Post-Purchase Advertising Playbook: Level Up Your Customer Journey Beyond the Sale
Retail media is growing faster than almost any other form of ad spending and eMarketer projects that it will account for 25% of all US media investment by 2028.
While much of the focus has traditionally been on the pre-purchase experience, the post-purchase moment offers an often untapped opportunity to boost engagement and create new revenue streams.
In this guide, we’ll dive into how you can leverage post-purchase advertising to enhance the customer journey and optimize your ecommerce strategy. Read on for more insights, or navigate to a specific section below:
- The Opportunity: Why Post-Purchase Ads Matter Now
- Getting Started: How to Integrate Post-Purchase Ads and Start Earning
- Measurement & Optimization: Best Practices for Post-Purchase Success
The Opportunity: Why Post-Purchase Ads Matter Now
Imagine this: A customer just made a purchase on your site and has landed on the confirmation page. Typically, this is where the customer journey ends. But what if you could continue the conversation?
‘Post-purchase’ or ‘post-transaction’ advertising allows you to connect with customers by showing them personalized offers on your order confirmation page. It’s a great way to engage with shoppers while they’re still excited about their recent purchase and in the buying mood.
How Post-Purchase Advertising Works
With post-purchase ads, you can surprise and delight customers with relevant offers right after the checkout. Here’s a quick rundown of how these ads fit into the customer journey:
- Customer places an order on an ecommerce site and is taken to a confirmation page
- Customer receives tailored offers based on signals like demographics, buying history, and contextual data (i.e., information about the environment in which the ad appears)
- Customer clicks on a deal and is redirected to the advertiser’s website, app, or landing page to complete the offer
Check out the video below for a full primer on Fluent’s post-transaction advertising solution 👇
Pro Tip: Focus on offers that are highly relevant and add immediate value. Think exclusive discounts, free trials, or limited-time promotions. By offering something they can’t find elsewhere, you can create a sense of urgency and keep your customers coming back for more.
Why You Should Launch a Post-Purchase Ad Offering
Helping to increase revenue and enhance the shopping experience, post-purchase advertising is a win-win for retailers and consumers alike. Here’s why you should monetize your high-traffic confirmation pages:
- Unlock an incremental revenue stream: Make the most of unused space on your site to drive extra profit.
- Upgrade the customer experience: Share personalized offers that boost engagement and increase customer lifetime value.
- Build non-endemic brand partnerships: Promote complementary products and expand your digital “shelves” beyond your core offerings.
“Post-purchase advertising enables retailers to tailor ad content, visuals, and messaging to consumers’ unique interests and preferences. When the consumer sees an offer that resonates with them, it reinforces the idea that the company values and understands their needs.”
– Irina Zhizhina, Senior Product Manager
💡Hear more from Fluent’s Sr. Product Manager on personalizing the customer journey with post-purchase ads.
Who Should Consider Post-Purchase Ads?
If you’re an ecommerce brand or any business with a minimum of 30 million annual transactions, post-purchase ads could be a great fit for your monetization strategy. Here are some types of businesses that are seeing success:
- Retail/Ecommerce: After buying clothes, electronics, or home goods, customers get ads for related products or special membership deals.
- Grocery: After scheduling a grocery pickup, customers see offers for both grocery and non-grocery items.
- Quick-Service Restaurants (QSRs): Customers who place a mobile order receive discounts, loyalty points, or time-sensitive promotions.
- Travel and Booking: After booking a flight or hotel, customers get offers for travel insurance, activities, or upgrades.
- Online Ticketing: After buying event tickets, customers see ads for hotels, flights, or rental cars.
- Resale Marketplaces: After buying resale items, customers get offers for hot products and discounts from specific sellers.
Getting Started: How to Integrate Post-Purchase Ads and Start Earning
Adding post-purchase ads to your checkout experience is a straightforward way to explore retail media or complement your existing strategy. Whether on your website or mobile app, they’re designed to boost engagement and drive extra revenue with minimal resources.
Integrating Post-Purchase Ads into the Customer Experience
Ready to test out post-purchase ads? Here’s how to seamlessly integrate them into your customer experience and start seeing results.
Website Integration
Post-purchase ads are simple to set up. Your developer can add a Javascript tag to your confirmation page in just a few hours. With the proper privacy measures in place, you can leverage first-party customer data to deliver personalized offers that encourage further engagement.
Mobile App Integration
Monetizing your app with post-purchase ads is just as easy. By integrating a Software Development Kit (SDK), you can show relevant offers right after the mobile checkout process. This turnkey solution requires minimal development time while ensuring a smooth user experience.
Pro Tip: Fluent’s post-purchase ad module makes integration and customization a breeze. Match your brand’s colors, fonts, and style for a cohesive user experience that feels native to your site or app.
Finding the Perfect Post-Purchase Advertising Partner
Choosing the right post-purchase advertising partner shouldn’t be complicated. Here are five key things to look for to make sure you’re on the right track.
- Seamless Integration: Your partner should feel like part of your team, offering solutions that fit seamlessly into your existing workflows—no heavy lifting on your end.
- Transparency & Control: Brand safety is huge. You want full visibility into the advertisers on your platform and the ability to block any that don’t align with your brand.
- Next-Level Targeting: Good targeting can make or break your customer experience. Find a partner that uses AI and machine learning to predict behavior and optimize ad placements for the best results.
- Robust Reporting: Real-time data is a must. Your partner should give you insights into views, clicks, and revenue so you can refine your ad placements and maximize revenue per session.
- Dedicated Account Team: If you’re new to post-purchase advertising, having a dedicated team to set goals, monitor performance, and make optimizations will help set your business up for success.
Measurement & Optimization: KPIs for Post-Purchase Success
To measure the success of your post-purchase advertising strategy, consider tracking the following Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): Track the number of customers who click on the post-purchase offers. This metric helps you assess how engaging the ads are.
- Conversion Rate: Measure the percentage of customers who complete an offer after interacting with a post-purchase ad. This can indicate how well your offers align with customer preferences.
- Revenue Per Session: Monitor the additional revenue generated through post-purchase ads. This can help you gauge the effectiveness of your post-purchase strategy.
- Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): Post-purchase ads can enhance each customer’s overall value by encouraging repeat purchases. Track how these ads increase CLV.
Continuously review your KPIs to refine your post-purchase strategy and maximize revenue. Leverage the information you have about customers to personalize your ads and A/B test different offers to see which types perform best.
Next Steps: Maximizing the Post-Purchase Moment
Post-purchase advertising offers a unique opportunity to enhance the customer experience and drive additional revenue. By delivering relevant offers immediately after a purchase, you can capitalize on customers’ positive buying mindset, build long-term relationships, and grab a slice of the $129 billion retail media pie.
Here’s our quick TL;DR on how to get started:
- Evaluate Your Checkout Process: Look for opportunities to introduce post-purchase ads. Prioritize high-traffic touchpoints like the order confirmation page.
- Choose a Partner: Work with a partner that offers seamless integration, transparency, and strong reporting capabilities.
- Test and Optimize: Monitor KPIs to continuously improve your post-purchase advertising strategy, increase engagement, and boost revenue.
Unlock Incremental Profit from Online Orders with Fluent
Ready to boost revenue and elevate the customer experience with tailored post-purchase offers?
Fluent’s post-purchase advertising technology seamlessly integrates into your online storefront, providing a turnkey solution to enhance the customer journey.
Transform your checkout experience into a premium, brand-safe marketplace with exclusive offers from both endemic and non-endemic brands.
Contact us now to unlock new opportunities for growth!
Check out more resources to get fluent in:
Commerce Media | Retail Media | Post-Transaction Advertising | Contextual Data
Fluent, Inc. is a leader in performance marketing, offering data-driven customer acquisition and partner monetization solutions that exceed client expectations. We connect brands with consumers at the most optimal moment, unlock additional revenue streams for partners, and empower advertisers to acquire their most valuable customers at scale. Connect with us now to level up your business: https://fluentco.com/contact/