Spotify Audience Network (SPAN) to help boost brand recall. The retailer deployed targeted audio ads to resonate with listeners considering furniture purchases during pivotal life moments such as moving house or expanding their family.

By timing their ads with significant calendar events such as Memorial Day and Black Friday, the brand effectively nudged listeners toward their online and in-store promotions. Ashley tracked conversions and optimized ad delivery using advanced tools like Spotify Ad Analytics, ensuring persistent relevance to their audience. The resulting uptick in both online and physical store interactions confirms the campaign's efficacy in keeping Ashley top of mind during pivotal buying moments. Read the full case study here.

The art of reminder advertising is all about timing, relevance, and strategic engagement. Ready to launch your own reminder ad campaign? Spotify can help you reach your brand's goals.