Strategic Guide: When to Use a Custom Audience Campaign

Most e-commerce stores treat all visitors the same way. They show identical discount popups to everyone, regardless of whether someone is visiting for the first time or returning after careful consideration. This approach is like having a salesperson in a physical store who gives the same pitch to every customer – it’s ineffective and often counterproductive.

Custom Audience Campaigns in Growth Suite allow you to treat each visitor based on their individual journey and behavior. This strategic guide will show you exactly when and how to use these campaigns for maximum impact.

The Problem with Generic Discount Strategies

Before diving into strategic use cases, let’s understand why traditional approaches fail:

The “WELCOME10” Disaster

Generic welcome discounts like “WELCOME10” are among the worst strategies for new visitors. Here’s why:

• Code Leakage: These codes spread across coupon sites and forums
• Wrong Audience: Returning customers use codes meant for new visitors
• No Urgency: Permanent codes create no sense of urgency
• Devaluation: Visitors expect discounts and won’t buy without them
• Poor Targeting: New visitors who would buy anyway get unnecessary discounts

The result? You’re giving away profit margins to customers who don’t need incentives while failing to convert those who do.

The Customer Journey: Understanding Visitor Psychology

To use Custom Audience Campaigns effectively, you need to understand the customer journey and what each visitor type needs at different stages.

New Visitor Journey

New visitors go through these stages:

1. Discovery: Learning about your brand and products
2. Evaluation: Comparing products and prices
3. Consideration: Deciding whether to trust your store
4. Decision: Ready to purchase or needs one final push

Returning Visitor Journey

Returning visitors have different motivations:

1. Research Phase: Comparing with competitors
2. Hesitation: Unsure about specific product or price
3. Interruption: Got distracted during previous visit
4. Validation: Seeking confirmation of their choice

Strategic Framework: When to Use Custom Audience Campaigns

1. New Visitor Campaigns: First Impressions Matter

New visitors need trust-building more than discounts. However, when used strategically, targeted offers can accelerate their journey.

When to Use:

• High-consideration products: Expensive items where visitors need time to decide
• Competitive markets: When competitors offer similar products
• Email list building: When you need to capture leads for nurturing
• Seasonal campaigns: During promotional periods

Strategic Approach:

Scenario	Strategy	Example Campaign
High-value products ($200+)	Time-limited email capture	“Join our VIP list for 15% off – valid 48 hours”
Fashion/lifestyle brands	Exclusive access positioning	“Early access to new collection + 10% off”
Competitive pricing	Price matching alternative	“Get our best price guarantee + 5% off”

Example Campaign Setup:

• Target: New Visitors
• Trigger: After 30 seconds on product page
• Offer: 12% off with email signup
• Duration: 24 hours
• Positioning: “Welcome! Get 12% off your first order”

2. Returning Visitor Campaigns: Personalized Re-engagement

Returning visitors are high-intent customers in the consideration phase. They need different strategies based on their previous behavior.

Scenario 1: The Browser (Product Viewers)

Previous Behavior: Viewed products but didn’t add to cart

Psychology: Still researching, comparing options

Strategy: Provide additional value to tip the scale

Campaign Setup:

• Target: Returning Visitors who viewed products in previous session
• Time Filter: 2-7 days since last visit
• Offer: 10% off + free shipping
• Duration: 2 hours
• Message: “Welcome back! Complete your purchase with 10% off”

Scenario 2: The Cart Abandoner (High Intent)

Previous Behavior: Added items to cart but didn’t checkout

Psychology: Highly interested but hit a barrier (price, shipping, trust)

Strategy: Address the barrier with targeted incentive

Campaign Setup:

• Target: Returning Visitors who added to cart in previous session
• Time Filter: 3+ days since last visit
• Offer: 15% off current cart contents
• Duration: 45 minutes
• Message: “Your cart is waiting! Save 15% if you complete your order now”

Scenario 3: The Almost-Buyer (Checkout Starters)

Previous Behavior: Started checkout but didn’t complete

Psychology: Very high intent, likely price-sensitive or had technical issues

Strategy: Strong incentive to overcome final objection

Campaign Setup:

• Target: Returning Visitors who started checkout in previous session
• Time Filter: 1-5 days since last visit
• Offer: 20% off + free express shipping
• Duration: 30 minutes
• Message: “Complete your purchase! 20% off expires in 30 minutes”

3. Device-Specific Campaigns: Context Matters

Different devices indicate different shopping contexts and require different approaches.

Mobile Campaigns

Context: Often browsing during commute or short breaks

Barriers: Smaller screen, harder checkout process

Strategy: Reduce friction, not just price

Example Campaign:

• Target: Mobile users + Returning Visitors
• Offer: Free shipping + one-click checkout
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Message: “Mobile exclusive: Free shipping + quick checkout”

Desktop Campaigns

Context: More focused shopping session

Opportunity: Higher average order values

Strategy: Encourage larger purchases

Example Campaign:

• Target: Desktop users + Cart value $75+
• Offer: 10% off orders over $100
• Duration: 90 minutes
• Message: “Spend $25 more and save 10% on your entire order”

4. Traffic Source Campaigns: Know Your Audience

Different traffic sources bring visitors with different mindsets and expectations.

Paid Search Visitors

Mindset: Actively searching for your product

Intent: High purchase intent

Strategy: Smaller incentives, focus on urgency

Campaign Setup:

• Target: Visitors from Google Ads
• Offer: 5% off + limited time
• Duration: 20 minutes
• Message: “Limited time: 5% off your order”

Social Media Visitors

Mindset: Casual browsing, discovery mode

Intent: Lower initial intent, need more persuasion

Strategy: Stronger incentives, social proof

Campaign Setup:

• Target: Visitors from Facebook/Instagram
• Offer: 15% off + free shipping
• Duration: 3 hours
• Message: “Instagram exclusive: 15% off + free shipping”

Advanced Strategic Scenarios

The Comparison Shopper

Behavior Pattern: Multiple visits, long time on product pages, then leaves

Strategy: Position as the smart choice

Campaign Setup:

• Target: Returning Visitors with 3+ sessions
• Previous Behavior: Viewed same product category multiple times
• Offer: Price match guarantee + 10% off
• Message: “Found it cheaper elsewhere? We’ll match it + give you 10% off”

The Seasonal Shopper

Behavior Pattern: Visits during specific seasons or events

Strategy: Leverage seasonal urgency

Campaign Setup:

• Target: New Visitors during holiday season
• Offer: 20% off + guaranteed delivery
• Duration: 4 hours
• Message: “Holiday special: 20% off + guaranteed Christmas delivery”

The International Visitor

Behavior Pattern: Visits from different countries with shipping concerns

Strategy: Address shipping barriers

Campaign Setup:

• Target: International visitors
• Offer: Free international shipping on orders $50+
• Duration: 24 hours
• Message: “International shipping on us for orders over $50”

Strategic Timing: When NOT to Use Custom Campaigns

Knowing when not to use these campaigns is equally important:

Avoid These Situations:

• Brand new store: Focus on building trust and social proof first
• Already converting well: Don’t fix what isn’t broken
• High-margin products: Where discounts significantly hurt profitability
• Luxury positioning: Where discounts damage brand perception
• Repeat customers: Who are already loyal and don’t need incentives

Measuring Success: Key Metrics to Track

Track these metrics to optimize your Custom Audience Campaigns:

Metric	Good Performance	What It Tells You
Campaign Conversion Rate	5-15%	How well you’re targeting the right audience
Average Order Value	Same or higher than baseline	Whether discounts are too deep
Revenue per Visitor	Increase of 10-30%	Overall campaign effectiveness
Email Collection Rate	15-25%	Value proposition attractiveness

Implementation Strategy: Start Smart, Scale Gradually

Phase 1: Foundation (Week 1-2)

Start with these three basic campaigns:

1. New Visitor Email Capture: 10% off for 24 hours
2. Cart Abandoner Recovery: 15% off for returning visitors
3. Mobile Conversion Boost: Free shipping for mobile users

Phase 2: Optimization (Week 3-4)

Analyze results and optimize:

• Test different discount amounts
• Adjust time limits based on performance
• Refine targeting criteria

Phase 3: Advanced Segmentation (Week 5+)

Add sophisticated campaigns:

• Traffic source specific offers
• Behavior-based segmentation
• Seasonal and event-driven campaigns

The Offline Store Analogy: Treating Visitors Like Humans

Think of your online store like a physical retail location. In a physical store, a good salesperson would:

• Greet new customers differently than returning ones
• Remember what returning customers looked at before
• Offer different help based on customer behavior
• Provide targeted assistance when customers seem hesitant
• Create urgency appropriately without being pushy

Custom Audience Campaigns let you replicate this human-centered approach online. You’re not just showing discount popups – you’re providing personalized shopping experiences that guide visitors toward making confident purchase decisions.

Conclusion: Strategy Over Tactics

Custom Audience Campaigns are powerful tools, but they require strategic thinking rather than tactical implementation. The key is understanding your customer journey, identifying the right moments for intervention, and delivering value that goes beyond simple price reductions.

Remember:

• New visitors need trust and value, not just discounts
• Returning visitors need personalized experiences based on their previous behavior
• Different contexts require different approaches (mobile vs desktop, paid vs organic traffic)
• Timing and relevance matter more than discount size

When implemented strategically, Custom Audience Campaigns transform your e-commerce store from a generic shopping destination into a personalized shopping experience that guides each visitor toward their perfect purchase decision.

Start with one campaign, measure its impact, and gradually build a sophisticated system that treats each visitor as the unique customer they are. Your conversion rates – and profit margins – will thank you.